We smashed it, guys! Mission accomplished as men's team dominates to retain English Cross Country title in another historic day for the club.
There were those sceptics who claimed that our victory in last year's postponed National cross country championships held in September at Weston Park in Shropshire was a bit of a soft touch, but the doubting Thomases have been made to eat their words as we proved conclusively that it was no flash in the pan on Saturday when when the championships returned to what is universally regarded as the sport's iconic course at Parliament Hill Fields in London.
Not only did our squad put on a commanding display, but they also proved their strength on a course right in the heart of Southern club territory—historically dominated by Southern endurance powerhouses and Northern giants like Leeds City.
Placing all six scorers in the top 25 out of 1,781 finishers, with a total of just 115 points, is an extraordinary achievement. It showcases the depth and talent we’ve cultivated in recent years, putting the South West region firmly on the national map.
Even beyond our top six, the team’s depth was on full display. Our next six finishers placed within the top 71, securing a score that would have ranked sixth among the 215+ teams competing. Only London clubs Shaftesbury Barnet (199) and Highgate (228), along with Leeds City (263) and our old rivals Tonbridge (265), outscored them.
A BRUTAL TEST OF STRENGTH AND STAMINA
The race itself was a true battle. While the recent cold snap had lifted, heavy overnight rain turned much of the course into a mud-soaked challenge. After the younger age groups and the women’s races had torn through it, the men’s 12K became an ultimate test of endurance.
While cross country specialists may have thrived, conditions weren’t ideal for some of our team’s top talents, including internationals Will Battershill, Kurt Taylor, and Pete Le Grice, who had done little or no cross training this winter.
SPECTACULAR SIGHT
The start at Parliament Hill is one of the most spectacular vistas in the sport—a field of nearly 2,000 runners lined up across 200-300 metres, before being released to charge up the famous hill into a reducing funnel of runners that forms a snakelike file that seems to stretch within sight for ever.
Despite the chaos, the top contenders always rise to the front. As expected, Jack Millar, with his sights set on an individual medal, positioned himself within the top ten early on. Perhaps surprisingly, our talented young Devonian Flynn Jennings was next of our runners, just ahead of county compatriot Will Battershill, sitting around the top twenty. Joe Morrow and Felix McGrath weren’t far behind.
At this stage, as anticipated, Shaftesbury Barnet—the reigning national cross country relay champions—looked like our main rivals, with three of their runners ahead of all but Jack.
THE MID-RACE BATTLE
By the end of the first of three laps, Chiltern’s Richard Slade and 2023 champion James Kingston (Tonbridge) were setting the pace, with Jack sitting in a three-man chase pack. Having finished just behind Kingston two weeks earlier in the UK Cross Challenge race in Leeds, Jack made his move into third, determined to claim an individual medal.
Further back, Flynn remained our second counter, with Will and Felix steadily improving their positions. Joe was also pushing forward, and Kurt—who had struggled early—was finally finding his rhythm, charging through the field alongside Ben Robinson and Pete Le Grice.
A STRONG FINISH
During the final lap, Slade pulled away to secure victory by nearly 30 seconds, with Kingston in second and Flurry Grierson taking third.
Jack, unfortunately, paid for his ambitious mid race attack and admitted to suffering a real energy loss on the last lap as he fell back out of the top ten, though in contrast Will finally came to terms with the underfoot conditions and finished like a train to actually catch and pass Jack and end up in 15th place, while Jack despite his fatigue held on to 16th just ahead of Flynn, who for someone so young contesting his first senior National was surely our revelation of the race in 18th place.
Yet this was not the end of our remarkable packing on the day as Felix, who felt he had run possibly his best ever race on the country, followed only six seconds later in 20th, while no more than ten seconds further back Joe, who also underlined his ability on the mud, finished only two places behind him in 22nd as Kurt like Will put in a storming finish to complete our monopoly of the team race in 24th.
Nor was that the end of our stranglehold on the team race as only 40 seconds back on Kurt, Pete in 35th and Ben 37th emphasised the team's impressive strength in depth by finishing in the top 40 without being rewarded with medals for their efforts, while the same applied to Milan Campion 56th, team captain Owain Jones 62nd, Alex Stewart 70th and Luke Burgess 71st.
"We knew we had a stronger line up than when we won last year and had a realistic chance of defending the title, but never in such a decisive way," concluded jubilant captain Owain, who for his own part was the third best of the vets in the race behind Leeds' Graham Rush and Notts' Alistair Watson.
Ironically on such a successful day if anyone was disappointed it was our top two runners Will and Jack, who had finished 4th and 8th respectively in last year's championship race and had been anticipating to at least make the top ten again.
"In my case I don't know exactly why I struggled on the last lap, but it's most probably due to the fact that I made too big an effort mid race in a bid to go for a medal," explained Jack, adding that if he had been content to hold back on the second lap he was sure he would have made the top ten, though he was more than consoled by the team's triumph.
As for Will he did not anticipate he would take so long to cope with the underfoot conditions, but felt OK once he settled into the race and was reassured that he was able to hit back and finish so strongly for the team.
BEYOND THE TOP 12
While our top 12 obviously take the plaudits we had 15 other runners in action, headed creditably in the top ten per cent by Fraser Roach (138th), Dage Minors (167th), and Lee Gawler (172nd). In addition Aled Anderson (226th), Dan Shepherd (233rd), Aaron Bruce (238th) and Robbie Stewart (239th) all made the first (250th).
Others who survived the muddy ordeal were Alistair Burleigh (359th). Boudewijn Domenicus (457th), Alistair Matheson (457th), Ben Cooper (520th), Alex Hobley (551st), Alistair Mckail (894th), Dan Carse (1081st) and Matt Brown (1417th). On a course like this, finishing the gruelling test was an achievement itself!
NOW LET’S DO IT ON THE ROAD!
After such a memorable victory, attention now turns to the upcoming 12-stage Road Relay Championships in April. Can we complete the double and claim the title of the nation’s best endurance club? Opportunities like this are rare—let’s seize the moment!
We’re ready to enter up to three teams for the Midland Area Championship on March 29, depending on demand. Please complete the form that team captain Kurt is emailing out and return it ASAP to Chris Elson, who is coordinating entries.
MIKE DOWN (Team Manager)
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