Ipswich JAFFA completed quickfire back-to-back team victories in the 53-12 Cross Country League, following up their victory at Writtle from the first meeting with another win at Harwich on Sunday.
The Ipswich club therefore already look odds-on to retain their team title, with four races still to come this winter.
There was a different one-two in the men’s race, which was held over five kilometres in muddy conditions on a sunny morning from East Newhall Farm, near Harwich.
Angus Holford, of Colchester Harriers, led home a big field of 307 senior runners, from the JAFFA double act of Craig Fiddaman and Jonathan Ling. The latter repeated his third spot from the first meeting.
Hosts Harwich Runners, competing in Pool B, featured very highly with the trio of Steve Cooper, Robert Reason and Graeme Knott finishing fourth, fifth and sixth respectively. Cooper was also the fastest veteran, in the over-45 ranks.
Harwich’s Stephen Peck (over-40), the JAFFA duo of Steve Parry (over-50) and Terry Back (over-60), and Harriers’ Colin Ridley (over-55) also topped their age groups.
Rachel Sweatt, of Witham Running Club, made it two wins out-of-two in the ladies’ race. Just as at Writtle, so JAFFA’s Laura Thomas was her nearest challenger in second.
Davina Greenwell, from Hadleigh Hares, improved from eighth spot at Writtle to third at Harwich, followed by Harwich’s Kate Hodgkiss and Andrea James, of Colchester Harriers.
Great Bentley RC’s Vicky Presland was the first over-40 veteran, in sixth position, while JAFFA’s Val Jennings was the leading over-50 veteran in 10th spot.
In other female age groups, Harwich’s Claudine Benstead was the top over-55 veteran and Mid-Essex Casuals’ Sue Clarke was the first over-60.
At the other end of the age scale, the supporting junior race in the 53-12 League saw Colchester & Tendring taste a team victory with 34 points, ahead of JAFFA (42) and the Harriers (78).
JAFFA had a one-two in the under-11 girls’ race, with Freya Wilcox winning ahead of team-mate Poppy Grant, while Springfield’s Dylan Robins was the first under-11 boy, pursued by Tiptree RR’s Arthur Ballard and Hadleigh Hares’ Taylor Clarke.
Colchester & Tendring (CATS) provided both winners in the under-13 age group. Kaela Swaine won the girls’ title, from JAFFA’s Madeleine Lansdown and CATS’ Erin Rogers.
Likewise, Henry Dover was first home for the black vests in the under-13 boys’ section, followed by JAFFA’s Thomas Southgate and Tiptree’s Joseph Perry.
Harriers’ Milly Presland led home the JAFFA duo of Daisy Brooke and Jasmine Bilner in the under-15s, while CATS’ Aidan Cahill was the boys’ winner from Tiptree’s Ben Podd and CATS’ Sam Shippey.
In the oldest age group, CATS’ Ally Thondyke won the under-17 category, ahead of Harriers’ Savanna Harrison and Amber Fisher. JAFFA’s Tom Abbott was first and team-mate Lee Harrison second in the boys’ equivalent.
Results
Top 20 men: 1 A Holford (Colchester Harriers; 2 C Fiddaman (Ipswich JAFFA); 3 J Ling (JAFFA); 4 S Cooper (Harwich Runners); 5 R Reason (Harwich); 6 G Knott (Harwich); 7 J Smith (Springfield); 8 A Manton (Springfield); 9 K Tilley (JAFFA), 10 P Wain (JAFFA).
11 C Sellens (Col/Harr); 12 E Aferwerki (Col/Harr0; 13 Dom King (Col/Harr); 14 C Burgoyne (Springfield); 15 S Peck (Harwich); 16 C Ridley (Col/Harr); 17 C Martin (Witham); 18 S Parry (JAFFA); 19 L Groves (Gt Bentley); 20 A Wade (JAFFA).
Top 20 ladies: 1 R Sweatt (Witham); 2 L Thomas (JAFFA); 3 D Greenwell (Hadleigh); 4 K Hodgkiss (Harwich); 5 A James (Col/Harr); 6 V Presland (Gt Bentley); 7 E Lury (JAFFA0; 8 S Spencer (JAFFA); 9 D Harrington (Tiptree); 10 V Jennings (JAFFA).
11 R Roughan (Halstead); 12 L Stuckey (Witham); 13 V Knight (Tiptree); 14 F Harris (Col/Harr); 15 C Benstead (Harwich); 16 c Elms (Witham); 17 M Ward (Hadleigh); 18 T Harrington (Tiptree); 19 M Rajoo-Oakley (Gt Bentley); 20 R Bodsworth (Hadleigh).
Men’s teams, Pool A: 1 JAFFA 108pts; 2 Col/Harr 135; 3 Springfield 250; 4 Witham 343; 5 Gt Bentlery 482; 6 Hadleigh 1,112. Pool B: 1 Harwich 100pts; 2 Halstead 371; 3 Tiptree 452.
Ladies’ teams: Pool A: 1 JAFFA 27pts; 2 Witham 50; 3 Hadleigh 64; 4 Gt Bentley 86; 5 Col/Harr 125; 6 Springfield 180. Pool B: 1 Tiptree 40pts; 2 Harwich 42; 3 Halstead 76.
Combined teams, Pool A: 1 JAFFA, 2 Witham, 3 Col/Harr, 4= Springfield, Gt Bentley & Hadleigh. Pool B: 1 Harwich, 2 Tiptree, 3 Halstead.
Overall standings (after 2 of 6 races), Pool A: 1 JAFFA 12pts; 2= Witham 9 & Col/Harr 9; 4 Springfield 6; 5= Hadleigh 3 & Gt Bentley 3. Pool B: 1 Harwich 12pts; 2 Tiptree 10; 3 Halstead 8; Mid-Essex 6.
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