London CC Championships (November 2015)
Parliament Hill Fields - 14th November 2015
CHRIS SMITH, won his fourth London cross country, after coming third last year.
There was continuous rain for all the races in the day. Smith and Andy Greenleaf disputed the lead for the first lap with Glen Hughes and James McMullan, next to come through and running on their own.
Smith in his first cross-country of the season, tested Greenleaf on the hills in the wet conditions and, went clear in the last lap.
However, Greenleaf looked towards a sub 2:20 in the London, as he ran 2:21:41.28 this year. He also felt he had more strength recently over the country, which was due to his triathlons in the summer and, winning a duathlon (8 mile run & 24 miles cycle) at Boxhill, the previous weekend. All the first five train together at Battersea.
In the Women’s race Steph McCall threw down the gauntlet, after going over Parliament Hill at the start and then, never looked back. Lara Bromilow was second after a lap with Phoebe Law, who was in the Under 20 European cross team in 2014, in third place. By the final lap Law had moved into second place, Bromilow third with Clare Grima, the first W35 next. (Both Law & Bromilow won the London Champ’s before)
McCall, who recently graduated from Exeter University and, started running at 14 thought she had been making the most improvement in the last two years.
She talked again about the Surrey league, when she was fourth the previous Saturday at West End Common, Esher “I was leading at the top of the hill but there were different routes to go in the woods, little paths going everywhere and it was marked by a bit of tape and, no marshal at the top of the hill, so unfortunately I went off.”
Phoebe Law said “I have had tendonitis since September but felt stronger to-day”
Highgate Harriers, with their current rate of progress, should have won the Men’s team event on their home ground but it was not considered by them to be a Beacon race for them.
Men:-
First six. Chris Smith (TVH, M35); 2 Andy Greenleaf (Serpentine RC) 33.04; 3 Glen Hughes (Serpentine RC) 33.1; 4 James McMullan (Thames Hare & Hounds) 34.01; 5 Fred Slemeck (Hercules Wimbledon ) 34.14; 6 Sean Renfer (Highgate Harriers) 34.19.
First six teams over 10km; Four to score 1 Serpentine 39; 2 Hercules Wimbledon 48; 3 Highgate Harriers 64; 5 Herne Hill Harriers 123; 6 London Heathside 126.
Women:-
First six women over 6km, Steph McCall (South London Harriers) 22.31; 2 Phoebe Law (Kingston Poly,U20) 23.06; 3 Lara Bromilow (Milton Keynes) 23.18; 4 Clare Grima (Hercules Wimbledon ,W35); 23.43; 5 Alex Gounelas (Eton manor) 23.48; 6 Rebecca Gardner (Shaftesbury Barnet 24.12.
Teams:- 1 London Heathside 63; 2 Dulwich 70; 3 Victoria Park & Tower Hamlets 98; 4 Serpentine 109; 5 Ranelagh Harriers 182; 6 Herne Hill Harriers 214.