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Historic double win for Lewes AC cross country runners
After the final match of the Sussex Cross Country League at Stanmer Park in Brighton Lewes AC senior men and women’s teams both came away with team gold medals. The cross country league involves all Sussex clubs and takes place on four tough courses across the County including Bexhill, Goodwood and Worthing as well as Brighton.
Never before achieved by the club this double win marks the continuing success of the club across all age groups and activities. It is a mark as to how far the club has come that it has taken on and beaten the bigger clubs from across the County. In addition to the two senior team gold medals there were also a host of individual medals and further team medals for the under 13 boys and the senior men’s B team in division three and the men’s vets team.
The Stanmer Park course was a true test of cross country running as it was muddy, hilly and took place in pretty awful weather. By just six points the women’s team won their team gold from Arena 80 in silver and Chichester AC with the bronze. Making up the women’s winning team over the four matches were Izzy Coomber; Megan Taylor; Helen Sida; Maria Barrow; Rachael Phelps; Gina Wilson and Emma Rollings. Izzy Coomber led the winning team and came away with a well-earned individual silver medal.
Also winning individual medals were Ella Munday with a silver medal in the women Under 20 category and Karen Divall winning the individual gold medal in the women over 55 category.
Further down the age categories Atticus Mohapi-Dobouny in the boys aged Under 15 category won an individual gold medal and led his team into the bronze medal position. The team were Atticus, Jack Gardener; Joss Pope; Aaron Duncan; Sam Horn and Will Courage.
It was not only a truly historic win for the senior men’s but a very tight win as well having just beaten Haywards Heath Harriers into second place by just on point. It was touch and go right up to the last match with Lewes eventually scoring 466 points to Haywards Heath’s 467.
Matt Bradford as team captain led the gold medal winning team of Josh Burgess; Callum Upton; Alex Ham; Ben Pepler; James Martin; Ben Savill; Lewis Sida; Jack Lockwood; David Bradford; Chris Gilbert; Patrick Hough; Connor Patterson and Patrick McManus;
Showing that the club has strength in depth in cross country running the Lewes AC men’s B team also won team gold in the third division of the league. The team members were Lee Woodgate; Jonathon Burrell; Charles Taylor; Colin Bennett; Chris Gilbert; Ben Pepler; Alex Ham; Robert Cooper; Mike Ellicock; and Will Monnington. In addition to Jonathon Burrell’s contribution to the team gold medal win he also won an individual bronze medal in the men over 50 category.
Adding to the club’s haul of medals the men’s veteran team won the bronze team medal in their division. Contributing to the team medal were Lee Woodgate; Jonathon Burrell; Colin Bennett; Lewis Sida; Chris Gilbert; Mike Ellicock and Robbie James.