The first round of the winter long Chiltern League Cross Country League took place last Saturday at a new venue, Verulamium Park, St Albans. This is a highly competitive league attracting clubs and athletes from as many 7 counties which include Bedfordshire, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire, Middlesex, Oxfordshire and Northamptonshire. The League is separated into 2 divisions for all age groups except for under 11s which are run as one competition. However athletes from both divisions compete in one race colloquially referred to as a mob race. Bicester AC compete in division 2.
Despite being English Schools Cross Country Champion for his age group, Bicester AC’s Leo Blyton faced some stiff competition in the under 15 boy’s competition which attracted 94 runners. Competition included Bracknell’s Elliott Langley-Aybar who is a formidable cross country athlete in his own right. In the event it was a close run contest with Langley-Aybar coming out on top on this occasion clocking 11 mins 24 secs for the approximate 4km distance. Blyton finished runner up just 6 seconds adrift with an 11mins 30secs clocking. They were also first and second in the division 2 event. Bicester’s Emeras Mohandas competing, in his first under 15 cross country event, did well to complete the distance placing 92nd (18mins 07secs).
Owen Stocker made a welcome return to competitive action. There was inevitably a degree of race rustiness as he was having his first competitive race since the last cross country season. Taking part in the senior race, run over approximately 10km, Stocker placed 37th out of 363 runners in the mob race with a time of 36mins 10secs. Stocker was 11th finisher in the division 2 race and 2nd placed division 2 under 20 male finisher. Igor Slawik was making his athletics competitive debut and finished in front of several runners in placing 270th. Stocker and Slawiks’ placings left Bicester AC 2nd in the division 2 team standings after race 1.
Megan Surman put in a promising effort in her first ever under 15 girl’s cross country race finishing in the top half of finishers placing 37th out of the 70 finishers. Surman clocked 15mins 38secs for the approximate 4km course. Leanne Stocker made a welcome return to competitive action and placed well in the 248 strong senior ladies race. Stocker finished 147th in the mob race and was 35th out of the 77 finishers in the division 2 race. Stocker clocked 31mins 46secs over the approximate 6km course. Teammate Emily Benfield also placed in the top 200 finishing in 192nd in 34mins 38secs.
Thomas Richards made his cross country debut in what was a very competitive under 11 race run over an approximate 2km course. Richards put in a promising effort to finish 25th in the 84 strong field clocking 7mins 10secs. Bicester had three runners in the under 11 race and best placed of these was debutant Eva Brunt who finished 32nd clocking 8mins 18secs over the approximate 2km course. She was followed in by Ivy Balch in 39th (8mins 33secs) with Lorelie Whelan placing 48th (9mins 02secs). Bicester AC had two athletes in the under 13 boy’s race. Lucius Mohandas placed 88th clocking 11mins 38secs over the approximate 3km course with Ivan Stocker 93rd (12mins 17secs).