The Surrey Championships delivered the promise of hard work and tough conditions this weekend, as 14 Saltires took to the mud at Lloyd Park, Croydon.
In the ladies’ race, friendly competition between Serena Carter and Ruby Woolfe saw the pair finishing just three seconds apart, in 10th and 11th respectively. Supplemented by the work of Claire Altmann (28th) and Andrea Stehlikova (51st), the teammates’ efforts helped the team to finish 6th in the table.
As ever, the gentlemen had the pleasure of tackling the course as the last race of the day – ensuring conditions were sufficiently well ‘warmed up’ for their seven-mile run. Taking to the mud well, Club Captain James Hoad was the first Saltire home, finishing in 16th. Not far behind him was Richard Ollington (19th), and running a blinder, Eoin Brady had a spectacular race to finish 20th. Jack Lancefield (67th), Simon Barrett (91st) and Will Scott (108th) closed out the scoring team.
With a steady drizzle, a fierce wind and a thick layer of mud being the themes of the day, the event has certainly set the tone for the new year of cross country.