The final Bicester AC outdoor Winter session took place recently at Bicester School. This was combined with the outdoor Winter presentation. Emma Gould, Bicester AC’s Cross Country Manager reflected on what has been a very successful season in her overview. She thanked parents, guardians, athletes and volunteers/coaches who had contributed to this success throughout the season. Once again the club has been able to use three venues for training and most sessions had attracted 30 plus athletes. The club had also helped in the organisation of the annual Bicester Primary Cross-Country event held at Bicester School. Some of the awards earned from the Chiltern League, Oxfordshire League and Oxfordshire County Championships were handed out on the day. This included county and Oxfordshire League awards for the younger age groups.
Leo Blyton has enjoyed another very successful season. He enjoyed some very closely fought battles with Bracknell’s Elliot Langley-Aybar in the Chiltern League and finished a very creditable runner up in the under 15 boy final league standings. He has equipped himself very well in the cross country challenge series which attracts top cross-country athletes from all over the country. And he has again performed superbly well in top championship events run towards the end of the season which included a runner up spot in the prestigious national cross-country championships held in Nottingham, Bicester’s highest ever placing in that event. For his efforts over the season Blyton was awarded the best junior male award.
With Leo Blyton concentrating on the Chiltern League this provided an opportunity in the Oxfordshire League for another of Bicester’s under 15 year old athletes, Alex Collins. Collins was competing in his first competitive cross-country season but handled it like a pro. Never out of the top 4 places in any of the five rounds of the Oxfordshire League he finally got his reward in the final round with a superb win resulting in a superb runner up spot in the final Oxfordshire League under 15 boy standings. Collins was awarded the most improved athlete award.
It is always difficult when an athlete advances into a new age group which means competing against older athletes and over longer distances. Megan Surman was having her first year in the under 15 girl’s age group but started cautiously in the Oxfordshire League with 15th place out of the 34 competing athletes. Surman improved with every race and moved into a top ten placing in round 4 with 8th place which was repeated again in round 5. Surman was awarded the best junior female award.
Competing on the rough and tumble of cross country is never easy for even experienced athletes and can prove particularly challenging for younger athletes. Two of Bicester’s younger girl athletes both made the final league standings in the Chiltern and Oxfordshire League. Ivy Balch and Eva Brunt had a great rivalry throughout the season. Their commitment and determination was rewarded with the best performance for an under 11.
Bicester’s under 20 men’s team has been strong in recent years and with key members going off to university others stepped into the breach. Whilst Owen Stocker was making waves at the front of the field he was supported in both the Oxfordshire and Chiltern Leagues at various times throughout the winter by Noah Gulvin, Finn Kerr and Robson Matthews. The under 20 men’s team took the division 2 team honours. Another athlete who part of this strong under 20 men’s team was Igor Slawik who was in his first ever competitive cross-country season. Slawik completed in every race in both the Chiltern and Oxfordshire Leagues. Apart from being a member of the winning under 20 men’s team, Slawik was also 3rd in the individual division 2 under 20 men’s standings. Slawik was a awarded the boy member of the year.
Some of Bicester’s athletes start at the youngest age group and make it through to the older age groups. One such athlete is Ella Myers-Finnegan who first started competing as an under 11 and has completed her first year in the under 17 women’s age group. She has seen other Bicester athletes come and go but she has competed for Bicester right throughout the age groups and Myers-Finnegan was awarded the girl member of the year. Athletics at Bicester AC can be something of a family affair and there have been several examples, past and present, of athletes from the same family donning Bicester colours. This season two senior Bicester athletes, Jospeh Whelan and Robert Parsons had their first seasons of the cross country following on from their daughters who both competed in the younger age group races. Owen Stocker has enjoyed a superb season completing a top ten finishes in three of the five Oxfordshire League races and finishing runner up in the under 20 men’s Chiltern League. However Owen Stocker was not the only Stocker athlete donning Bicester AC colours. Owen’s mum Leanne ran with distinction in both the Oxfordshire and Chiltern League and Owen’s siblings Emelie and Ivan did likewise in their respective age groups. And adding to the mixture was the booming tones of dad John at each event providing motivational encouragement from the sidelines. The Stocker family were awarded the best contribution award.