A new venue was arranged at short notice for the final curtain raiser event of the Oxfordshire Cross Country League season. The original venue, Henley Showground, was under water but a course at Finmere became available at short notice. There were 32 Bicester AC athletes competing over the 12 races with final league placings at stake across the various age related events.
Bicester’s Leo Blyton, who was the reigning under 15 Oxfordshire League champion, competed in one just Oxfordshire League event this year as he concentrated on the Chiltern League and the Cross Challenge. However Bicester continued to enjoy some success in this competition through Alexander Collins. Running in his first cross country season Collins has enjoyed an outstanding season. Maynard from Swindon Harriers had already been confirmed as under 15 league champion. Alexander Collins had finished in the top three finishers of every event coming into the final race but a race win had proved elusive. This all changed at Finmere as Collins got the better of close rival, Radley AC’s Harry Colson. He was first home in the 26 strong field clocking 16mins 26secs for the approximate 4.5km course and this was good enough for 2nd place in the final league standings. There was another good effort from Theo Cogan who was 20th in 19mins 51secs and he competed in all five events finishing 19th in the final standings.
There was another good Bicester AC turnout in the senior men’s race contested over an approximate 8km circuit. This attracted a field of 211 athletes and Bicester had 8 of these. Owen Stocker came into the final race in contention for a top 3 series placing in the under 20 men’s event which is run in conjunction with the senior men’s race. Once again Stocker was Bicester’s premier finisher placing 15th with 30mins 10secs. The under 20 men’s event has been very competitive throughout the winter. Stocker had placed in the top 10 in three of the senior men’s races but he was just edged out of the top 3 in the final under 20 men’s standings placing 4th. There was a welcome comeback run for Finlay Colverson-Martin, who was having his first competitive cross country run for Bicester for a period of time. In the event Colverson-Martin ran superbly for 38th place and a 32mins 17secs clocking. Finley Kerr enjoyed has best placing of the season in 64th place clocking 34mins 16secs. Igor Slawik completed his fifth Oxfordshire League run of the winter to finish in 140th (39mins 26secs) and 7th place in the final under 21 men’s standings . Next in for Bicester was Robert Parsons who was 181st (43mins 45secs) ahead of Joshua Bradley in 185th (44mins 01secs). Bradley competed in every race in the series and was 49th in the senior men’s standings. Bicester placings were completed by Robson Matthews in 197th (46mins 35secs) with Matthews finishing 8th in the final under 20 men’s standings. The Bicester team finished 6th in the final division 2 standings. Bicester’s other finisher was Paul Jones in 198th (46mions 40secs). Jones competed in every race in the series and was 38th in the final vet male 50 standings.
Charlie Joiner produced a fine run in the under 13 men’s race finishing a superb 6th out of the 28 finishers clocking 13mins 59secs for the approximate 3.5km course. Joiner has ended the season strongly and this performance took him to a top ten placing in the final standings (9th). Ralf Sprogis was next in for Bicester finishing 19th (15mins 52secs) with the team finishers completed by Lucius Mohandes who was 24th (17mins 40secs) with the team finishing 5th on the day and 5th in the final standings. Bicester’s other finisher was Ivan Stocker who was 25th and along with Joiner, Mohandes and Sprogis completed every race in this year’s Oxfordshire League. Charlie Simpson was competing at another event so missed the final fixture at Finmere but he has performed well throughout the winter and finished 13th in the final standings.
There was an excellent run from debutant Runyararo Chilongo in the under 9 boy’s race run over an approximate 1.2km course. Chilongo finished 5th in 5mins 32secs with Bicester’s other runner, Eisa Tyrell, finishing 18th (6mins 25secs). In the under 9 girl’s race debutant Chloe Stefanwicz was 23rd and clocked 7mins 52secs for the approximate 1.2km distance.
Megan Surman was one of three Bicester AC athletes that contested the under 15 girl’s race contested over approximately 4.5km. Megan Surman has shown good improvement throughout the season and achieved her best placing with 8th place and a 20mins 22secs clocking. She competed in all five races and finished 12th in the final standings. Bicester’s next finisher was Maya Korn in 21st (22mins 51secs) with the team placings completed by Emelie Stocker who was 26th (25mins 54secs). Stocker featured in the final standings in 22nd and the team was 5th on the day and 4th in the final standings.
Four Bicester AC girls contested the under 11 girl’s race contested over an approximate 1.5km course. There was a close contest between Eva Brunt and Ivy Balch and it was Brunt who came out on top on this occasion placing 23rd (9mins 2secs) with Balch 24th in 9mins 24secs. Both have competed in every race in this series as well as every race in the Chiltern League. Balch was Bicester’s highest placer in the final standings in17th with Eva Brunt in 22nd. The Bicester team placings were completed by Ruby Maxwell in 36th (10mins 10secs) with the team finishing 7th on the day and 10th in the final standings. Naomi Stefanowicz was Bicester’s other finisher in 40th (11mins 08secs).
There were 4 Bicester AC boys in the under 11 boy’s race contested over approximately 1.5km. Zach Ryan was first home for Bicester in 23rd position (8mins 10secs) making the top half of finishers. He was followed home by Tom Fiala in 29th (8mins 20secs) with the team finishers completed by Isaac Wilkinson in 31st (8mins 23secs). Hugo Hammond-Scott, who was making his debut, also competed for Bicester and he was 36th in 8mins 39secs. The team were 7th in the final standings.
George Hart has been a model of consistency in the under 17 men’s competition. He finished 14th in the final heat clocking 24mins 19secs for the approximate 6km circuit. Hart has competed in every race in the series and was 8th in the final standings. In the under 17 lady’s race run over the same distance Bicester’s Ella Myers-Finnegan finished 10th in the final heat clocking 31mins 50sec and this was good enough for 8th place in the final league standings. Leanne Stocker was Bicester’s sole representative in the senior lady’s event run over an approximate 8km circuit. Stocker was 78th clocking 43mins 55secs and she finished 17th in the final vet 45 lady standings. Although not competing on the day Emil Benfield also featured in the final standings placing 39th in the senior lady standings. Olivia Maxwell was Bicester’s sole competitor in the under 13 girl’s race run over approximately 3.5km and she achieved her highest placing of the season in 27th (20mins 01secs).