Chiltern Cross Country League - Match 1 at Keysoe

Chiltern Harriers made a great start to the League season with a narrow win at Keysoe Equestrian Centre on Saturday. There was a good turnout of 88 athletes across the age groups with several team and individual wins.
 
It was a mild, sunny day at Keysoe and the undulating courses were mostly firm. The water splash made a great focal point as usual.

More Photos from Mark Easton
 
Chiltern had just three Under 11 Girls but all did well with Emilia Ingham running to an excellent victory. Twins Elodie and Ingrid Bellwood were 23rd and 24th on their club debut and the team were fourth. Thomas Living was the sole Under 11 boy and he had a good run to be second.
 
The Under 13 Girls look to be a strong team this year and took a convincing victory. Kara Gorman won from newcomer Juliette MacDougall in second. Maya Davis (fourth) and Bea Robinson (sixth) completed the scoring and there were also excellent efforts from Nia Clarke (seventh), Annie-Rose Quantrill (16th), Holly Knott (17th), Millie Thompson (18th), Carys Jones (25th), Mala Bahia (30th) and Bronwen Harman (38th).
 
Another newby Logan Gaskell led the U13 Boys team home in fourth and the other scorers were Zac Taylor (23rd), Luke Coultate (27th) and Jacob McCall (28th). Also running well were Kit Dixon (29th), Hector Gamblen (31st), Jack Rogers (33rd) and Kiash Kara (64th). The boys were a creditable fourth in the team standings.
 
The Under 15 Girls are a small but talented squad. On Saturday the team achieved a hard-fought second place behind a very strong Milton Keynes team. Issy Robinson (7th), Megan Lockwood (12th), Marlie Nkoane (15th) and Evelyn Wildman (16th) were the scorers and there were good runs from Lydia Cross (26th) and Keya Kara (55nd).
 
Chiltern’s Under 15 Boys are looking like our strongest in-depth team this winter and the lads scored a good win on Saturday. Tom Ford (fourth), James Holdsworth (fifth), Charlie Quantrill (sixth) and Thomas Reynolds (seventh) packed well to score and there were excellent efforts from Edward Johnson (ninth), Zach Cleary (19th), Eddie O’Brien (27th), Dylan Rossi (36th) and Charlie De Sousa (38th).
 
The U17/20 women carried on the good work with a narrow win thanks to Emily Ford (fourth), Lucy Wilkinson (fifth) and Lily Jessop-Tranter (11th). They were backed up by Maddie Rae (17th), Roxie Jones (18th), Izzy Martin (20th), Alice Peckham (27th), Rebecca Lawson (28th), and Ellie Gowers (40th).
 
Despite having some key athletes unavailable, the U17 Men had a good race to be second team. Alex Hughes continued his great recent form to record a big win and the scoring was completed by Isaac Jessop-Tranter (sixth) Daniel Munn (15th) and Rory Hilton (18th). Completing the Chiltern presence were Toby Radbourne (28th), Jack Turner (32nd) and Hari Mistry (34th).
 
The Senior Women were strengthened by the participation of four U20s. Maddie Hughes was fifth and Ellie Shield (11th), Katie Royals (22nd), Fiona Kelleher (23rd), Sarah Quantrill (31st) and Charlotte Docwra (35th) completed the scoring. The team were a good second. Also running well were Hannah Ashby (45th), Sylvia Moss (60th), Lindsay Turner (67th), Lyndsey Bill (86th), Miriam Kempson (89th), Fiona Williams (96th), Kathy Jessop (109th), Tamsin Finch (110th), and Fiona Calder (145th). The Veterans quartet of Sarah Quantrill, Sylvia Moss, Lindsay Turner and Lyndsey Bill were eighth. Sarah was sixth Vet 45 and Miriam fourth Vet 55.
 
Several of last year’s Senior Men’s team are not running this campaign but a good team achieved an excellent third place, led in by race winner Richard Slade. This was possibly Richard’s best-ever cross country beating internationals Zak Seddon and James McMurray to take the win. Also scoring were Simon Bossi (eighth), Matt Evans (18th), Nick Hughes (28th), Adam Shute (30th), Aran Davidson (32nd), James Turner (55th), Neil Turner (73rd), Chris Gloster (90th) and Michael Turney (96th). Completing the Chiltern team were Jonny Slade (105th), Alan Crozier (143rd), David De Sousa (164th), Ben Hannen (176th), Allan Cairns (198th), Neil Bates (203rd), Clive Docwra (214th), Jon Coutts (220th), and David Howells (228th).
 
The Veterans foursome of Nick Hughes, Adam Shute, James Turner and Neil Turner were second, and Matt Evans scored enough points to log as fifth U20 team. Matt was third U20 individual and amongst the vets Nick was leading Vet 50, Michael first Vet 60, and Adam fourth Vet 40.
 
The second match is at Teardrop Lakes, Milton Keynes on November 11th and a good turnout will be needed to keep competitive in what looks like being a closely fought league this season.