The strongest performance of the season by BAC‘s senior men at the final fixture of the Hampshire Cross Country League season, at Kings Park on Saturday 4 March, rescued the team from what had seemed inevitable relegation to Division 2. There was also a very strong performance from BAC‘s senior ladies and good team efforts from the U17 men and U15 girls. There are a number of BAC athletes who finished in the top 10 in their categories, an excellent achievement in a very strong cross country league. Hugo Richardson is to be congratulated on his 5th overall position amongst the U17 men, as is Connor Grocott, 5th U13 boy, and Constance King, 7th U13 girl. At one point Szymon Chojnacki was heading towards the leading veteran man of the league, but unfortunately child care duties prevented him from competing in enough races.

There were three relatively new (to BAC‘s cross country team) athletes forming part of the senior mens’ team, which, on the day, was 5th of 8 complete teams, with the result that, on aggregate, the team is 8th of 10, and, as one team is relegated, is safe in Division 1 for next season. Henry Bramwell-Reeks had yet another amazing run to finish 17th, closely followed by Matt Dicks, 20th. Szymon Chojnacki was BAC‘s 3rd over the line, with Jeremy Shott and Matt du Cros completing the team. Henry, Matt and Jeremy have only recently being competing for BAC in cross country, so what a valuable contribution! BAC‘s veteran men have had quite a strong season, with Szymon, Adrian James and Alex Goulding making up the team at Kings Park and finishing an excellent 5th of 18 teams – aggregate for the season 6th of 18 – well done!

No fewer than 10 BAC senior/veteran women competed at Kings Park, including a very strong team of Poppaea Bramwell-Reeks, Caitlin Peers and Harriet Slade finishing an amazing 3rd of 18 teams. A final aggregate position of 8th of 15 teams is very respectable. BAC‘s veteran womens’ team of Julia Austin, Kirsty Drewett and Lea Lohk (with Jayne Wade as the ever present and vital back up) were the 9th team of 11 on the day.

Although team positions for the day for the U17 men have not been published, it appears that the team of Hugo Richardson (5th finisher in the race), Harry Dolman and Sam Brewer (with Nathan Mearns as back up) were 3rd, only one point behind a very strong Winchester in 2nd place. The U15 girls, led by Isabel Cherrett, who flew round the course to finish 4th, supported by Esmee Hurst Atkins, Lara McKenna and Matilde Blagden were 5th of 7 teams on the day. One pleasing aspect of the fixture at Kings Park were the 68 competitors in the U11 boys’ race (the third biggest field of the day, although not part of the league), with Finley Hurst Atkins, Reuben Holleran and Seb Wallis all in the top 20. In a smaller U11 girls’ race Imogen Pope, Mabel Jundi and Ava Richmond were all in the top 10.

This was the second fixture of the season hosted by BAC, the club having stepped in to rescue the final fixture for which no venue had been found. Many thanks are due to the organisers, officials, marshals and volunteers without whom it would not have been possible to put on either fixture.

Results (BAC): S/V/U20 Men: 17. Henry Bramwell-Reeks 31.20, 20. Matt Dicks 31.44, 40. Simon Chojnacki (7th V) 33.29, 57. Jeremy Shott 34.14, 60. Matt du Cros 34.29, 73. Adrian James (20th V) 35.37, 100. Alex Goulding 37th V) 37.06, 105. Patrick Kingston (41st V) 37.29, 176. Jud Kirk (98th V) 42.55: S/V/U20 Women: 5. Poppaea Bramwell-Reeks 20.53, 10. Caitlin Peers 21.45, 19. Harriet Slade 22.31, 22. Becky Knapton 22.41, 58. Jola Denerenda 25.50, 62. Sian Mcilwaine 25.59, 76. Julia Austin (33rd V) 27.13, 86. Kirsty Drewett (39th V) 27.55, 103. Lea Lohk (53rd V) 30.59, 116. Jayne Wade (65th V) 33.49: U17 Men: 5. Hugo Richardson 19.20, 19. Harry Dolman 21.08, 20. Sam Brewer 21.15, 26. Nathan Mearns 22.09: U15 Boys: 19. Oliver Canavan 14.28, 27. Oliver Thomson 15.16: U15 Girls: 4. Isabel Cherrett 14.59, 21. Esmee Hurst Atkins 17.09, 22. Lara McKenna 17.20, 25. Matilde Blagden 18.17: U13 Boys: 5. Connor Grocott 11.14, 10. Riley Austin 11.37: U13 Girls: 8. Constance King 12.22: U11 Boys: 17. Finley Hurst Atkins 8.15, 18. Reuben Holleran 8.16, 19. Seb Wallis 8.20, 34. Toby Sims 8.48, 39. Petya Mott 8.59, 40. Aiden Blagden 9.00, 59. Rory Dixon 10.34, 66. Jude Wallis 11.14, 68. Leo Pink 11.35: U11 Girls: 5. Imogen Pope 8.29, 8. Mabel Jundi 9.04, 9. Ava Richmond 9.12, 14. Anya Mott 9.55, 18. Skye Grocott 10.19, 19. Bella Crawford 10.24, 21. Phoebe Clark 10.57.

One week earlier, on Saturday 25 February the National Cross Country Championships took place at Bolesworth Castle, Chester. Unusually there were no BAC senior or veteran men or women taking part, so it was left to Mariah Marshall and Connor Grocott to fly the BAC flag.  Connor was 73rd (in a field of 287) U13 Boy in a time of 11.28, and Mariah was 198th of the U17 Women in 28.14.  Well done and congratulations to Connor and Mariah, and their families, for making the long journey and ensuring there was BAC representation at this prestigious event.