A Superb day at the Races for the Green & Gold.

No gold medals this time round but two sets of silver and a bronze from a NATIONAL event would be an envy to many a club.

Our success this time came at the National cross country relay championships staged at Mansfield with the under 17 women first away. Here Ezrah Harrold put in another fine run to come through in second place from the field of 62 starters with a time of 8m 43s.  Now Lottie Wilkin was to put in a performance to bring Chelmsford to the fore with her time of 8m 52s. The final circuit with Amelie Shipton coming up with 9m 22s was to see a final spot of third for the bronze medals - just one second down Lincoln with leaders Aldershot taking top spot fifty second ahead. Yes, we most certainly missed our number one Jorjia March for this would have no doubt proved to bring a great battle for top spot. The `B` team with Hetty Harrison 9m 34s, Emme Lole 9m 20s and Harriet Matthews 9m 42s placed 10th.

The under 15 girls’ team were also involved in a close battle as Isla Kehoe with 7m 17s came in for seventh place on lap one. Ava King 7m 12s then moved into second with 7m 12s which Lily Sanford, with 7m 26s, retained holding off Hallamshire, Windsor, Slough and Eton winners. The `B` team of Beatrix Cooke 7m 52s, Erin Kelly 7m 32s and Frankie Phillips 7m 35s placed 12^th, whilst a `C` team of Hattie Blackburn, Orla Martin and Vivien Prelevic finished 24th of 82 teams.

Very pleasing to see the under 13-year boys coming away with medals. Mason Sanford put them on the way coming through in fourth spot with 6m 49s. Now two lads only last season with the Chelmsford Endurance team (under 11`s) and in their first race at national level put in very good efforts for Freddie Blacketer, 7m 24s, moved into third and Dylan Law, 7m 19s passed yet another to give the team silver medals behind Shaftesbury Harriers. In other races the under 13 girls’ team of Bella Kehoe, 8m 00s, Jessica Hobson 8m 19s and Leila Robinson, 8m 08s, place 18th - winners here Brentwood.

In the under 17 men Daniel Pollard 9m 59s on the first stage placed 48th, Max Chivers 9m 54s moved to 39th with Austin Kelly with 10m 02s (very consistent times here) bringing a final placing of 34th. For the under 15 boys James Gilbey 6m 38s, Josh Humphries 6m 44s and Fred Ferman 7m 06s finished 12th.

On to the junior men with Arthur Ballard 9m 11s, Jacob Hurrell 8m 46s, one of the fastest times of the event, and Sam Plummer another 9m 11s seventh position was obtained. Our senior men squad of William Nuttall, Lewis Harknett, Joseph Perry and Thomas Woodward can be pleased with a final placing of 29th from the largest field of the day of 172.

After their victory in the previous weeks league fixture, it was perhaps disappointing that a full team could be put out here - but then we do have so many away at university both in the UK and the USA. However, what a great run by Megan Harris on the first stage being second with 9m 41s from the 122 and Antonia Moore putting in a lap of 12m 04s. Realistically we would have not expected to feature amongst the topflight but maybe as our youngsters move up the age levels who knows.

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Report written by Roy Meadowcroft

An Excellent Start to the 25/26 Essex XC League for the Green & Gold.

For the season’s opening Essex cross country league season staged on the One Tree Hill course at Basildon, there was individual success for the boys and men whilst for the women and girls their victories were to come as the team results showed Chelmsford heading the points charts in two groups.

Mason Sanford started the ball rolling as he put in another solid run to take the under 13-year boys’ race whilst Dylan Law also can be well pleased to follow him through. James Pollard 16th and Noah Hammond 20th completed the team for a score of 39 points - just shaded by SS Athletics with their better packing. At this age level Bella Kehoe 7th led the Chelmsford girls with Leila Robinson 13th only four seconds down Issabella Perks 42nd and Scarlett Metcalfe 45th gave the team fourth place.

To the under 15`s age group and Jamie Gilbey saw the green and gold of CAC leading the field home. With Jake Boarer 11th, Khaya Fakazi 25th and Oscar Stollery 29th completing the team third place was taken. Edward Delaney 30th, Charles Jackson 41st and Daniel Smith 51st were other finishers here. No surprise that Brentwood`s Heidi Woodley should lead the girls’ event, but it was the team packing of Chelmsford stealing the honours with Isla Kehoe 2nd, Lily Sanford 3rd, Beatrix Cooke 4th and Francessca Phillips 6th giving an overwhelming 15 points whilst backing up Erin Kelly placed 7th.

For the under 17-year men Jacob Parrott 4th, Joseph Delaney 7th, Austin Kelly 8th and Daniel Pollard 11^th we also saw good team packing but just pipped by Havering. For Chelmsford Max Chivers 12th and Ben Smith 17th were handily placed in reserve. Only disappointment of the day for CAC came from the under 17 women with only two turning out, but now well placed with Katie Cox 5th and Jessica Walker 6th.

And so, to the seniors and both men and women showed up as winners. For the men Jacob Hurrell led the field of a record 291 finishers home. With Thomas Woodward 11th, Tom Rehal 15th, Ethan Reilly 18th, Sebastian Cirillo 33rd and veteran Nick Hunter 70th a team placing of fourth was taken - just one point shy of Havering although Southend and Colchester Harriers were clear for leading positions. Mark Sanford a previous winner of county medals but now in the veteran class and having his first race since 2017 placed 103rd (must be children Mason and Lily egging him on). Other placings Peter Waite 105th, Sam Eida 150th, David Phillips 167th and our over 60`s Peter Tullett 181st and Mick Bridgeland 209th.

For the women a very solid team performance found them scoring 49 points to top that of Havering (67) and Colchester Harriers (101).  Megan Williams finished 5th with Hannah Bolton 7th, Rachel Broome 13th and new member Antonia Moore 24th. Back up came from veteran Wendy King 28th with Emma Cox 32nd, Laura Durn 39th, Emily Cooke 41st, Anna Nuttall 59th and Samantha Kelly 95th. Looks like mums and dads are being brought along by their youngsters.

Not part of the league races but included in the programme are races for under 11`s and in the boy’s race there was a very good run from Samuel Miller for the Chelmsford Endurance team as he finished second. With Ben Padfield 17th, Tom Jaggard 20th, George Jaggard 27th the team took fourth although on equal points to Woodford. Also showing in the results George Hunnybun finished 29th, Max Porter 32nd, Jobie O`Sullivan and Rory Casey 49th. Only lad for CAC was Toby Hatt being 13th. For the girls Hannah Hogben 8th and Olivia Bilby 14th show as CAC whilst the Endurance squad had Coco Phillips 16th, Evie Law 20th, Alice Coker 24th, Lily Wiltshire 23rd, Cleo Robinson 53rd and Edith Murray 55th.

Report written by Roy Meadowcroft

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A Small Turnout at the Southern XC Relays.

Having come up with success in the Essex and National cross-country relays plus the South of England road relays during the last month it seemed reasonable that CAC would be in the chase for further honours at the Southern cross-country event staged at Wormwood Scrubs, London. How disappointing then to turn up the results to find that only two teams feature, the under 13-year girls finishing in eleventh position with the regular team of Bella Kehoe, Jessica Hobson and Leila Robinson. For the under 17`s it was a promising start with Jorjia March taking the first stage and leading the field home. Now however the team was to include Harriet Matthews and Missy Tiller previously amongst the `B` team and although they came up with good performances were to finish just outside the medals being fourth.

All in all, a disappointing day for it is quite likely some ten teams had been entered at £42 a time. Perhaps the venue had some bearing, and parents did not fancy driving in Sadiq Khan`s London with its driving restrictions, or possibly the coaches and athletes opted out after their national success. One must note that other clubs gave this meeting a miss with fields considerably reduced.

Report written by Roy Meadowcroft.