Saturday 19th March brought the Gwent League season to a close. It saw 12 seniors battling it out at Singleton Park in Swansea on a glorious sunshiny day! We had a couple of newbies in Deryl Stephens and Mark Thomas who both enjoyed the experience and Gemma Roche-Clarke returning for her first GLXC for a few years. The race also saw the return of Kate Roberts after a 5 year hiatus who finished in a very impressive 4th place.
The weather was sunny and warm but there was a stiff breeze out on the course which was all grass and undulating with plenty of hilly sections. The ladies did 2 large laps and the men 3.
In the ladies race which was near enough 4 miles, Georgie Dando came in first for the club in 24th place with a time of 27:25. Following her were Gemma Roche-Clarke (53rd, 29:02), Gina Hardman (68th, 29:39), Catherine Stephens (72nd, 29:55) and Laura Gush (91st, 31:00). There was 179 starters.
In the men's race (closer to 6 miles), Nick Grinnell was first in 74th with a time of 36:10 followed by Ryan Bowen (137th, 39:52), Nick Stocker (165th, 41:29), Mark Thomas (169th, 41:39), Stephen Summers (190th, 43:34) and Deryl Stephens (212th, 45:36). There was 249 starters.
Jack Ayoub finished 4th out of the 70+ men in a time of 33:02!
MASSIVE CONGRATULATIONS TO THE SENIOR LADIES for topping Division 2 comfortably by close to 1000 points !!
The senior men meanwhile finished in 6th in division 2.
Well done also to Georgie, Gina and Jack for being the only club members to race in all 5 XCs out of 34 club members who took part across the season.
Next fixture.... who knows... Cardiff Cross in October TBC !
