Soaked in sunshine for our XC season opener
From u11s to our v70s, Team Bridgend opened their Gwent League season at Cardiff’s Llandaff fields. It wasn’t ‘just’ the Gwent League, but the Cross Challenge, South Wales championships, and World Cross Country Tour meeting.
The course was bathed in summer-like sunshine. Dry under foot, with only autumn conkers causing a few tricky patches getting caught in cross country spikes.
Our juniors shone. A fantastic turnout, 41 members, with many attending their first Gwent League.
Tom Coles and Lewis Dawson made the top ten in the under 11s race. Tom making the top 10%, securing himself an event t-shirt. Plus, strong performances from the first four to finish, Tom, Lewis, Findlay and Edward seeing them place 2nd team in the league.
Our u11 first girl, Imogen, proved she’s not only good on track but off-track too. Liam, our first u13 boy, showed he can be as strong in the u13 category as he was in the u11’s. Grace J and Isobel had a sprint to the finish to be first back for the u13 girls, with neither letting up and the time keepers unable to split the two.
Leo, our first u15, has recently moved across to the endurance group and we’ve no doubt he’s got lots more to give. Our u15 girls, Ariannah, Lily and Katy look like they worked well together finishing in consecutive places. The u17 teams may not have been as strong in numbers but they certainly put in strong performances with Dafydd and Freya being first male and female to finish for the club. Our u20 teams were a little lower in numbers but finished high up in against quality opposition. Both Devin and Ffion travelled from North Devon to finish 7th and 3rd in their age groups.
While Charlotte Arter stole the headlines, Georgie led our ladies first across the finish line in 58th place. Ruth made her BAC debut. And with a total of nine ladies on the start line, it’s perhaps the strongest team start to a Gwent League in a generation.
Jack Ayoub toed the line in the women’s race as our sole v70 man coming in a fantastic 2nd in his age group.
The men matched the ladies in numbers, with nine. But they ran three laps instead of the two for the women. Olympian Steve Brace got a star mention from the announcer’s box from James Thie and Tim Hutchings – he made his 21st century debut over the country. Not to be outdone by Mrs Dando, Rich was first across the line for us.
A special mention to our bakers. It was a podium worthy cake.
Gwent League results:
U11 boys
Tom Coles 5:04 6th
Lewis Durston 5:08 9th
Finlay Griffiths 5:23 15th
Edward Jeynes 5:59 40th
Patrik Atkin 6:33 55th
58 finishers
Team 2nd & 23rd in the league
U11 girls
Imogen Vecchi 5:32 14th
Ellaise Neenan 5:58 29th
Bella Thie 6:16 37th
Sydney Spear 6:20 40th
Leela Wilson 6:43 50th
Lili Whitchombe 6:48 51st
Megan Howe 6:51 52nd
Summer Moore 6:55 53rd
66 finishers
Team 5th & 16th in the league
U13 boys
Liam Jury 10:52 47th
Rhydian Lloyd-Francis 11:17 54th
Harri Davies 11:19 55th
Regan Mahoney 12:31 67th
76 Finishers
Team 15th in the league
U13 Girls
Team 7th, 20th & 31st in the league
Grace James 11:05 29th
Isobel Davies 11:05 30th
Myla Svikeris 11:36 44th
Grace Baynham 11:52 53rd
Sophie Coles 12:19 63rd
Mia Amerein 12:27 69th
Calla Davies 12:57 80th
Daisy Lewis 13:15 83rd
Freya Helling 14:41 94th
Ffion Calford 16:13 97th
100 finishers
U15 boys
Leo Watkins 12:12 59th
Fraser Higginson 12:15 60th
Olly Esmond 13:27 70th
Alfie Osborne 16:04 74th
75 finishers
Team 21st in the league
U15 Girls
Ariannah Thomas 13:38 43th
Lily Stephens 13:39 44th
Katy Griffiths 13:50 45th
75 finishers
Team 14th in the league
U17 Men
Dafydd Pratchett 20:21 39th
Joshua Morgan 22:41 49th
Tyler Johnson 22:50 51st
53 finishers
Team 18th in the league
U17 Women
Freya Allen 20:21 23rd
30 finishers
Team 14th in the league
U20 Men
Devin Coombes 20:49 7th
Ben Jones 27:15 24th
25 finishers
Team 5th in the league
U20 Women
Ffion Higginson 16:13 3rd
22 finishers
Team 5th in the league
Senior men
Richard Dando 34.04 96th, 38th v35
Dan Nicholas 38.05 215th, 105th v35
Ryan Bowen 38:06 216th
Rob Hunt 38.05 250th, 19th v55
Gareth Hardman 40:53 292nd, 28th v55
Dan Morgan 42:13 315th, 102nd v45
Steve Brace 42:30 328th, 39th v55
Evatt Cummings 46:58 372nd, 56th v55
Dave Hughes 46:58 378th, 58th v55
432 finishers
Team 39th & 80th in the league – 15th B Division
19th v35 team, 17th v45 team, 5th v55 men team, 18th v65 team
Senior women
Georgie Dando 25:57 58th, 24th v35
Leigh James 26:53 81st, 38th v35
Ruth Davies 27:17 86th, 16th v45
Sophie Moore 27:46 97th, 49th v35
Gina Hardman 27:54 101st, 21st v45
Laura Gush 29:33 152nd
Helen Andrews 31:09 198th, 70th v45
Abigail Morgan 34:20 252nd
Krista Humphrey 34:25 253rd, 169th v35
315 finishers
Team 14th & 44th in the league, 2nd in Division 2
5th v35 team, 15th v45 team
V70 men
Jack Ayoub 33:19, 2nd v70
Stuart Davidson – take a bow
At Saturday’s cross country, Stu was acknowledged as ‘Regional Volunteer Award Finalist’. He’s a constant at club sessions, Porthcawl parkrun, and a good chunk of road and cross-country events coordinating, marshalling and more. Congrats Stu. You’ve made the club proud.
Stuart Davidson - Regional Volunteer Award Finalist
Photo credit: Paul Stillman
Parkrun results
20 Bridgend runners took part in parkrun this Saturday – Rob Atkin the fastest over 5k this time.
Writing by Leigh James