There were a number of changes in this year's competition which meant the U13 and U15 races were much shorter than normal.
The U17s were however the same distance as always. With a strong U17 contingent we were able to field three full teams and were hopeful the A team would again be first home. Led off by Ash Burgess who ran the fastest leg of the day in 11.51, the team was in a good position as Jesse Bradley headed off on the second leg. and his excellent run of 12.22 increased the lead to over 30 seconds. Paul Harrison was the final runner and with yet another impressive performance, despite being impeded by the bike at the start, ran 12.25 to secure the win by a margin of almost a minute.
The B team was also a strong team. Jai Sohna took the first leg and ran a solid 13.14 for 23rd place. After only a few weeks training after attending one of our August taster sessions, new boy Seki Adachialim showed his potential by gaining 12 places to bring the team up to 11th place. Charlie Smith took the last leg and ran a good leg to gain two more places so the team finished in 9th place out of 32 complete teams.
Simeon Swain was on first leg for the C team and improved his time from last year by almost 45 seconds to finish in 24th place in a time of 13.17. Francis White was leg 2 and he also improved his time by a minute from the time he ran in 2022. Finally Zac Yates completed the team and his time of 14.13 brought the team home in 27th place.
IIn the U17 Women we only had two athletes available. Emily Symes ran a strong first leg to finish in 5th place with a time of 14.16 which was 40 seconds quicker than she ran last yeae. Cassie Pearson was our other runner and she finished in 7th place with a time of 16.47.
U15
Some late injuries and illnes meant we didn't have as many teams as we had originally entered and it was on a 2.4km course rather than the usual 3.86km these athletes normally run. The start was therefore somewhat of a scrum and it was difficult for athletes to get a good start. Rohan Child took the first leg and he ran 8.44 to finish in 36th place. In the B team Noah Kesterton-Kearney had been ill during the week and his performance sufferred because of it so he finished in 48th.
Jude Morais-Trigg was our second runner on the A team and one of our sprinters who is using races like this to improve his endurance. his 8.54 moved the team up by one place. On the final leg Nathan Villers, another sprinter also had a strong leg to make up four places and finish in 31st place with a time of 8.40. In the B team we only had 2 runners and Sam Greaves acquitted himself well to make up 7 places.
U13
The U13 race was even shorter than the U15 at only 1.6km which made is a bit of a lottery and very chaotic at the end and start of legs 2 and 3 with so many athletes coming in together. James Longworth was first off and he ran a great leg to finish in second place running the 3rd fastest leg but only 1 second behind the quickest leg of the day with a time of 5.13. Oliver Evans took on the next leg and ran well to finish in third spot with a time of 5.55. Bringing the team home in fifth place was Ira-McKenzie Beckford who also ran 5.55.
The B team was incomplete with Max Curley 6.01 and Theo Bent 8.15 but this time does not take account of the poor system which meant he was not made aware Max had finished until a Birchfield coach told him he could go. He ran his heart out but was at a great disadvantage.
Our U13 girls A team were just out of the medals. Trinity Conway was first to go and came home in third in a time of 5.36. Finlee Brady kept the team in the top ten with a time of 6.16 for fifth place. Last to go was Sophie Longworth who had a strong run to keep the team in 5th place with a time of 6.25.
Ellen Curley led off the B team and despite many recent growth issues posted a time of 6.05 for 16th place. Matilda-Mae Matthews was sceond to go and her time of 6.47 put the team in 17th place. Lola-Mae Orton was last to go and gained a place so the team was 16th, her time being 6.35.