Page 9 - BBHAC Winter 2017-18 Gazette

Athletics Report 9

Harriers in Chingford whilst the
others headed to Parliament Hill
for the London XC Champi-
onships. Blackheath were sadly
unable to win the away match
in darkest Essex and injuries
and illnesses deprived the team
of a full scoring complement in
North London. This was not to
be repeated the following week
at the South of the Thames 5
mile XC in Beckenham as a
scoring quartet snuck into the
top half in 19th out of 40 teams The leading senior athletes…enough for a footie team.
to round off the calendar year.
fourth in the latter, to cap off however, as the regional and
Scarcely had the fireworks a good few months charging national 12 stage relays loomed
stopped ringing out when the through the garden of England. in the run-up to Easter. The
first major test of the year began biggest challenge was getting
in the form of the Kent XC The team was brought back 12 men to commit to two races
Championships. On a bitterly down to earth with another away from home within three
cold day at Brands Hatch 12 mob match defeat to Ranelagh weeks of each other. A desperate
men battled the winds on the in Richmond, but, with the scramble created a team for the
exposed course for yet another National XC on the horizon, Southern qualifying of the mass
fourth place finish in the six to the climax of the season was relay, but the beast from the east
score category. on everyone’s mind. This was made the whole effort moot.
evidenced by a strong turnout as Fortunately, Blackheath were
After the disappointment of 21 Heathens decked themselves invited to the National Road Re-
defeat to Beckenham in the mob in mud amongst the staggering lays anyway and responded with
match in our own backyard, a 2328 finishers in the senior its best performance in years.
hardy few braved a near-logisti- men’s race at Parliament Hill to Consistently strong runs from
cal nightmare and driving rain collectively deliver a fine per- each of the 12 gave a strong
to take on the best of the South formance to cap the main cross finishing position of 32nd. This
of England in the SEAA XC country season in style. Fine final performance summed up
Championships. On the gruel- runs from Ross Braden and Will the entire season as we got a
ling 15km course the scoring Ruiz led the scoring six home in team out at almost everything
six defied all of the problems in 25th out of 162 teams. we entered, all characterised by
the build up to come 17th out of bloody minded determination
55 teams. Possibly because of the fine and a willingness to get stuck in
collective effort in the National regardless of the weather, op-
A day of reckoning was to arrive the final mob match was under position or logistical problems.
at the next race: the final Kent resourced against South London Long may it continue!
League at Sparrows Den. Black- Harriers and they retained the
heath consigned the long run of trophy despite coming to Hayes. Dan Kennedy
fourth places to the past with a
win in the four to score category The end of the cross country
and third in the 12, giving us season didn’t mean the end of
third overall in the former and the winter team’s challenge,