WADAC boys in strong Hampshire League showing despite low turnout

Raceday four of this season’s Hampshire Cross Country League took place at a benign Popham Airfield course on Saturday. Those with battle scars from the torrential wind and rain a year previously were treated instead to a calm, warm (for winter) day with not a hint of rain. With WADAC athletes in contention for various individual and team titles at the end of the season, this was to be an important fixture in helping determine those outcomes.
nIn the opening race, Evie Smith found herself in the unusual position of being WADAC’s only Under-13 girl, and ran well from lower year to finish 28th.
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nWADAC’s Under-13 boys have developed into a large, good quality squad for competitions, and despite losing many of their athletes to schools races in the early Hampshire League fixtures, have fought back strongly to be in contention for seasonal medals. On Saturday, after another inspirational pre-race huddle led by the irrepressible Tom Savill, the boys finished second on the day. Another great run from Luke Furby, with his trademark progression through the field, saw him home in 6th place, while Tom ran his best race of the campaign in 8th, and Sam Parker completed the scoring team in 14th. They were ably supported by Felix Sclater (25th) and Ed Duxbury (30th). The boys now lie second in the aggregate table and will likely secure the silver medals as long as they put out a team at Bournemouth in a month’s time.
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nDespite having a very strong squad themselves, Winchester’s Under-15 girls were unable to field a full team this time, though this takes nothing away from the good runs of the ever reliable Grace Baker (7th) and debutant Isabelle Knight (28th). Having missed this opportunity to put pressure on the teams around them, the WADAC squad will now have to perform well at Bournemouth if they too are to take home seasonal medals, in what is a very tightly contested category.
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nNo such issues for the WADAC Under-15 boys however, as their second successive team win sent them to the top of the season’s table. Thomas Jacobs (3rd) and Casper Wilson (4th) both took the opportunity to show what they can do when approaching full fitness, with both running in the leading pack from the outset, and with Seb Murray following in 8th place, the team win was a comfortable one. Aiden Furby (10th), Seth Noott (11th) and Adam Perry (25th) completed Winchester’s biggest team of the day. The boys are now in pole position for the gold medals at season’s end, but must first ensure that they don’t lose out to closest rivals Southampton in the final fixture.
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nThere were no WADAC runners in the U17 women’s race.
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nThe form of Will Atkins this season has been outstanding, and in the U17 men’s race, he showed great determination to recover from losing the lead and still to triumph on the run-in. This was his second win in the opening four fixtures, and it guarantees him the individual gold medal for the season with a race to spare. Congratulations to Will. The team event was less straightforward, however. With only three WADAC team members racing, and despite appearing to edge to a single point victory over Aldershot, the points secured in his best race to date by Eddie Chambers (4th) can’t count towards the team score as, under league rules, he’s scored previously for another club in the same competition season. Ben Chesterfield (9th) surged well on the run-in to secure the narrow ‘victory’, but the boys will now have to settle for seasonal silvers, again only if they field a full team at Bournemouth on March 4th.