Athletics
Good show in county races

FORTY-NINE athletes across six age groups did Stratford AC proud in the Warwickshire County Cross Country Championships at Solihull on Saturday.

The under 17/under 20 women were given the honour of racing first. Tas Pope (8th in 20.17 and 7th u17) and Lucy McDermott (11th in 21.05 and 8th U17) both produced their usual high standard.

Tas stepped up from under 15s this year and performed impressively, while Lucy was two places higher than she was in this race at Cofton Park in 2011.

There were two club representatives in the under 15 boys race with Alex Beckett (19th, 15.49) and Matthew Bayliss (34th, 17.14) both racing intelligently.

In the under 15 girls race, the team finished 4th overall. Caroline Fury (11th, 17.34) led them home, followed in quick succession by the speedy quartet of 800m specialist Abigail Flynn (16th, 18.18), mudlark Sophie Dobedoe (17th, 18.21), 1500m and cross country regular Rachel Chandler (20th, 19.09) and purveyor of middle distance speed endurance Rachel Jones (21st, 19.12).

There were many magnificent performances in the senior/masters women’s race. Dani Rasgauski (7th, 23.36 - 6th senior) was the star, while Kate Wright (11th, 23.56) was satisfied to finish 2nd in the masters.

Dawn Compton was next (18th, 24.50 and 5th master) followed by Sarah Wheeler (24th, 25.18 and 7th master), Emma Bexson (26th, 25.36 and 9th master) and Alison Bagnall (29th, 25.50 and 11th master).

They were followed by Emma Vickers (46th, 28.05 and 20th master) and Rose Morris (83rd, 35.36 and 48th master).

The A team (Kate, Dawn, Sarah) won the Masters prize and just for good measure the B team (Emma B, Alison, Emma V) were 2nd in what is proving to be a brilliant season for the ladies.

Fergus Allison put in a glorious performance to finish 7th in the under 13 boys race in 12.16, ahead of Oliver Evans (32nd, 14.40).

Despite usually competing at half of this 3000m distance at under 11 level, Georgina Mitchell competed in the under 13 race and finished 13th in 13.36 from Ysabelle Caswell (15th, 13.54) and Harriet Flynn (21st, 14.05).

Hannah Bexson (25th, 14.22) had a splendid end to 2011 and has started this year just as well and Jessica Sheppard (33rd, 15.10) battled to the finish. The under 13 team finished 6th overall.

The under 17/under 20 men raced together and five of Stratford AC’s finest displayed their current form and wonderful potential.

Jack McMullen (16th, 20.52 and 9th U20) secured a pleasing top 10 finish ahead of Josh Newman (26th, 21.45 – 13th U20), Howard Allison (28th, 22.17 – 14th U17), Sam Taylor (37th, 18th, 23.09 – 18th U20) and Liam Cole (38th, 23.15 – 20th U17). The U20 team finished 3rd.

Rob Minton (35th, 35.38 – 21st senior) led the Stratford contingent home in the senior/masters race, finishing ahead of Danny Tolhurst (50th, 36.53 – 32nd masters), Andy Cockerill (69th, 38.08 – 29th masters), Chris Bacon (91st, 39.16 – 44th masters) and Keith Hawkes (92nd, 39.36 – 45th masters).

Next home was Michael Warner (97th, 40.15 – 49th masters) from Alan Coley-Smith (117th, 42.23 – 65th masters), Graham Black (122nd, 42.40 – 69th masters), David Smyth (126th, 43.20 – 73rd masters) and James Lyall (129th, 43.28 – 75th masters).

Paul Hawkins (139th, 44.12 – 84th masters) enjoyed the four hours he spent managing the other age-groups and was raring to go by race-time.

He was followed by Steve Kirk (141st, 44.25 – 86th masters), Roger Wilson (159th, 46.08 – 102nd masters), Peter Evans (161st, 46.29 – 104th masters) and Pete Hill (163rd, 46.55 – 106th masters).

Andy Turner (164th, 47.06 – 107th masters) stuck to his task well and stayed ahead of Phil Marshall (166th, 47.15 – 107th masters), Luke Watkins (169th, 49.27 – 60th masters), Mike Barrie (170th, 49.36 – 110th masters), Mike Barrett (171st, 50.00 – 111th masters) and Larry Coltman (172nd, 50.07 – 112th masters).

The senior men’s team (Rob, Danny, Andy T, Luke) were 9th, the Masters A team (Andy C, Chris, Keith, Michael) finished 9th, the B (Alan, Graham, David, James), C (Paul, Steve, Roger, Peter E) and D (Pete H, Phil, Mike, Mike) teams were 14th, 22nd and 24th respectively.