Hercules Wimbledon Athletic Club’s young athletes set the pace in the final 2XU Surrey Men’s cross-country league meeting of the season in Richmond Park with an impressive team win.
They were led in by Jack Collins who finished fifth out of 46 runners in the joint U15 and U17-year-olds race covering the 2.84 miles in 16 minutes 12 seconds.
With Ben Tatters 10th in 16:31, Zac Purnell 12th in 16:35 and Matt Gibbons 13th in 16:36, the gold and red sash-vested Hercules Wimbledon youngsters saw off the opposition to post their first team win of the season.
Daniel Illis and George Trimm were 14th and 17th out of 43 runners in the U13s race in 18:00 and 18:18, respectively, to lead Hercules Wimbledon to fifth team place.
The club’s senior team also finished strongly to take fourth spot out of the nine competing Division One teams.
There were a bumper 28 Hercules Wimbledon runners in the 174-strong field and leading the way home was Fred Slemeck who was 12th covering the 5.65 miles in 30:14.
Ben Toomer was 21st in 30:33, Matthew Sharp 25th in 30:47, Kieran White 31st in 30:51, Jonathan Cornish 39th in 31:17, Joe Clark 41st in 31:26, Barnaby Woods 58th and third U20 in 32:17, just one place and three seconds ahead of Rob Tuer, with Phil Glynn 71st in 32:50 and Alex Bellew 73rd in 32:54 completing the scoring team of 10 runners.
Off: Runners get under way as the 2015 2XU Surrey cross-country League comes to an end
Meanwhile, Hercules Wimbledon’s Claire Grima was top woman veteran over 35 finisher in the final 2XU Surrey Ladies League Division One race on Farthing Downs, Coulsdon.
She was fourth out of 163 runners in 31:47, leading the Hercules Wimbledon team in.
Over 40 veteran Gina Galbraith was 27th in 33:05 with Alice Ebbage, making her Hercules Wimbledon debut, 32nd in 36:02, Alison Purnell 76th in 39:34 and Francesca Clarke 77th in 39:38, completing the scoring team.
Hercules Wimbledon's track and field training sessions take place at Wimbledon Park athletics stadium on Tuesday and Thursday evenings starting at 6.30pm and Sunday mornings at 10.30am. Further details from coaching coordinator Maurice Sharp on 020 8337 8707.
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