Torrential
rain
greeted
Ilford
AC’s
athletes
in
the
third
round
of
the
Essex
Cross
Country
League
hosted
by
Southend
AC
on a
classic
waterlogged
course
at
Hockley
Woods
on
Saturday.
The
junior
section
featured
3
athletes
who
had
all
easily
qualified
for
the
Essex
Schools
cross
country
championships
in
their
respective
district
races
the
previous
week.
At
Claybury
and
with
8 to
qualify
Mo
Swamad
sped
through
to a
superb
2nd
place
with
Liam
Leddy
6th
out
of
73
runners
in
the
age
group.
Elsewhere
at
Hylands
Park
Chelmsford
Alex
Richards
finished
6th
in
years
8
and
9
combined.
This
week
Swamad
had
arrived
too
late
for
his
Under
15
boys
race
so
stepped
up
to
compete
with
the
under
17
men.
It
was
very
much
a
learning
experience
for
the
talented
Ilford
junior
who
finished
up
in
23rd
place.
In
the
under
13
boys
race
Alex
Richards
was
only
30
seconds
off
the
winner
finishing
in
an
excellent
12th
place.
Liam
Leddy
ran
strongly
for
the
under
15
boys
battling
the
very
muddy
and
slippery
conditions
to
finish
30th.
A
high
class
field
of
137
competitors
in
the
senior
men’s
race
won
by
Basildon’s
Mark
Sanford
saw
Malcolm
Muir
once
again
emerge
as
the
top
Ilford
runner
in
15th.
Matt
Maple
and
veteran
Andy
Catton
worked
with
each
other
on
some
of
the
hills
before
Maple
finally
got
away
to
finish
in
46th
with
Catton
only
just
adrift
in
54th.
Youngster
Iain
MacDonald
paid
for
a
very
fast
start
slipping
back
to
71st.
Neil
Crisp
was
next
home
in
73rd
with
John
Mackenzie
having
an
excellent
run
in
81st
to
close
the
men’s
scorers.
Martin
Clarke
fought
off
the
effects
of
food
poisoning
earlier
in
the
week
to
record
92nd
with
club
coach
Steve
Cheal
and
hurdler
Pete
Whiting
both
putting
in
valiant
efforts
to
come
124th
and
135th
respectively.
The
women’s
race
saw
yet
another
different
winner
in
series
as
Chelmsford’s
under
20
athlete
Frances
Cliffe
saw
off
the
challenge
of
Colchester’s
Danni
Tatum.
Ilford’s
Bree
Nordin
was
top
lady
45
of
the
day
finishing
in
19th
place
overall
as
indeed
was
Pam
Jones
in
the
65
plus
category
in
52nd
position.
Sally
Gillam
and
Dianne
Crisp
had
an
interesting
battle
with
Gillam
just
having
the
better
of
things
in
43rd
just
2
places
ahead
of
Crisp.
Ilford
now
look
forward
to
the
Essex
veterans
cross
country
championships
to
be
held
at
Claybury
next
Saturday
which
will
be
followed
by
their
annual
presentation
disco
at
Cricklefields
Stadium.
The
club
is
also
starting
a
new
Road
and
Cross
Country
running
section
under
the
banner
of
Ilford
Harriers
which
aims
to
encourage
all
runners
in
the
community
regardless
of
standard
to
participate
in
the
sport.
Groups
will
be
meeting
at
Cricklefields
on
Wednesday
evenings
at
7pm
from
6th
December
onwards.
See
the
club
website
www.ilfordathleticclub.org.uk
for
further
details.