Twenty one Bicester AC athletes braved the damp conditions for round 2 of the Chiltern League held last Saturday at Horspath.
Fresh from his superb 2nd place effort from round 1 and his 4th place in the under 15 boy’s race in the recent cross challenge held in Cardiff, Leo Blyton braced himself for another stiff competition with round 1 winner Elliot Langley-Aybar. And it was a case of déjà vu as Langley-Aybar and Blyton dominated proceedings again. Run over a course of 3.68km and a field of 92 runners Blyton again finished runner up to Langley-Aybar clocking 12mins 33secs, just 13 seconds slower than the winning time. Both runners again filled the top 2 places in the mob race and the division 2 contest. Emeras Mohandes was Bicester’s other finisher in 92nd and the team were 4th best division 2 team on the day leaving them in 6th place in the division 2 standings after the first two races.
There was a good turnout of Bicester runners in the senior men’s contest in the longest race of the day (9.12k). The field was swelled by over 20 Oxford University cross country athletes, many of whom placed in the top 60 places in the 386 strong field. Bicester AC’s first finisher was Owen stocker in 54th (34mins 08secs). He was 30th division 3 placer but several division 2 runners in from of him were from the Oxford University cross country team. Igo Slawik was next in for Bicester and he ran well for 291st spot (46mins 52secs). Robson Matthews competed in his first ever Chiltern League cross country race finishing 343rd (51mins 52secs). Stocker, Slawik and Matthews combined for 2nd place in the division 2 under 20 men’s race leaving them in 2nd place in the division 2 team standings after two races. Robert Parsons was having only his 2nd cross country race and did well to finish 349th (52mins 39secs). And Joshua Bradley continues to show improved form over the country and he finished in 360th place with a 53mins 22secs clocking.
Bicester AC’s Hannah Parson performed well in the under 13 girl’s race. Although towards the junior end of her age group, Parsons did well to make the top half of finishers placing 35th out of the 79 finishers. Parsons was timed at 12mins 23secs for the 2.87km course and was 8th division 2 finisher. George Hart also made the top half of finishers in the under 17 men’s race. Hart finished 30th clocking 21mins 21secs for the 5.74km course. Hart was 7th division 2 finisher. Max Finnegan ran his first cross country race of the season and finished 57th with 25mins 08secs.
Bicester had two finishers in the under 11 boy’s race. As in round 1 Thomas Richards acquitted himself very well finishing a strong 25th in the 73 strong field and clocking 7mins 41secs for the 1.85km course. Alex Kelly was Bicester’s other finisher in 63rd with 8mins 42secs. Bicester also had two runners in the under 11 girl’s race and it was a close finish between the pair. Ivy Balch managed to get the better of Eva Brunt on this occasion and was not far away from the top half of finishers placing 25th out of 45. Balch was timed at 8mins 39secs for the 1.85km course with Brunt placing 27th in 8mins 49secs.
Megan Surman was one of two Bicester runners in the under 15 girl’s race contested over 3.68km. Surman made the top 40 placing 38th with 17mins 01secs. Emelie Stocker has made a good start to the cross country season and she finished 61st (19mins 10secs). The team was 7th which leaves them in 7th place in the team standings after two events.
Bicester had two in the senior lady’s race. Leanne Stocker ran well for 158th clocking 30mins 57secs for the 5.74km distance. And Emily Benfield finished 203rd with 33mins 44secs.
Bicester had three in the under 13 boy’s race and the Bicester trio was led home by Stanley Conlon who finished 87th. He was timed at 12mins 44secs for the 2.87km distance. Lucius Mohandes was next home in 91st (13mins 10secs) with Ivan Stocker completing the Bicester finishers in 96th (13mins 50secs).