After a spell of dry weather, the ground was set this weekend for a fast and furious finale to the Surrey Cross Country League at Lloyd Park. The Saltires didn’t fail to deliver.
On the women’s side, Thames entered the race in 4th place in the League table and had their work set out to hold the position. This was made possible by outstanding performances from Bethanie Murray, Claire Hammett, and Serena Carter, who finished 3rd, 4th, and 9th respectively.
Bethanie’s performance was of note, as it not only followed a fast 3k at Armagh only two days before, but it also cemented an impressive progression throughout her Surrey League races this season – moving through from 7th and 6th before Christmas, to 5th and 3rd in recent weeks. The progression has earned her a 5th-place finish in the individual League standings. Meanwhile, the collective efforts of the 20 women who competed for Thames in the Surrey League this year helped the team to finish the season in 4th, behind the strong teams of Herne Hill, Kent, and Belgrave.
In the men’s race, Jack Millar built on his previous Surrey League victory with a second win, fighting off John Sanderson from Guildford in the closing stages of the race. He was followed by James Hoad (21st), Paddy Roddy (28th), and Richard Ollington (30th). With a large team of 18 on the day, the Thames men ran well to secure their 5th place in the league table.
Thames’ Surrey League season has boasted some impressive team and individual performances in all four fixtures. With the League now at a close, the team looks ahead to build, improve, and come back even stronger next year.