Teams triumph in Welsh XC
Monday 22 February 2010
The Welsh Cross Country Championships, held in Swansea yesterday 21st February, produced a mixed bag of results for Cardiff.
Alex Hains took the senior men's individual title in emphatic style and, with Nat Lane second, led the team to regain its Welsh title.
The under 15 boys (pictured) and under 13 boys also took the team titles to keep the Cardiff flag flying.
In the senior men's race, Alex Hains dominated from the first lap and ran away from the field. By contrast, Nat Lane started cautiously but worked his way steadily through the runners to finish second. James Thie stepped into the team on the day and ran well to finish 7th, with mountain runners Matt Collins and Peter Ryder along with Lewys Winfield Young completing the scorers. In second place came Swansea Harriers with Brecon AC third.
In the under 15 boys' race, Mike Ward was disappointed to miss out on the title after the good form that had seen him win the inter regional championship in December but still finished in third place and joined team mates Jack Gooch, Rory Hislop and Tom Bevan as team champions, ahead of Swansea Harriers with Bridgend AC third. Coach Paul Darney was only surprised that Mike Ward had done so well after a week of rugby training with the Cardiff Blues Youth Squad.
The under 13 boys' team also took gold with individual bronze medallist John Cove supported by Tom Edmunds, Ciaran Lewis and Rhys Gooch. Carmarthen Harriers were three points behind in second spot followed by Swansea Harriers in third.
The ladies did not have such a successful day, ending out of the team medals, and with the best performances coming in the senior race from Emily Brown in third place, Bethan Strange and Loughborough based Paris Williams.
Absentees from the junior girls who had been enetered by the club may have been because of the schools championships coming the following weekend but this was disappointing to team manager Kay Chapman who is doing such a good job.
Conditions for the races were sunny but cold and crisp weather on a hard surface, unusual for Singleton Park which is often muddy and soft.
To view the official results, click on RESULTS.