The final round of the Chiltern League Cross Country League took place recently at Horspath. For some of the Bicester contingent, this was their second visit to Horspath within a matter of weeks.
Eleven Bicester AC athletes competed in 7 races but it was a Bicester athlete who did not compete who achieved the highest position in the final standings. Owen Stocker’s performances in the first four rounds was good enough combined for 2nd place in the final individual division 2 under 20 men’s standings. Stocker has enjoyed an outstanding season and his efforts included a superb top 20 placing in the senior men’s mob race held at Bedford. Stocker was also part of the victorious under 20 men’s team, who not only won the men’s under 20 division 2 final round, but also the division 2 men’s team title.
Also part of this team was Joshua Moran who has performed at a consistently high standard throughout the winter months. Moran placed 74th out of the 283 competing athletes in the final round clocking 37mins 48secs for the 9.12km circuit. Also making the team was twin brother Isaac, who improved significantly on his earlier Chiltern League effort at Keysoe Park to finish 106th (39mins 55secs). Paul Jones also competed in the senior men’s race for Bicester and was 254th in 51mins 30secs.
There was a high placing for Hannah Parsons in the under 11 girl’s race contested over a 1,85km circuit. Parsons ran well for 12th clocking 9mins 00secs. Bicester’s Lorelei Whelan also competed in the same event and finishing in 41st (11mins 03secs).
It is always an achievement to complete this tough series and Ella Myers-Finnegan completed the requisite number of races to feature in the final under 15 girl division 2 standings in 14th place. Myers- Finnegan was 29th in the final mob under 15 girl’s race contested over a 3.68km circuit where she clocked 19mins 17secs. Ivan Stocker also featured in the final division 2 under 13 boy standings placing 14th. Stocker finished 61st in the under 13 boy’s race run over 2.87km clocking 15mins 27secs.
Bicester AC had two athletes in the under 15 boy’s race. Max Finnegan placed 39th with 16mins 28secs for the 3.68m course. Theo Cogan was Bicester’s other finisher in 56th (18mins 16secs). Leanne Stocker, in only her 2nd outing after a break, ran well for 138th in the mob senior lady’s race clocking 35mins 39secs for the 6km circuit.