Round 2 of the Oxfordshire Cross Country League took place last Sunday at the notoriously tough terrain of Cirencester Park. With the recent bout of wet weather Cirencester was even muddier than normal and getting to the venue proved almost as challenging as the races themselves. The course’s reputation and the journey to Cirencester did not put off the hardy athletes of Bicester AC as 38 contested the 12 races.
Owen Stocker has shown a liking for the mud and hills of Cirencester in the past and won the under 17 men’s race in 2023. Stocker has made a lightning start to this season and was a superb 8th in the opening event. Stocker ran even better on this occasion with an excellent 5th placing in the 286 strong field, good enough for top place in the under 20 men’s event which is incorporated into the senior men’s event. Stocker’s time was 28mins 28secs for the approximate 8km course and was just over a minute down on the winner from Swindon Harriers. This was Stocker’s 2nd run of the weekend having competed in the Chiltern League the previous day. Joshua Moran bettered his first round by 11 places in finishing 43rd (32mins 26secs). Noah Gulvin was comfortably in the top 100 in 83rd clocking 34mins 41secs. Finlay Kerr made a very promising competitive athletics debut as he placed in the top half finishers and Joshua Bradley was 281st (57mins 26secs) with the team placing 24th out of the 43 competing teams.
Leo Blyton, who is up in age group this season, matched his very fine effort of race 1 again finishing runner up in the under 15 boy’s race contested over a 4.5km circuit. Blyton defeated 23 others in clocking 16mins 32secs. Earlean Appiahkorang-Mensah contested his first Oxfordshire League race of the season finishing in 17th (19mins 25secs) with the team placing 4th.
Megan Surman produced one of the runs of the day and probably her ever best cross country run in making the top ten finishers in an Oxfordshire Cross Country League event for the first time. Surman finished 8th out of the 23 finishers in the under 13 girl’s race run over a 3km course clocking 12mins 52secs. Maya Korn was Bicester’s 2nd finisher in 20th (15mins 07secs) with the team finishers completed by Nancy Alcraft, making her seasonal bow, in 21st (16mins 03secs). The team placed 6th.
Hannah Parsons has made a strong start to the season and improved 12 places on her finishing position in the corresponding race last season placing 8th out of the 45 runners in the under 11 event. Parsons clocked 5mins 16secs for the 1.5km distance. Olivia Maxwell also improved significantly on her last season Cirencester effort to place 21st (5mins 49secs). The teams scorers were completed by Evie Button, having only her second ever run, in 32nd (6mins 18secs) with the team finishing 6th. Lorelei Whelan was Bicester’s other finisher in 42nd (6mins 41secs).
Bicester had 5 runners in the under 15 girl’s event contested over a 4.5km circuit. Kate O’Malley continued her good start to the season with a strong 11th placing in the 31strong field clocking 21mins 07secs. She was followed home by Ella Myers Finnegan who was 17th in 22mins 12secs. The team scores was completed by Erin Griffiths, making her cross country debut and finishing a creditable 24th (25mins 28secs). The team placed 5th. Other Bicester finishers were Maddison Joiner who was 27th (27mins 28secs) and Emelie Stocker who was 31st (31mins 56secs).
Bicester’s highest numerical turnout was in the under 11 boy’s event contested over 1.5kms. Charlie Simpson led the team home in 16th place (5mins 17secs) in the 53 strong field. Barnaby Wilson was the next Bicester finisher in 33rd (5mins 51secs). The team finishers were completed by Lucius Mohandes, making his Oxfordshire Cross Country League debut, who was 37th in 6mins 02secs with the team finishing 11th. Other Bicester finishers were Sam Wilson 38th also in 6mins 02secs, Brendan Kelly 49th in 6mins 58secs and Oliver Kelly 52nd in 7mins 19secs.
Amy Gould only started racing again last winter season after a break from athletics and continues to impress. Gould finished a strong 19th out of the 152 finishers who completed the senior lady’s race contested over 8km. Gould clocked 38mins 47secs with Bicester’s other finisher Emily Benfield placing 141st in 56mins 17secs with the team placing 30th.
Harry Cruickshank was Bicester’s leading finisher in the under 13 boy’s race in 15th place with a 12mins 07secs clocking for the 3km circuit.. He was followed home by Ivan Stocker, having his 2nd race of the weekend, in 26th (15mins 52secs) with the team scorers completed by Emeras Mohandes, making his Oxfordshire Cross Country League debut in 27th (16mins 36secs).
Two Bicester athletes contested the under 17 men’s race run over 6km. George Hart, having his first cross country race in a new age group, finished 16th in 25mins 10secs. Shane Brine, who was having only his 2nd ever competitive outing was 20th in 26mins 58secs with the team finishing 9th. There were two Bicester runners in the under 9 boy’s run over 1.2m with Archie Joiner leading the Bicester finishers home in 20th (4mins 55secs). He was followed by Alex Kelly, making his cross country debut, in 22nd (5mins 00secs) with the team placing 10th.
The under 9 girl’s race run was contested over a 1.2km circuit. Isla Cruikshank, making her Bicester cross country debut, led the team home in 10th place (4mins 56secs). Ivy Balch was next in for Bicester in 14th (5mins 05secs) with the team scorers completed by Layla Hendon in 15th (5mins 17secs). The team finished 5th. Bicester’s other finisher was Ruby Maxwell who was 19th in 5mins 32secs.