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Lewes AC Brave Gruelling Conditions at 2025/2025 Sussex Cross Country League Ardingly Fixture
Fifty-one athletes from Lewes Athletic Club turned out for the third fixture of the 2025/2026 Sussex Cross Country League, held at Ardingly Showground on Saturday, 6th December. Described by competitors as a “gruesome mudfest”, the testing conditions made for tough racing across all age groups. However, Lewes AC rose to the challenge with several standout individual and team performances.
In the junior races, Lewes AC had strong representation. In the Under 11 Girls’ 2km race, Wrenn Cumber led the club home in 14th place, closely followed by Aurelia Chapman in 17th. The Under 11 Boys also battled through the mud, with Aaron Otoide finishing a solid 14th in a competitive field.
The Under 13 Girls were led by Tamsin Bennett in 18th place, with good support from Beatrix Crawshaw, Daphne Taylor and Olympia Cumber. In the Under 13 Boys’ race, Ralf Pelkonen was the first Lewes finisher in 23rd, backed up by strong runs from Arlo Edwards, Arthur Lewith and Thomas Mitchell.
There was particular success in the Under-15 age group. Harry Chapman produced an excellent run to finish third in the Under 15 Boys’ 4km race, helping the Lewes AC A team secure third place overall. Casper Dennis added a top-ten finish in 10th, with Samuel Trotman, Thomas Muddle and Charlie Phipps completing a strong team performance. In the Under 15 Girls’ race, Maisie Bodsworth (18th) and Millie Button (22nd) impressed in difficult conditions.
The senior and veteran athletes continued the club’s success later in the day. In the combined U17/U20/Senior/Veteran Women’s 5km race, Izzy Bradford claimed first place in the V35 category, while Laura Douse also took first in the V40 category. Strong performances from Darja Knotkova-Hanley, Emma Shepherd and Sally Norris saw Lewes AC A finish second overall in Division 1 of the women’s team competition.
In the men’s 8km race, Lewes AC athletes again showed their strength. Toby Meanwell won the V45 category, while Lewis Sida claimed first place in the V55 category. Supported by Adam Vaughan, V45 and U20 athlete Isaac Tarafder, the Lewes AC A team secured third place in Division 1.
Lewes AC Chair Philip Westbury praised the club’s efforts, saying: “Ardingly was as tough as cross country gets… deep mud and relentless conditions. I’m incredibly proud of how all 51 of our athletes, from our youngest runners to our seniors and vets, dug in and supported each other. The results reflect the spirit of Lewes AC.”
With mud-splattered kits and tired legs, Lewes AC left Ardingly Showground having demonstrated resilience, teamwork and competitive spirit across all age groups, setting the club up well for the remaining fixture in the Sussex Cross Country League at Glyndebourne on Sunday 14th February.
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- Strength and Conditioning: Join our coaches on Monday nights to improve core strength and stability. Sign up here.
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