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Lewes AC Start Sussex Cross Country League Season in Strong Form at Goodwood
Lewes Athletic Club kicked off the 2025/26 Sussex Cross Country League season in strong form at the opening fixture held at Goodwood. On a cool, dry autumnal day, runners tackled the undulating course with determination, producing an excellent set of early-season results across all age groups.
The Sussex Cross Country League is a long-standing highlight of the county’s running calendar. Taking place between October and February, the series features four races of up to five miles, held at venues across Sussex. The league attracts hundreds of athletes from clubs throughout the county, competing in age and gender categories to ensure fair and exciting competition.
Strong Starts for Lewes Juniors
The club’s younger athletes got the season off to a promising start, showing both strength and depth:
- U15 Girls: Ella Bartholomew – 5th, 15:50
- U15 Boys: Otto de Burca – 7th, 14:19
- U17 Men: Jacob Trotman – 11th, 16:35
- U17 Men: Michael O’Connor – 12th, 16:39
These performances signal an encouraging year ahead for Lewes AC’s junior academy, with several athletes already positioning themselves as league contenders.
Senior Women Impress with Top-10 Finishes
In the combined U17/U20/Senior/Veteran Women’s race, Lewes AC fielded a strong squad that performed superbly against impressive county opposition:
- Darja Knotkova – 18:38, 7th overall, 1st Lewes finisher – an excellent senior showing.
- Flaminia Gold – 18:49, 8th overall, just seconds behind her teammate.
- Rachel Hillman (V40) – 19:35, 15th overall, top veteran for Lewes.
- Eileen Beach – 19:59, solid sub-20 performance and 4th team scorer.
With three athletes in the top 15, the women’s team made an impressive opening and looks set for a competitive league campaign.
Men’s Team Delivers Standout results
Lewes AC’s mix of experienced and up-and-coming runners secured strong team results and set a solid foundation for the remaining league fixtures.
- Josh Burgess (SM) – 25:15, 2nd overall, just 11 seconds behind the winner,
- Ben Pepler (SM) – 26:38, Top 10 finish, providing strong team support.
- Toby Meanwell (V45) – 28:07, Top 20 overall and among the leading veterans.
- Isaac Tarafder (U20M) – 28:22, Top U20 Lewes finisher, highlighting emerging young talent.
“It was a fantastic start to the league season,” said Lewes AC Chair Philip Westbury. “Our runners showed real grit and team spirit, and to have so many finishes near the top of their fields bodes well for the months ahead. The club’s presence across all categories demonstrates the interest and enjoyment of Lewes AC’s cross-country programme.”
Next Fixture
The next round of the Sussex Cross Country League takes place on Saturday, 8th November at Stanmer Park, where Lewes AC will aim to build on its strong early-season form.
Want to Improve Your Running Performance with Lewes AC?
Lewes AC offers various training sessions to help boost your performance at road and trail running events:
- Strength and Conditioning: Join our coaches on Monday nights to improve core strength and stability. Sign up here.
- Track Sessions: Fine-tune your technique, pacing, and endurance on Thursday evenings, or try beginner track sessions on Saturday mornings. Sign up here.