On a cold and frosty Saturday 3rd January, the Derbyshire & Nottinghamshire County Cross Country Championships were held at Bulwell Hall Park in Nottingham, with fourteen AVEAC athletes joining team manager Chris Aikman, and producing some excellent performances across the age groups.
Under 11 Girls (approx. 1,500m)
As the sole AVEAC runner in the Derbyshire half of the Under 11 Girls race, Esme Wainwright produced a fantastic finish to cross the line in 7:35 and claim third place and the bronze medal.
In the Nottinghamshire side of the race, Florence Sibley finished in 6:37 to claim second place and a silver medal, with April Malone finishing sixth in 7:10, and the Wright twins following closely, as Jessica finished ninth in 7:21 and Sophie tenth in 7:43. The girls finished also second in the team competition, securing themselves team silver medals.
Under 11 Boys (approx. 1,500m)
There were three AVEAC athletes competing in the Under 11 Boys races, with the trio running together for much of the race. Over the final 400m, Benjamin McLaren pulled clear to finish in 6:46 and claim thirteenth place in the Nottinghamshire race, followed closely by George Whittleton in 6:49 and Charlie Groves in 7:01, who respectively claimed eighth and tenth in the Derbyshire championships.
Under 13 Girls (3,000m)
Elsie Whittleton was the sole AVEAC representative in the Under 13 Girls age category, and despite an unfortunate fall on the final bend, showed great determination and resilience to recover and finish in fourteenth place in the Derbyshire race, crossing the line in 17:21.
Under 13 Boys (3,000m)
Jasper Sangster ran a composed and consistent race in the Under 13 Boys Derbyshire race crossing the line in 15:19 and tenth place, and earning selection for the Derbyshire inter-counties team in the process.
Under 15 Girls (4,000m)
In a highly competitive race, Lucy Norman finished seventh in 12:35, with just 11 seconds separating six runners. A strong finish earned Lucy a place on the Derbyshire inter-counties team. Clubmate Isla Douglas completed the course in 14:16, finishing thirteenth on the demanding terrain.
Under 15 Boys (4,500m)
Joseph Stimson was AVEACs sole representative and finished eighth in 17:24, producing an exciting uphill sprint finish to secure his place on the Derbyshire inter-counties team.
Under 17/20 Women (approx. 5,000m)
Madeleine Turner delivered an outstanding performance in the joint Under 17 & U20 Women race, finishing in 17:54 to claim fourth place overall. With that, Madeleine placed second in her U17 age group, winning a silver medal and securing selection for the Derbyshire inter-counties team.
Summary
All AVEAC athletes performed superbly on a tough and testing course. The club is proud to report no injuries on the day, despite challenging underfoot conditions.
Congratulations to all competitors, medal winners, and athletes selected to represent Derbyshire. You made your coaches, parents, team managers, and everyone at AVEAC extremely proud.
Report & Images – Chris Aikman
