CrossCountry_Reports | Bournemouth Athletic Club

Geoff shows them how to run in England Masters Indoor Championships

Richard Brawn — Fri, 01 May 2026 01:11:09 +0000

EUROPEAN MASTERS ATHLETICS CHAMPIONSHIPS INDOOR 2026 – TORÚN, POLAND

The first race for Geoff Newton at the European Masters Indoor Championships was the 3000m

On Sunday 22^nd March, like many of you, I watched the World Indoors Athletics Championships at the Torún Arena on BBC television when team GB won three golds. On Friday 27^th of March I found myself in the very same arena running the M80 3000m at the European Masters Indoor Championships.

The Arena had been given a new track and a makeover for the Worlds, so everything had been upgraded and the latest tech installed including many big screens so that spectators could watch all the action no matter where they were sitting.

The M80s assemble ahead of their 3000m race

To their credit the organisers tried to match that for the Masters so that competitors were individually introduced to the spectators beforehand, with close-ups, just like the Worlds. Action was streamed live to who knows where. Everything about the arena is now world class and made for a great experience. There was a decent atmosphere as many of the 3,500 competitors watched a lot of the action when they were not themselves competing.

Geoff was very much hoping to contend for a medal in all his races

Unlike the Outdoor Championships in Madeira last year there were no really outstanding M80 competitors in the Indoors. The 3000m is a new event for me. I am still learning. My only previous foray into this event occurred at a poorly attended British Masters in Cardiff in January. There I was in a race against two classy M70 runners and one fellow M80. Knowing I could easily beat my fellow M80 I tried unsuccessfully to keep up with the M70’s and paid the price with a poor time. The 3000 is on the border between a middle distance and an endurance event. Alas I am no middle-distance runner.

It was a third place finish for Geoff in the M80 3000m race

This time I was up against seven other M80’s and one M65 and one M90. I expected the most opposition from Ake Jonson the Swede and Jerzy Kopta – a Pole. They set the early pace. It soon became obvious that they were setting a pace I could not (and they probably could not) keep up. So, I did not bust a gut trying to keep up. At just over halfway I was caught by Ronaldatus Konduratus a Lithuanian.

Geoff takes his position on the third step of the podium

After a further lap or two I decided to charge for home, despite feeling stretched at the time. The Lithuanian did not respond. I was also making inroads into the gap between me and the two leaders. In the final stages Jerzy Kopta broke free to take gold in 15:30.91 and I just failed in 15:32.09 to catch a spent Ake Jonson (15:30.13) by two seconds.

The podium for the M80 3000m race

The Lithuanian was fourth in 15:51.35. There were two other brits in the race, Michael Johnson and Barrie Roberts who finished 5^thin 16:10.90 and 8^th in 19:41.63 respectively. With hindsight I should have made my charge a lap earlier.

Geoff sets off in the 5k road race

There was only one day’s rest between the 3000m and the 5K road race. These days I need two days rest between races. It was going to be interesting to see if the others would be similarly affected. As things worked out, the 3000m results were turned on their head and I am sure this had something to do with it.

The race didn’t go completely to plan for Geoff

Things got off to a shambolic start. Originally there were to be three separate starts each separated by 5 minutes, the younger men followed by the older men and then all the women… There was a late decision to send off all the men together, but the change was not well publicised. As a result, I had to cut short my warm-up and Michael Johnson missed the start by two minutes. The weather was very cold and breezy.

I started far more quickly than I should, basically to keep warm and paid the price. After 1km I was struggling. I kept expecting Jonson and Kopta to come past but this did not happen. Instead, it was Konduratus who caught me up at about 2km. At about 3km things got worse. For the first time in over 60 years of racing my bowels decided to leak with messy results, which made the rest of the race unpleasant. Fortunately, my shorts did a good job of hiding this problem. About this time Konduratus got away from me. The rest of the race was a struggle.

Geoff battled it out to earn a second place finish

As I neared the finish, I became aware of Kopta finally catching up with me. A frantic sprint ensued. Ronaldus Kondratus got his pace judgement spot on, and this won him the M80 race in a slow 26.26 with me 2^nd M80 in 26.52 with Kopta one second behind me. Ake Jonson was suffering from the 3000m and was 4^th M80 in 27.44.

The missed start led to Michael Johnson recording 29.50 as 6^th M80. Barrie Roberts was 10^th of 11 M80’s in 38.04. Team results are worked out by cumulative time. The first M80 team was Poland, UK second of two. I was hoping to get inside 26 minutes which would have got 1^st M80 but it was not meant to be this time.

The cross country was Geoff’s third race of the European Masters Championships

We had two days of rest before the cross-country. This was held in a “park” adjacent to the Arena. This was basically hilly / undulating forest, mostly of conifers., with a network of paths, mostly surfaced with fine gravel. The ground was surprisingly dry and “flats” were the order of the day.

The ground was surprisingly dry so Geoff wore his flats

The courses were based on a 2km lap designed to incorporate as many hills as possible. I enjoy this sort of thing. However, the hills mean that it is advisable for most old people to avoid going eyeballs out at the start. The over 70’s ran three laps and younger age groups ran four laps.

It was an undulating course but Geoff enjoys that

I identified the two Irish runners John McMullin and Richard Mullins (both newly into the age group) as the main threats and thought I could handle the other 8 M80’s in the race. I set off at what seemed to be a reasonable pace and found myself just behind John McMullin and clear of Richard Mullins.

Geoff came away with another second place finish

However, John went off at a pace I would not be able to sustain, and he was out of sight by half-way round the first lap. By which time I had caught and passed Ake Jonson who offered no resistance. Eventually, soon after the start of the 3^rd lap John M came back into sight in the distance, giving me the incentive to press harder.

Geoff collects his silver medal after the cross country race

Whilst he had clearly slowed, he had not blown up either. My pursuit became ever more frantic as the finish came nearer, culminating in a flat-out sprint. I finished just 3 seconds behind John, some helpful person warning him of my approach. He was first M80 and I was 2^nd M80.

Michael Johnson had dipped out of the race and flown home early, so a potential gold team medal was lost. However, Barrie Roberts and me were able to drop down to make up an M75 team with Ron Cattle. Ron finished 2^nd M75 and the three of us finished 3^rd M75 (of 4 teams) and got a bronze medal as some compensation.

Geoff with the other M80 medallists from the cross country race

Glass half full or glass half empty? These days I am permanently on the verge of retirement as in my training my feet hurt and more often than not, I feel knackered. However, the adrenaline in racing overcomes this. So, a haul of three individual medals and two team medals from three races is plenty of incentive to continue.

The downside is that with better pace judgement some of the individual silvers might have been gold and the bronze might have been a silver.

I did not recognise any other BAC members there, although I did see Andrew Ridley who some of you might know. He won an impressive 800m and 1500m double in M60 in 2:07.63 and 4:22.97 respectively.

Geoff with the other team medallists from the M75 category

Of course, competition between 80 year olds is more about longevity and stubbornness than talent. There were several world age group records broken at this event including John Wright of GB setting an M65 World indoor 400m record of 54.92. Even a few big names present including former Olympic medal winning athletes from Poland. Not to mention the controversial Dwayne Chambers.

In the future there will be many more big events here in the Torún Arena, both in professional athletics and with the “Masters”. Torún as a city is a nice place to visit. The walled old town on the banks of the Vistula is separated from the modern city by a ring of parks and is a UNESCO World Heritage site for it’s Gothic Architecture. So I can recommend anyone to take part in the European or World Masters Indoors when they next come back to Torún.

Geoff Newton

BAC youngsters stand up to the test at Southern Cross Country Champs

Richard Brawn — Thu, 29 Jan 2026 03:57:19 +0000

Six Bournemouth AC members were primed and ready for action in the Under 15 Boys race at the SEAA Main Cross Country Championships

On a cold, honest afternoon at Beckenham Place Park, the SEAA Main Cross Country Championships offered no shortcuts and very little mercy. This was proper championship terrain: long, grinding climbs, twisting descents, and grass that asked awkward questions of tired legs.

Aiden Blagden and Callum Pearson were in action in the Under 15 Boys race

For Bournemouth AC’s young athletes, it was a day of learning, resilience and, in several cases, clear progress on one of the biggest stages in the domestic cross country calendar.

The BAC runners tackled a testing route with some notable undulations

The Under 15 Boys were first to face the test, tackling a demanding 4.5km course that rolled relentlessly and included a half-mile incline that seemed to stretch both patience and lungs. With 224 runners on the line, positioning and discipline mattered from the gun.

Riley Austin was the fastest of the Under 15 Bournemouth AC runners

Leading the Bournemouth AC sextet was Riley Austin, who once again underlined his growing stature as a championship performer. Fifth overall in the Upton Summer Series and second Under 15 in the Wessex Cross Country League, Riley arrived with form and confidence – and delivered.

Riley ran really well on tough terrain

He ran strongly throughout to finish 22nd in 14:49 – a significant improvement on his 50th place finish at these championships last year.

Riley finished in 22nd place

Barney Smith was the next BAC member to reach the finish

Barney got round in 15:04

Close behind, Barney Smith showed real grit to claim 33rd in 15:04, while Charlie Powell battled gamely through the field to finish 153rd in 16:53.

Barney came 33rd in the Under 15 Boys race

Charlie Powell in the black t-shirt (1978)

Charlie found himself in a sprint finish at the end

Charlie won the sprint finish and came 153rd

Further back, but no less committed, Aiden Blagden clocked 17:09 for 169th place, averaging a solid 6:37 per mile on a course that made every second count.

Aiden Blagden giving his all at the end

Aiden got round in 17:09 which put him 169th

Callum Pearson followed in 184th with 17:37 at 6:39 per mile, continuing his steady championship progression after placing 43rd at the South West Championships three weeks earlier.

Callum Pearson approaches the finish

Callum was the fifth Bournemouth AC boy over the line

Callum came 184th in 17:37

Connor Grocott completed the Bournemouth contingent, crossing the line in 202nd place in 18:02. At the front, Taylor Thom-Watts of Brighton & Hove was a class apart, taking victory in 13:44, while Poole AC’s Theo Cobley ran well for 15th in 14:36.

Connor Grocott was the final BAC finisher in the Under 15 Boys race

Connor came 202nd in 18:02

Connor arrives at the finish relieved

The Under 15 Girls raced over the same unforgiving route, where Ellie Taylor carried the Bournemouth AC colours with determination. Winner of the Under 15 category in the Wessex Cross Country League and still smarting from a controversial second place at the Run Bournemouth Supernova 5k despite getting the fastest chip time, Ellie once again showed her strength in big fields.

Ellie Taylor was the sole BAC representative in the Under 15 Girls race

Ellie works her way up the finishing straight

She finished 42nd out of 164 in 17:32 – a respectable result on a course that rewarded patience more than aggression. Up front, Summer Smith of Brentwood Beagles edged out Poppy Guest of Aldershot Farnham & District in a sprint finish, both clocking 15:04.

Ellie took 42nd place out of 164

There were high hopes for Isaac May in the Under 17 Men’s race

The Under 17 Men then took on a sterner examination; 6km with more than 300 feet of elevation and very little flat respite. Isaac May led the Bournemouth AC trio, finishing 59th out of 152 in 20:48.

Isaac ran well in a very strong field

Isaac finished in 59th place

It was a composed run from an athlete who had placed 16th at the South West Championships and was second to Oliver Canavan in the Wessex League standings.

Jack Webb was also competing in the Under 17 Men’s race

Jack performed admirably to finish in 22:01

Jack Webb followed in 109th in 22:01, averaging 6:01 per mile, with Jacob Taylor close behind in 118th place in 22:17 at 6:09 per mile.

Jack finished in 109th position

Jacob Taylor worked hard to deliver the best performance he could

Jacob, fresh from a second place at the Running GP at Goodwood and a top-five finish at the Bournemouth Coastal 10k, found the climbs a different sort of challenge. Victory went to Joseph Scanes of Blackheath & Bromley in a commanding 18:35.

Jacob came 118th in 22:17

The Under 17 Women raced the same course, where Flo Dootson showed real resolve to complete a tough afternoon, finishing 122nd of 124 in 31:42. The win went to Molly Smithers of Chichester in 21:47.

Amelia Lawrence featured in the Under 20 Women’s race

In the Under 20 Women’s race, also over 6km, Amelia Lawrence produced one of the standout Bournemouth-linked performances of the day.

Amelia was representing her first claim club Cambridge Harriers

Competing for her first-claim club Cambridge Harriers, Amelia – third at the South East Inter-Counties, a consistent force in both the Hampshire and Wessex leagues, and fresh from a 37:21 victory in her first ever 10k at Boscombe – ran with maturity and control to finish 7th in 23:09.

Katie Pye of Aldershot Farnham & District claimed the win in that race, recording a time of 21:54.

Amelia was one of the stronger runners in the field

Amelia finished 7th in 23:08

Elsewhere on the programme, the Under 20 Men raced over 8km, with Cosmo Benyan of Cambridge & Coleridge taking victory in 24:16.

It was a good improvement on her placing from last year

Poole AC’s Charlie Collins continued his fine winter form to finish 6th in 25:03, adding to a season that has already seen him dominate the Wessex Cross Country scene and narrowly miss out on a win at the Broadstone Quarter Marathon.

The Senior Women had to run 8km

The front runners in the Senior Women’s race

The Senior Women tackled the same 8km loop, where Kate O’Neil of Havering AC edged out Andrea Clement of Blackheath & Bromley by just two seconds, winning in 27:20.

It all came down to a sprint finish in the end

Kate O’Neil of Havering just got the better of Andrea Clement of Blackheath & Bromley

The Senior Men’s race was over a 14km distance

The day concluded with the Senior Men’s race; a bruising 14km with more than 700 feet of climbing and a field of 603 starters. James Kingston of Tonbridge AC, runner-up last year, went one better this time, claiming victory in 44:27.

James Kingston outclassed all the others

Callum Charleston of Aldershot Farnham & District was second in 45:52, with Jack Kavanagh third in 46:03. Jonathan Cornish, a familiar face in the Poole area though racing for Hercules Wimbledon, finished a solid 15th in 47:36.

Jonathan Cornish is often seen around the Poole area

James comes in to take a resounding victory

By the time the last spikes were cleaned and the final results checked, Beckenham Place Park had once again done what the Southern Championships do best – expose weaknesses, reward resilience, and give young athletes a clear sense of where they stand.

Callum Charleston of Aldershot Farnham & District was runner up

For Bournemouth AC’s contingent, it was a demanding but valuable afternoon that will quietly strengthen them for the races still to come.

Jack Kavanagh had to settle for third

There were some encouraging performances amongst the BAC representatives

Mud, Mettle and County Colours at Merryfield

Richard Brawn — Sat, 24 Jan 2026 03:40:35 +0000

Isabel Cherrett was defending her crown after emerging victorious at last year’s South West Cross Country Championships

On a blustery Somerset afternoon at RNAS Merryfield, the South West Club & County Cross Country Championships once again delivered the kind of honest, unforgiving test that strips racing back to its basics – mud, wind, grit, and a refusal to give an inch. Against that backdrop, Bournemouth AC athletes, representing both club and county, produced performances full of resolve, promise and quiet class.

Isaac May and Oliver Canavan were featuring in the Under 17 Men’s race

The Under 17 Men’s race saw Dorset well represented by Bournemouth AC duo Oliver Canavan and Isaac May, lining up against a deep regional field. At the sharp end, Rory Barclay-Wyatt of Exeter Harriers stamped his authority on the race, striding clear to take the title in 17:55, with Thomas Vestey of Taunton (18:21) and Jasper Forty of Exeter Harriers (18:27) completing the podium.

Isabel was hoping to start the year off on a high

Behind them, Oliver Canavan showed why his winter reputation is growing to match his formidable track credentials. The Boscombe Seafront 5k winner, Dorset and South West Schools 1500m champion, and a regular Bournemouth parkrun front-runner, ran a measured and determined race to finish 11th in 19:45, first Dorset scorer on the day.

Isaac May, no stranger to county honours himself after a Dorset Schools cross country title and strong showings on the track, followed him home in 16th place in 20:05. Their combined efforts helped Dorset to a highly creditable 4th place in the County team competition.

Isaac ran well to finish in 16th place

In the Under 17 Women’s race, Isabel Cherrett returned to defend the title she won twelve months ago and once again delivered a performance of real authority. Fresh from victories in the Dorset and South West Schools Cross Country Championships, a ninth place at the Southern Championships, and a clean sweep of the Wessex Cross Country League, Isabel was right in the hunt from the gun. Only Ellie Foster of Devon could deny her, Foster taking the win in exactly 17 minutes, with Isabel finishing a strong second in 17:31.

Isaac was second scorer for the Dorset team

Another Bournemouth AC athlete, Flo Dootson, showed great determination to complete the course in testing conditions, finishing 34th in 24:00. With Isabel leading the way, Dorset secured second place in the County standings, behind Devon.

Isabel was battling it out at the front of the field

Isabel had to settle for second place this time

The Under 15 Boys tackled their own demanding course with Bournemouth AC trio Finley Hurst Atkins, Callum Pearson and Aiden Blagden all gaining valuable championship experience. Finley, already a three-time winner of his age group in the Junior Upton Summer Series, and Callum, who completed all six races in the Upton series and finished third overall in the 14–17 category, crossed the line together in 43rd and 44th places respectively, both clocking 12:43 for the two-mile route at an average pace of 6:14 per mile. Aiden Blagden, who ran 18:18 for 5k at the Run Bournemouth Supernova and finished 37th in last year’s Under 13 South West Championships, placed 50th in 13:03. Up front, Poole AC’s Theo Cobley claimed victory in 10:53, while Dorset finished 5th in the County team competition.

Callum Pearson was running in the Under15 Boys race

In the Under 15 Girls race, Isla May and Jess Long wore Dorset colours alongside fellow Bournemouth AC runner Lola Thomasson. Isla led the Dorset scorers home in 18th place in 13:23, Jess followed in 37th in 14:16, and Lola completed the course in 59th with a time of 16:39. Ellie Birchall of Exeter Harriers took the individual honours in 12:22, and Dorset finished 4th in the County team standings.

Aiden Blagden was also representing Dorset in the Under 15 Boys race

The Under 13 races brought further Dorset success. While no Bournemouth AC athletes featured in the boys’ event, Louis Robinett of Poole Runners dominated the race, winning in 9:27, 23 seconds clear of Bristol & West’s Charlie Barnes, with club-mate Seth Hollyman taking fourth in 10:05.

Aiden went on to finish in 50th place

In the girls’ race, Allegra Ramirez continued her excellent season, finishing 9th in 11:31 and acting as third scorer for Dorset. Abigail Moors (11:05) and Imogen Beisley (11:13), both of Poole AC, finished second and fourth respectively, helping Dorset to second place in the County competition behind Wiltshire.

There was no Bournemouth AC presence in the senior races, and Dorset did not field teams, but familiar faces were still to be found near the front. Former Bournemouth AC athlete Harry Smith, competing for Wiltshire since he lives in Salisbury, produced a fine run to take second place in the Senior Men’s race. He covered the 7km course in 22:24, averaging a brisk 5:04 per mile, bettered only by Bristol & West’s Felix McGrath, who won in 22:17. Ben Robinson, also of Bristol & West, claimed bronze in 22:41. Bristol & West took the Club team title, with Cornwall winning the County honours.

Jess Long was in action in the Under 15 Girls race

In the Senior Women’s race, Annabel Arnold of City of Plymouth emerged victorious in 26:04, ahead of Tamara Beach of Cornwall (26:29). Sophie Nicholls of Wells City Harriers finished third in 26:31 and was first Under 20. Team Bath secured the Club team victory, while Cornwall once again topped the County standings.

Jess works her way up the slope

All told, it was a championship day that showcased both established class and emerging talent, with Bournemouth AC athletes once again proving that, when the mud flies and the stakes rise, they are more than ready to answer the call.

Jess was the sixth Dorset runner to get round

BAC Juniors impress at South West Cross Country Championships

Richard Brawn — Sun, 26 Jan 2025 16:34:29 +0000

The Bournemouth AC girls were representing club and county and the South West Cross Country Championships

Several Bournemouth AC members headed over to RNAS Merryfield for the 2025 South West Cross Country Championships, determined to make their mark against some of the finest athletes in the region. They were mostly athletes from the Junior divisions, coached by Simon Hearn and Simon Saunders.

The two Simons put a lot of work in on the training ground preparing the youngsters for big events like the South West Cross Country Championships so they look forward to seeing those under their stewardship flourishing on the big stage.

Riley Austin and Isaac May are two promising and talented products from the BAC academy and there are a number of them in the Under 15 Girls division, with the O’Brien sisters Clodagh and Albha, Constance King and Jessica Long.

Riley Austin is one of the fastest Bournemouth AC boys

Perhaps one of Bournemouth AC’s brightest prospects, Ellie Taylor, was featuring in the Under 13 Girls race and, likely to be the star of the show from a BAC perspective was Isabel Cherrett in the Under 17 Women’s race.

Isabel finished third in the South West Cross Country Championships last year so she’d already shown he had what it takes to be a contender. In fact, RNAS Merryfield was a happy place for her last year as she went on to win the South West Schools’ Championship there a month later. She also won the Dorset Schools’ Championships on home turf at Kings Park and won a Hampshire League Cross Country race there as well when Bournemouth AC hosted it at the end of November.

She also had some sensational successes on the track, winning the South West School’s Championships 3000 metres and the Dorset Country Schools’ Championship 1500 metres. She’d also cut her parkrun PB down to 17:24 and was 2nd female in her first ever 10k road race at Round the Lakes.

Isabel Cherrett won the Under 17 Women’s race

The way she’d been progressing throughout the year, there was always a good chance she would better her position from last year at the South West Cross Country Championships and she did just that. Completing the 4.4km distance in a remarkable time of 17 minutes 55 seconds, Isabel was first to line, becoming Under 17 Girls South West Cross Country Champion.

Isaac May was featuring in the Under 17 Men’s race

It was a fantastic achievement for Isabel and very well deserved after all the hard work she puts in in training, with her dad Phil guiding her along the path to success. She was seven seconds ahead of Olivia Steel from Exeter Harriers, with another Dorset runner, Matilda Bengtsson of Poole AC taking third in 18:20. It was a double gold medal for Isabel as Dorset won the County Team competition as well which made it an even sweeter victory for Isabel.

Featuring in the Under 17 Men’s race, Isaac May came 31st in the South West Cross Country Championships last year. He’d progressed well over the course of the year though and ended 2024 with an excellent 16:27 parkrun.

Isaac ran well to finish in 18th place

In that sort of form it would be interesting to see what he could produce at RNAS Merryfield this year. The course for his race was 5.4km and Isaac completed it in 20:26 which put him in 18th place. That was a good result given that its all the best runners from Devon, Cornwall, Somerset, Wiltshire and Gloucestershire involved. Charlie Collins of Poole AC finished third and Dorset were third in the County Team competition so Isaac got a bronze medal for that.

Riley Austin finished 14th in the Under 15 Boys race

Proving to be a very accomplished cross country runner, Riley Austin topped the standings in the Wessex Cross Country League, winning two of the races and finishing 4th in the other. He also did well in the Hampshire Cross Country League, winning one of the Kings Park ones and finishing 9th in the other and 4th at Prospect Park. His 5k best was a 17:28 which he recorded at the Run Bournemouth Supernova.

Jacob Taylor was in the Under 15 Boys race

In the Under 15 Boys race at the South West Cross Country Championships, Riley raced to a 14th place finish, completing the 3.2km course in 12 minutes 10 seconds. It was a terrific performance from Riley and he helped Dorset on to a third place finish in the County Team competition.

Jacob Taylor was another Bournemouth AC member featuring in the Under 15 Boys race and he finished 29th in a time of 12:42. Jacob had a good campaign in the Wessex Cross Country League as well finishing 4th, 5th and 6th in his races and has a best parkrun time of 18:22. Theo Cobley of Poole AC finished fifth in that race recording a time of 11:46.

Jacob finished 29th in 12:42

Clodagh O’Brien was in the Under 15 Girls race

Out of the four Bournemouth AC representatives in the Under 15 Girls race, it was Clodagh O’Brien who finished highest up. She managed 17th place in 13:39 for the 3.2km course and was third Dorset runner.

Constance King makes her way up the incline

Constance King wasn’t far behind though, getting to the line in 13:53 which put her in 22nd place. Albha O’Brien was the next Dorset girl in, clocking a time of 14:19 which put her in 30th place.

Constance was second scorer for Bournemouth AC

Albha O’Brien making her way round

Jessica Long came in in 34th place recording a time of 14:42 and Bournemouth AC finished third in the Club Team competition behind Team Bath and Exeter Harriers. Dorset were third in the County Team competition meaning Clodagh and Constance got two bronze medals each as they were two of the four scorers for the Inter Counties. Jemima Chetford of Poole AC was one of the other ones and she finished 6th in 13:12.

Jessica Long was also competing the Under 15 Girls race

Jessica was one of four BAC members in the Under 15 Girls race

Coming into it off the back of a brilliant 2024, Ellie Taylor definitely had the potential to go well in the Under 13 Girls race. She won all her Wessex Cross Country League races last season and also finished runner up in both the Dorset Country Schools Championships and Dorset County Championship 1500 metre events. She’d also nailed a new PB of 19:51 in the Run Bournemouth Supernova 5k.

Ellie Taylor was having a superb run in Under 13 Girls race

Putting in a magnificent performance at the South West Cross Country Championships, Ellie completed the 2.79km course in 11 minutes 29 seconds which put her in 7th place. She was only 14 seconds behind the winner as well and was first Dorset runner.

Jessica finished 29th in her race

Aiden Blagden was wearing his green Dorset vest

The Dorset team ended up finishing second in the Inter County competition which meant Ellie was rewarded with a silver medal for her efforts. Abigail Moors of Poole AC finished 9th in 11:43.

Aiden and Edward King were in the Under 13 Boys race

In the Under 13 Boys race, Aiden Blagden finished 37th in a time of 12 minutes 10 seconds. The course for his race was 1.75 miles and Aiden came away with an average pace of 6:56 per mile. Running in that same race, Edward King completed the course in exactly 13 minutes which put him in 47th place.

Joseph Preston of Poole Runners was third in the Under 13 Boys race in a time of 10:08, with Charlie Harrison of Poole AC taking 4th in 10:17.

There was also Bournemouth AC representation in the Senior Women’s race from Kirsty Drewett and she finished 61st in a time of 41:02. Former BAC member Erin Wells was in the race as well and she did brilliantly to finish 8th overall and third out of the Under 20 Women in a time of 29:19. She would have taken home a bronze medal for that.

Edward King finished in exactly 13 minutes

Rosie Hamilton-James of Westbury Harriers was the winner of the Senior Women’s race in a time of 27:11 on a course that was 7.13km. Her teammate Freya Bradley was second but she was an Under 20 Woman so effectively, they both won.

Jacob Taylor picked up a bronze medal for the County Team competition

Jack Millar of Bristol & West was the winner of the Senior Men’s race in a time of 23:11, with his teammate Felix McGrath taking second in 23:38. Amazingly, Bristol & West had four men in the top seven. Owain Jones was first M40 and 4th overall in 24 minutes exactly. Dillon Millard of Taunton AC was first Under 20 Man in 24:10.

The Under 11 Boys and Girls raced together and Louis Robinett of Poole Runners won that race in a time of 7:03. Poole AC member Imogen Beisley was first girl in the race, getting over the line in 7:49 which put her a second ahead of her nearest rival. She was 6th overall in the combined standings.

Both Simon Hearn and Simon Saunders were really proud of the achievements of their athletes and the commitment that they showed. No fewer than 17 junior athletes from Bournemouth AC have been selected to represent Dorset at the Inter County Cross Country Championships in March which is a real testament to the coaching and the development at the club. It also means there are many bright prospects at the club who will in time, get their time to shine.

The Bournemouth AC boys had risen to the challenge and come away with medals

Hampshire XC League, Inter-Counties XC Championships and general XC

Ian Graham — Sat, 23 Mar 2024 17:51:10 +0000

Ben Collins, Rob McTaggart, Geoff Newton, Szymon Chojnacki, David Crowther, Tim Hughes, Adrian James, Bryn Smith, Alex Goulding and Jud Kirk (Josh King and Ryan Pegoraro absent)

The Hampshire Cross Country League 2023/2024 season drew to a close at Kings Park, Bournemouth on Saturday 10 February, with the BAC‘s Senior Men all but safe in Division 1, but still requiring a decent result to be sure. Fortunately this was delivered by Josh King, Rob McTaggart, Bryn Smith, Szymon Chojnacki and Ryan Pegoraro all of whom ran exceptionally to finish 12th, 20th, 26th, 32nd and 34th respectively, with Ben Collins in 38th position just missing out on a team place. The team were 5th of 10 on the day, 7th for the season, ensuring a Division 1 competition next year. In all, 12 BAC senior/veteran men competed, with the veteran mens’ team of Szymon, Adrian James and Alex Goulding securing an incredible 2nd team place on the day, 9th of 16 teams overall for the season. BAC‘s Senior Women also put out a team of Sian McIlwaine, Julia Austin and Nikki McTaggart, with Daisy Musk the essential back-up. The team were 15th of 18 on the day, 16th of 18 for the season. There were some notable performances from BAC‘s younger athletes at Kings Park, with Riley Austin and Connor Grocott 1st and 2nd respectively of the U13 boys, Isabel Cherrett 2nd U15 girl and Oliver Canavan 7th U15 boy. Many congratulations to Connor, who concluded the season as the 1st U13 Boy of the League for the season, to Riley, the 3rd U13 Boy of the League, and to Isabel, 2nd U15 Girl of the League. Many thanks to Simon Saunders, who has taken over the organisation of this fixture, for a successful day, including laying on good weather!

Daisy Musk, Sian McIlwaine, Nikki McTaggart and Julia Austin

Results (BAC): Senior/Veteran Men: 12. Josh King 32.37, 20. Rob McTaggart 33.54, 26. Bryn Smith 34.31, 32. Szymon Chojnacki 35.24, 34. Ryan Pegoraro 35.33, 38. Ben Collins 35.49, 51. Adrian James 37.21, 76. Alex Goulding 38.58, 142. David Crowther 45.07, 143. Jud Kirk 45.12, 163. Tim Hughes 47.21, 170, Geoff Newton 51.08; Senior/Veteran Women: 58. Sian McIlwaine 28.00, 69. Julia Austin 29.09, 82. Nikki McTaggart 30.31, 93. Daisy Musk 32.33; U17 Men: 21. Nathan Mearns 22.58; U15 Boys: 7. Oliver Canavan 14.26, 23. Steven Kiff 17.06; U15 Girls: 2. Isabel Cherrett 14.50, 24. Elizabeth Davie 21.08: U13 Boys: 1. Riley Austin 10.54, 2. Connor Grocott 10.58, 22. Callum Pearson 12.58, 29. Solly Abu-Ghaba 13.39; U11 Boys: 15. Edward Davie 8.27, 28. Leo Sims 9.18, 29. Timo Green 9.20, 37. Joshua Wells 9.59, 38. Anderson Peaty 10.15; U11 Girls: 27. Imogen Savage 10.20, 29. Alicja Mysliwska 10.26.

Josh King leads the BAC team

Ryan Pegoraro completes BAC’s team

The Inter-Counties Cross Country Championships took place at Wollaton Park, Nottingham on 8 March with at least 21 BAC athletes supporting the Dorset team. Bryn Smith, Ben Collins and Chris O’Brien all competed in the Senior Mens’ race, and amongst the 18 or so BAC youngsters taking part there were some very creditable performances. Bearing in mind the huge numbers racing for Counties the length and breadth of England, Isabel Cherrett‘s 19th finish in her age category was outstanding (Isabel was 3rd in her age category in the South West Cross Country Championship). The same can be said of Connor Grocott‘s 56th placing (Connor actually won his age category in the Hampshire Cross Country Championship), also of Hugo Richardson‘s 79th placing (Hugo was 3rd in his age category in the Dorset County Championship, as were Imogen Pope and Isaac May in their categories), of Oliver Canavan‘s 12th (yes, 12th!) placing (Oliver won his category in the Dorset County Championship), of Riley Austin‘s 32nd placing (Riley was 5th in his category in the South West Cross Country Championship), and of Ellie Taylor’s 62nd placing (Ellie was 4th in her category in the Dorset County Championship). Referring to earlier Championships, in their categories Seb Crowe was 3rd in the Dorset County Championship, and Oscar Newbery was 8th in the South West Championship.

Simon Saunders has written: “BAC Juniors coached by Nick Marshall, Chris O’Brien, Leon Hurst-Atkins, Simon Hearn & Simon Saunders have represented the club and county over the cross-country at Wessex & Hampshire Leagues, Dorset & Hampshire County Championships, SW County Championships, South of England Championships and Inter-Counties Championships

Over 100 performances from BAC Juniors who have represented BAC and or Dorset / Hampshire at county, regional or national level.

Many of the Juniors also represented Dorset / Hampshire at this past weekend’s English Schools Cross-Country in Pontefract drawing the season to a conclusion.

We would like to thank all the officials, parents, coaches and athletes for representing their club and we look forward to translating this into strong performances on the track.”

Maybe it’s worth listing all those youngsters to whom Simon refers: Aiden Blagden, Albha O’Brien, Amy Betts, Ava Richmond, Callum Pearson, Clodagh O’Brien, Connor Grocott, Constance King, Edward King, Elizabeth Davie, Ellie Taylor, Emily Coltman, Esmee Hurst Atkins, Finley Hurst Atkins, Harry Butcher, Hugo Richardson, Imogen Pope, Isaac May, Isabel Cherrett, Isabella Crawford, Isla May, Jack Webb, Jessica Long, Matilde Blagden, Nathan Mearns, Oliver Canavan, Oscar Newbery, Riley Austin, Samuel Brewer, Seb Crowe, Solly Abu-Ghaba, Steven Kiff, William Moss. In an exercise such as this there is always the risk that someone has inadvertently been left out, and sincere apologies if this has occurred.

There remains the National Cross Country Championships, in which Bryn Smith will be competing. This was scheduled for 24 February at Weston Park, Shropshire, but a deluge of rain a day or two before meant it was impossible to proceed (mainly because of car parking difficulties rather than the course itself). It is now scheduled for September 14, and we wish Bryn the very best of luck.

Finally, here are some photographs of the Inter Counties Cross Country Championship at Nottingham.

Dorset U17 Men

Dorset U20 Men

Dorset U 15 Boys

Dorset U15 Girls

Dorset U 13 Girls

Isabel Cherrett on her way to finishing 19th

Senior Women Start

General View