Press Report 7th January 2025
ESSEX CROSS-COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIPS
Basildon
Saturday 4 January
The Essex Cross Country Championships were held in Gloucester Park, Basildon once again.
In the Under 13s boys race, held over a challenging 3.1k course, both Khalif Ali, 35th in 13 mins 43 secs, and Elias Furreedan, 54th 15 mins 41 secs, struggled on the hills but should be pleased with their performances in a quality race.
Likewise Barney Perkins, 32nd in 18 mins 09 secs, in the under 15 race, held over a 4.3k course, found the going tough but will come back stronger next year in the same age group.
Ryder Islam had his best championship performance to date to finish 19th in 23 mins 47 secs in the under 17 men’s race one place behind teammate Samuel Crane who was given the same time as Islam of 23 mins 47 secs.
Leila Lauder also returned to championship racing in the under 17 ladies event and showed her continued progress to finish in 20th in exactly 27 minutes over the 5.2k course.
Ronan Edwards had a great race to finish 6th in 28 mins 31 secs in the Under 20 race, over a gruelling 8k course and earned himself an Essex vest for the Inter Counties Championships in Nottingham in February.
The senior men and ladies raced over a 4km challenging course.
In the men’s event over 3 laps totalling 12km, Ilford Ac had 8 runners with Josh Adler leading the team home with his best championship performance so far in 52nd position with time of 46 mins 32 secs, while Dylan Harrod finished in 48 mins 31 secs for 67th spot. Manuel Vigo placed 81st in 49 mins 18 secs with Seb Parris coming home 116th with 53 mins 43 secs.
Steve Chissell finished 128th in 55 mins 05 secs and Terry Knightley closed the scoring team in 131rd place recording 55 mins 27 secs.
In the team event Ilford finished 13th.
Also, running for Ilford were Steve Crane (172nd) and Jim Tilbrook (181st)
The ladies raced over 2 laps and 8km with Jordan Hinds leading the way for Ilford in a creditable 20th place in 36 mins 59 secs. Jordan held her position throughout the race and beat many ladies who had beaten her recently over the country
Next in was Alison Sale with 43 mins 1 secs for 59th and Shahnaj Crane placed 81st with 49 mins 50 secs.
The team was completed by Launa Broadley in 94th spot in 57 mins 07 secs.
The Ilford ladies finished 8th in the team event.
BRITISH MASTERS 10 MILE CHAMPIONSHIP (incorporating the VAC Championship)
Buntingford
The 2024 British Masters Championship over 10 miles was held on a chilly overcast damp end of the year morning as part of the Buntingford Year End 10 mile road race.The race runs through the town inn the first and last mile and around the rolling Hertfordshire countryside 8 mile loop.
Ilford AC had two entrants in the event with Rob Sargent coming home 455th in the overall race in 1hr 44mins 13 secs which earned him 5th place in the M70 age group in the British Masters Championship and he won the gold medal in the same category in the Veterans AC Championship. Julia Galea was close behind in 465th overall with 1 hr 46 mins 50 secs finishing 7th in the British Masters F65 grouping and 2nd in the VAC race and winning the silver medal.
Race Over the Glens
Country Antrim, Northern Ireland
Race Over the Glens of Antrim has been established for over 30 years and is one of the highlights of the Northern Ireland race calendar. The popular 6 mile trail race is raced around Glenariff Forest Park taking in every aspect of the stunning natural beauty the park and forest has to offer. The race attracts upwards of 400 runners from across NI and beyond as well as hundreds of spectators.
John Crawley represented Ilford AC and described the course as very hilly with a brutal climb over the last mile, made worse with the rainy conditions.
John finished 42nd of almost 600 runners, and 9th in his new age grouping of V40 in a time of 49 minutes 03 seconds
