Report by Ian Kennedy from the Wessex League at Canford
Some 50 Wimborne athletes took part in the event at Canford School at the weekend. After heavy overnight rain, the course was much wetter and muddier than usual. The race is the third in this year’s Wessex League series and also takes part in parallel with the Dorset County Championships for age-groups from under-13 through to seniors only.
The under-11s races were over a slightly shorter distance to most we’ve become accustomed to. Our girls’ team was led home by Evie Fuller and Lavender West. They were followed in by two WAC XC debutants – Molly Brown and Elsa Courtney. Completing our team were Jolie Dalton and ever-present, so far in the Wessex, Isabelle Fazakerley.
U11 girls (31 finishers)
7 – Evie Fuller – 5:40
12 – Lavender West – 5:56
16 – Molly Brown – 6:04
22 – Elsa Courtney – 6:17
25 – Jolie Dalton – 6:30
31 – Isabelle Fazakerley – 6:55
The under-11 boys featured three debutants – Harry Ryan, Oscar Winstanley and Morgan Winstanley. Our three ‘old hands’ – Alex Koybayashi, Freddy Furber and James Fleming all produced their highest Wessex League placings of the season so far. Although the under-11s races fall outside the Dorset Championships, Alex’s 5th place was a big improvement and placed him as second Dorset boy in the age-group.
U11 boys (28 finishers)
5 – Alex Koybayashi – 5:19
12 – Harry Ryan – 5:40
20 – Oscar Winstanley – 6:15
21 – Freddy Furber – 6:21
22 – James Fleming – 6:22
23 – Morgan Winstanley – 6:24
India West has led our under-13 girls team home in every Wessex League race so far this season. She equaled her best finishing position, while Imogen Rawles and Isla O’Connor both recorded their highest WXC placings. In the mix for the first time, and splitting Imogen and Isla was Kaci Cadman on a very impressive debut. Completing the team was Ella Fazakerley.
U13 girls (35 finishers)
10 – India West – 14:04
11 – Imogen Rawles – 14:15
12 – Kaci Cadman – 14:22
14 – Isla O’Connor – 14:25
33 – Ella Fazakerley – 17:53
In the previous WXC fixture we had only three U13 boys racing, it was great to see this age-group team back in force this time around. The Williams brothers were to the fore. They kept each other honest all the way to the finish line and they were awarded the same time. Jack and Tom claimed silver and bronze Dorset medals too. The first four in the Dorset Championships are guaranteed selection for the county team at the Inter-Counties Championships. Making a very strong case for consideration in that team was Toby Butt, who was 5th Dorset Championship finisher. Next in for us was Ollie Green on his first WXC this season, then it was Josh Fricker, and one place further back recording his best WXC finish this term was Jack Doran. Completing the team, it was great to welcome Noah Dance to his first competitive race since joining the club.
U13 boys (33 finishers)
6 – Jack Williams – 12:46
7 – Tom Williams – 12:46
9 – Toby Butt – 12:50
14 – Ollie Green – 13:24
25 – Josh Fricker – 15:24
26 – Jack Doran – 16:05
31 – Noah Dance – 17:43
Next up was the combined under-17s (men and women) and senior women’s race. We had a solitary under-17 woman taking part, but what we lacked in quantity we made up for in quality. Emily Shaw became Dorset Champion winning by a handsome margin against a field that had runners of undoubted pedigree.
As they’ve done so many times this season, our under-17 men turned up in numbers (almost half the field were WACers). The first red vest home was Charlie Davies’. He had what is probably his best race of the season so far. His reward was 5th place in the league race, but a bronze Dorset championship medal. Our U17M’s team is dominating the league averages, with Ben Martin (our next home) the best placed. Five of the top seven in the averages are WACers with Ben 2nd, Charlie 3rd, Tom Fuller 4th, Ollie Rawles 6th and Josh Jack 7th. Ollie Rawles looks to be returning to form after a season plagued by illness, and Seth Lake was our next in. Josh Jack managed to hold off a challenge from Joel Green, who was making his first WXC appearance of the season. Completing the team was the resilient Jack Moss-Willcox who continues to manage his comeback and build with each race.
The combined under-17s/women’s start also delivered our second Dorset Champion in the form of Alice Sullivan. Alice was first U20 on the day and we had 2nd in that age-group too with Minty Stubbs. Minty’s form over the season so far is such that with one Wessex race to go we know she will be the league’s Under-20 Women’s Champion. Our women’s team was completed by Tara Green, she is consistently recording placings in the top half of the field. The regular contributions from Minty and Tara in particular should see our women’s team well-placed come the end of the season.
U17 women (14 finishers)
1 – Emily Shaw – 17:10 (Dorset County Champion)
U17 men (18 finishers)
5 – Charlie Davies – 16:15
7 – Ben Martin – 16:31
8 – Tom Fuller – 16:45
10 – Ollie Rawles – 16:45
11 – Seth Lake – 17:03
13 – Josh Jack – 17:24
14 – Joel Green – 17:31
17 – Jack Moss-Willcox – 18:25
Senior women (37 finishers)
4 – Alice Sullivan – 22:24 – (Dorset County Champion and first U20)
6 – Minty Stubbs – 23:09 (2nd U20)
15 – Tara Green – 25:17
We had full teams in both the under-15s girls’ and boys’ races. Birdie Payne was our first girl in, and in the process claims a bronze medal in the Dorset County Championships. Sarah Graham was 4th in the county championship so these two have won guaranteed selection for the Inter-Counties Championships. We were delighted to welcome back Isabella Cox and Kate Simmonds. Kate took part in the season’s opener but hasn’t competed since in the league. For Isabella it was her first league outing this season, although she has been busy in schools races. Ruby Sargeant completed the line-up, she’s taken part in all but one of our league races so far. For the boys, Jay Dunn continues to go from strength to strength. His total commitment in training is allowing him to build a challenge against the big hitters in this age-group. Once again Jay had good support from Josh Fazakerley, these two currently lie 4th and 5th in the league averages. Our team was completed by George Butcher and he equaled the finishing position he recorded in his previous WXC race.
U15 girls (16 finishers)
5 – Birdie Payne – 16:45
7 – Sarah Graham – 17:47
13 – Isabella Cox – 18:50
14 – Kate Simmonds 20:31
16 – Ruby Sargeant – 16:11
U15 boys (15 finishers)
6 – Jay Dunn – 15:26
10 – Josh Fazakerley – 16:09
14 – George Butcher – 14:05
With three Wessex races done Damian Huntingford looks uncatchable in the Wessex men’s master’s category, once again he was first veteran home. Damian actual lies 3rd in the men’s overall standings too! Since Mark Copeland returned after a long lay off it’s certainly pepped things up in the men’s ranks. There’s a rivalry between Mark and Rob Rawles. With Rob having bragging rights in the previous race, Mark saved something for a sprint finish to decide the issue here. Best of all, both are clearly raising their game. Mike Jurd was next home around a minute back from the duel between Mark and Rob. Kerry Mapp was wearing multiple hats on this day – quite apart from competing for WAC, as Grounds & Gardens Manager at Canford School he’d been involved in the race’s organization and course set-up. Thank you Kerry. Seamus Doran completed the team and he continues his run of taking part in every cross-country league race in his rookie season so far.
Senior men (57 finishers)
12 – Damian Huntingford – 30:48
25 – Mark Copeland – 33:22
26 – Rob Rawles – 33:26
33 – Mike Jurd – 34:31
37 – Kerry Mapp – 35:14
51 – Seamus Doran – 39:20
Wessex League Race 4 will be run as part of the South West Cross Country Championships in Yeovil on 5 January. All Wessex League runners must enter individually, entries for this event close on 23 December. The WXC results will be extrapolated from the overall South West Championship results. Here’s the link to enter https://events.englandathletics.org/event/england-athletics-sw-cross-country-championships-2020/profile
