Hampshire Championships Mud festival with a sprinkle of a few more kms

Written by Charlie Hoskins

It was a beautiful day after what has felt like weeks of rain so unsurprisingly the course was incredibly muddy!

Senior and Vets Ladies were the first of the long races to go along the under 20s for the first time. The ladies were a bit suspicious that the course maybe a bit long but the 10km was pretty tough in legs sapping, shoes stealing mud! Nether the less the ladies, young and slightly older stepped up to the challenge taking bronze team for Senior and Vets. First home was Vicky Gill in a stunning 5th place over all and 1st V40, next was Aisling Dunne in a superb 24th with Jane Gandee on her heels in 25th and a fabulous 1st V50. Kiralie Leigh- Jones had a strong finish to take 30th 6th V40, despite losing her shoe and having to retrieve it on lap 2, two places behind was Charlie Hoskins 32nd 6th V45 and the Emma Carter in 42nd and a brilliant 4th V50.

Having been tipped off by the ladies the men had about 10mins to re-adjust their mindset to racing 12km not 10 in the most churned up mud of the day and the men did not disappoint with 3 in the top 10. The Vets team took a spectacular silver and the senior team came a fantastic 4th. Frederick Slemeck led the charge a stunning 3rd position closely followed by Andy Greenleaf in a superb 5th and 1st V40; George King rounded up the top 10 finishers in a blistering 8th. Wayne Bevan was next in 27th and an awesome 2nd V45, next Rob Carter won the Carter/Hoskins battle in 80th 9th v50, Guy Hoskins 84th 10th V40 and Joe Green rounded the men in a fantastic 101st.

Everyone ran well in tough conditions, next Hampshire League in Reading 13th Jan, the ladies will be pleased to hear its max 6km (historically 5km) but yes muddy, well it is Cross Country!