There was a good turnout of 18 Bicester AC athletes for round 3 of the latest Chiltern League cross country event held last Saturday at Campbell Park. The Bicester AC team acquitted themselves well with some outstanding performances.
It was a case of déjà vu in the under 15 boy’s race. The two outstanding league performers in this age category again toed the line with a 4.4km race ahead of him, one of which was Bicester AC’s Leo Blyton. Once again he came up against Bracknell’s Elliott Langley-Aybar and as in the previous rounds he ran outstandingly well to finish 2nd in 14mins 21secs with Langley-Aybar coming out on top with 14mins 07secs. Blyton still remains well placed in the division 2 standing after three races lying in 2nd place. Bicester’s other competitor was Emeras Mohandes who was 81st (21mins 43secs).
Owen Stocker achieved his highest senior men’s race placing finishing a superb 13th in the 313 strong field. Stocker also finished 2nd in the divisions 2 under 20 men’s race which was run in conjunction with the senior. He was also the 2nd overall division 2 runner finishing ahead of all of division 2 senior and veteran men. His time of 28mins 39secs for the 8.4km course was just 27secs behind the leading division 2 under 20 men’s runner and leaves him in 2nd place in the division 2 under 20 men’s standings after two events. Stocker spearheaded a strong Bicester under 20 men’s team challenge. Noah Gulvin competing in his first cross country race of the season for Bicester ran well to make the top 100 finishing 84th with a 32mins 33secs clocking and was 11th finisher out of the 93 competing division 2 runners. Igor Slawik, competing in his first cross country season, continues to progress and finished 221st in 38mins 59secs which leaves him in 4th place in the division 2 standings after three events. These three combined for a superb win in the division 2 team race with Bicester ahead in the team standings after three events. Completing the Bicester finishers was Robson Matthews who has adapted to cross country well giving his previous track and field background and he was 258th in 41mins 00secs.
Megan Surman has taken up moving up an age group in her stride with another good performance in the under 15 girl’s race. She finished in the top half of finishers placing 25th clocking 13mins for the 3.2km distance. Emilie Stocker also ran well for 46th clocking 15mins 09secs.
Bicester’s two competitors in the senior lady’s race both ran very well. Leanne Stocker ran a solid race for 114th clocking 29mins 46secs for the 5.6km distance which leaves her in 8th place in the vet 45 standings after three events. And Emily Benfield had finishing 138th out of the 203 finishers with 15mins 09secs.
Ivy Balch led home the Bicester finishers in the under 11 girl’s race finishing 25th clocking 6mins 43secs for the 1.6k distance. Ivy Balch was Bicester’s other finisher in 32nd (7mins 15secs). Thomas Richards finished a little below his first two Chiltern League efforts but still placed well in the under 11 boy’s race finishing 45th with 6mins 25secs for the 1.6km distance.
George Hart was Bicester’s sole competitor in a competitive looking under 17 men’s race run over 1.6km. Hart finished 37th with a 21mins 20secs clocking. And there were two Bicester runners in the under 13 boy’s event with Lucius Mohandes in 59th (12mins 51secs) and Ivan stocker 67th (13mins 56secs)