Home » Latest Club News »
Head to head battles for Cross Country League title.
Lewes AC and Hailsham Harriers are in a neck and neck battle to win the East Sussex Sunday Cross County League title. After 3 matches out of six both teams have 5 points. After the first two events Lewes AC were lying second and it needed a win by Lewes at the third event at Framfield to draw level with Hailsham in their title quest. This they did with great scoring in head to head battles throughout the whole of the team of 20 runners.
The league has 12 competing teams made up of 20 runners from each of the clubs that take part in the League. Each of the teams is made up of men and women across a wide range of age groups. This team competition therefore results in many head to head battles throughout the race as each runner competes with their opposite number from the other 12 teams.
Leading the scoring for the Lewes team was the 50 year old Jonathan Burrell in 8th place 21 places ahead of the first over 50 runner from Hailsham. Andrew Masters in 13th place was 10 places ahead of the first Hailsham runner in the same over 40 age group. Colin Bennett in the same age group in 15th place had a great run to finish 30 places ahead of his opposite number from Hailsham Harriers. Further down the age spectum in the men over 60 age group Andrew Chitty was 53rd some 17 places ahead of the Hailsham runner.
Also scoring major points for the Lewes team in their personal head to heads were Andrew McLennon in 48th position 58 points ahead of his opposite number, Alex Monson 41 places ahead and Greg Emans 40 places ahead in their personal battles. Also winning the senior man head to head was Joseph Arnold 9 places ahead of the Hailsham runner. Ed Tuckly in 21st position just lost out by one point to his opposite number from Hailsham.
Also having a great head to head battle in the women over 55 age category was Karin Divall in 110th position some 57 points ahead of the equivalent Hailsham scoring position.
Megan Taylor again had a storming run and was first of the 6 women that are a key part of the Lewes team. Also scoring important points for the Lewes team were Gina Wilson in 84th position, Karen Morse 146th and Lisa Jackson 143rd
The great individual scores over the Hailsham runners provided the bedrock for the Lewes AC team win. The next race in January at Ashdown Forest will again be a head to head battle between both teams and team members.