Middlesex XC Championships – Report

The County opted to hold this season’s Championships on the December Date which will be the allocated date for county cross country championships from next season. However this mean’t effectively holding a 2nd County Championships in 2025. With 710 entrants the change of date did not appear to put off athletes and the day was graced with perfect cross country weather with rain in the week softening the course and sunshine all day. Hosts Hillingdon opted not to utilise the river crossing however the ski slope certainly provided a stiff challenge.

The mens race saw three runners break free of the pack early on however over the three laps Thomas Archer (LH) manged to create a winning lead 15s ahead of Rory Bradford (TVH) and Niki Faulkner (TVH) a further 15s behind. Thomas, who is based at the University of Birmingham generally concentrates on 1500m so this was a good test of stamina ahead of the Championship races in the New Year. Thames Valley Harriers easily retained the Team title for the third time with all 6 scorers in the top 13 places. Anchored by the champion London Heathside also matched January’s 2nd place. Hosts Hillingdon AC completed the day with a well earn’t team bronze led home by Kirk O’Rourke in 5th place. The team bronze award for 12 to score excluding the first 3 clubs went to Harrow AC.

The Senior Women’s race was dominated by Nicola Douglas (The Stragglers) who quickly pulled away from the rest of the field to finish with a 30s lead. She has been in good form finishing 2nd in the Inter-Counties at Greenford and had finished 4th in January. Nicola Payne (SBH) was 2nd with Sophie Biggs (The Stragglers) 3rd. Last years team winners London Heathside had to wait until Lucy Browne finished in 9th place for their first scorer however with 10th and 11th they went ahead in the scoring which was completed with 46 points when Ciera Kennedy finished in 16th. Just piping Harrow (50 pts) and Thames Valley Harriers on 52 pts. The Corlin Cup was won by Ealing Eagles.

The Women’s U20 & U17 races were run together pre-race favourite Sonny Allen (Highgate) produced another dominant display finishing 35s ahead of Arabella Nichol (TVH). The U17’s medallists were completed with Posie Shaw (SBH). Highgate Harriers completed a championship double with Leoni Delvendahl upgrading her silver from January with the title ahead of Lyra MacDonald (VPH&TH) winning her third successive U20W silver and clubmate the defending Champion Ruby James in third. VPH&TH however retained their U20W Team title with Highgate again taking 2nd place. London Heathside dominated the U17W competition anchored by 4th placed Amy Kirk with Rose Schofield in 5th and Lettice Gundry 7th they were well ahead of 2nd place Shaftesbury Barnet Harriers on 42 points and Belgrave Harriers on 51 pts.

Highgate Harriers secured a double with the previous U15 Boys Champion Dennys Pascal a convincing winner with a 25s gap to Daniel Jelfs (SMR) in 2nd place. Ewan Kiefer (SMR) was next over the line in 3rd place putting St Mary’s in prime place for the team title. However Highgate recorded a 6th place while VPH&TH had 2 in the top 8 so it would come down to the 3rd scorers. VPH&TH recorded a 11th place to finish on 24 points, however Aron Sinko Uribe completed Highgate’s team in 12th to move into 1st place with 19 points and with St Mary’s last runner in 16th they had to settle for silver. The U20 Men’s race was won by Fred Beale (LH) with clubmate George Saint in 2nd a good 30s ahead of 3rd place Charlie Brook (SMR). With their 3rd place runner in 9th London Heathside were the only Club to have a full team and took the title with an impressive 12 points.

Jagna Falkowska (Trent Park) lived up to her favourite tag, she currently leads the Met League standings, taking the title in a close finish from Violet Muralidhar (ESM) the U13 Girls champion form January 2s behind. Elina Ponkratieva (SMR) was 3rd crossing the line 15s later. With all three scorers in the top 7 Ealing Southall & Middlesex took the team title ahead of Met League leaders Barnet & District and St Mary’s Richmond in 3rd.

The county’s leading U15 Boy Charlie Nicolson (LH) was missing with illness which saw Max Lamy (VPH&TH) take advantage outsprinting Robin Greenwood (Trent Park). 3rd place went to the current Southern U13 Boys Champion Felip Kounoupas Prastalo (LH). The team title was a close run thing with the 2nd VPH&TH runner home in 4th while London Heathside had the 5th so it would come down to the 3rd scorers. James McGuire (LH) crossed the line in 9th while Leo Togher (VPH&TH) was 15th giving Heathside the title by 3 points. Ealing Southall & Middlesex had all 3 runners in the top 12 to take bronze.

London Youth Games silver medallist Sophia Davies (Brentwood Beagles) took the title with a healthy 20s buffer to 2nd place Evie Broadfoot (VPH&TH) who just piped 3rd place Alice Clements (E&H). With all 3 scorers in the top 7 Met League leaders VPH&TH as expected took the team title with Shaftesbury barnet 2nd only 3 points ahead of home club Hillingdon.

The U13 Boys finish was an exciting climax with three athletes sprinting for the line. Dennys Pascal (SBH) had to again settle for silver finishing just 1s behind SEAA Inter-County Champion Luis da Silva (TVH) with Harrison Henderson (SBH) in 3rd just a further 2s behind. With Lewis Ward crossing the line in 5th Shaftesbury Barnet convincingly retained their team title. VPH&TH were 2nd and Ealing Southall & Middlesex 3rd.

As expected Amelia Wilkes Turpie continued her superb season with 3 Met League wins already under her belt winning the U11 Girls title with a 12s margin. Florence Phillips (Highgate) outsprinted Bay Elkins (TVH) for 2nd place with 4th and 5th finishers just 1s behind. Shaftesbury Barnet took the title with 20 points. Harrow were 2nd ahead of the previous title holders Barnet & District.

The surprise winner of the U11 Boys was Frederick Prytherch Strobl (QPH) who produced a great run to lead 2nd place Daniel Janmohamed (SBH) with Owen Lewis (Highgate) in 3rd place. The team competition came down to the 3rd place finishers with Highgate in 1st having a slight advantage over Shaftesbury with 2 runners home. However Queens Park Harriers saw Arthur Miller in 12th and Angus Baird in 12th and 14th to overtake both and take the title.

Many thanks to organising Club Hillingdon AC as well as all the Officials, Marshalls and MyRace Result, who helped organise the event and in particular Malcolm French and David Smith.