Our XC season kicked off at Foot’s Cray Meadows on a crisp and sunny afternoon, following on
from the successes of the junior age groups and senior women earlier. We had a great turnout of
close to 30 runners with a number of club debuts, including parents of junior athletes racing for us
for the first time (special mention to Leon DeBruyn, George Kleanthous and Barry Slattery).
Despite the best turnout in recent seasons, we were still missing a number of strong runners, with
a couple just missing the deadline to be signed in time for the start of the Kent League, so it bodes
well for the rest of the season!
Kevin Fini (recently signed first claim from Harrow AC) led us home with a strong run continuing his
recent excellent form in 23rd place overall in a time of 30:03.
Joint team manager Micah Evans was second scorer one position and 7 seconds behind Kevin in
30:10.
Graeme Lugar was our third man home in 29th and 30:25, though mysteriously disappeared for a
while straight after finishing!
Next home for us was a strong debut run from Greg Bull in 41st and 31:28, introduced to the club
by Graeme and signed Wednesday just in time to beat the deadline!
Seb Jones on his xc debut for us limped home in 57th place and 32:31 after injuring his
calf/achilles on the final hill – hopefully Seb recovers soon as he ran strongly and keen to see what
he does for both senior men and masters teams this season.
Completing our 6 to score was Christian Clement in 61st and 32:50, another new masters athlete
we’re looking forward to seeing good results from.
We finished 4th in the 6 to score after strong teams from Tonbridge, Medway & Maidstone and
Cambridge Harriers. Included in the 12 to score were co-team manager Fintan Parkinson managing his hamstring round
in (7th) in 65th / 33:02, Leon DeBruyn a recent new signing and Dad of one of our excellent junior
girls (8th) in 68th / 33:10, Luca Ercolani continuing his return from injury (9th) in 79th / 33:35, Dave
Adams ‘fresh’ from a massive Marathon PB six days prior in Chicago (10th) in 81st / 33:38,
stalwart Paul ‘Sharpey’ Sharpe (11th) in 89th / 34:03 and new member Scott Middlewood in his xc
debut for us (12th) in 111th / 34:51 rounding off our 12 to score.
We also finished 4th in the 12 to score, with the same order as above.
Next came Ryan Ali (115th) in his club xc debut, Josh Dowling (120th) with a strong finish, then
Greg Firth 128th), Martin Parkinson (129th) and Ian Scott (130th) finishing one after the other.
Darren Corneille (135th), Paul Kerekgyarto (143rd), Matthew Bullen (165th), Jason Meers (173rd),
George Kleanthous (193rd), Will Brindley (197th), Sheridan Morris (205th), Barry Slattery (211th),
Chris Martin (225th), Andrew Lawes (234th), Steve Pairman (238th), Mark Ellison (244th) and Luigi
Arcuri (245th) rounded off our runners and riders out of a deep field of 299.
So a successful start to the XC season for the senior and masters men and hopefully more
strength and depth to be added in coming weeks – looking forward to a season of continued
building and progression!
Up the Heath!!!
– Micah Evans
For a full list of results click here >>> Kent League Cross Country 23/24 season <<<
Race Results
U13 boys – 1st
U15 boys – 1st
U17 boys – 1st
U20 M no – team
Senior M – 4th
U13 girls – 2nd
U15 girls – 1st
U17 girls – 1st
U20 W – 1st
Senior W – 1st
Junior Teams
U13G
3rd Evie De Bruyn
5th Sofia Mossi
9th Alba Homans Yau
10th Amelie Ramdeen
11th Freya Pearson
U13B
4th Zacchaeus Kelman
5th Jake Martin
6th Alex Smith
9th James Bunn
U15G
2nd Aoife McDonagh
3rd Naimah Mossi
10th Niamh Stanley
U15B
1st Joseph Hill
6th Nathan Clark
7th Lucas Elmqvist
U17G
1st Megan Slattery
7th Megan Barlow
12th Kyla Dervish
U17B
1st Alex Middleton
3rd Jed Starvis
6th Mark Constable
U20W
1st Hannah Clark
2nd Carys Firth
5th Ailbhe Barnes
U20M
2nd Arthur Starvis
7th Kervin Adjie
