The Sussex Cross Country Championships 2014 gallery is now live and online here: http://bit.ly/Sussex-XC-Champs-2014-official-gallery
Mud. Lots of it, everywhere. And it wasn't raining !
Yes last Sunday was the County cross country championship weekend. Originally scheduled for Saturday at Stanmer, The uncertainty of dates with the FA Cup draw at the Amex Stadium as well as some travellers on the land, together with the university apparently not making their facilities available meant that a diversion was made to Bexhill. Hastings AC ably stepping into the frame to make the course and prepare the facilities for this years championships on the Sunday instead deserve due credit where it was due - the course and facilities faired very well in the conditions.
Questions need to be asked about the viability of Stanmer as a location for the next few years as the FA cup weekend will always clash with the XC champs weekend - and the uncertainty of the FA cup draw and television schedules make it an almost randomly available facility. This is not good for planning.
The number of runners were down 21% on 2013 (almost 100 less to a total of 338) and the uncertainty of date as well as the change of location must have been a contributory factor (although we can't overlook the horrendous weather forecasts over the past few days as well).
As it was - the rain stayed away except for a little bit towards the end of the senior races, so perfect muddy racing conditions in the woods of Bexhill were the order of the days play and plenty of gritty performances. Great marshalling by Hastings AC and the other volunteers on the day - I don't think a single person went the wrong way once ?! which on a turning course like Bexhill is an excellent result.
I'll leave it to the official report on the Sussex AAA website here http://www.sussexathletics.org.uk/news.php?id=1472 to tell you the full story and the results can be found there too.
| Logo | Gallery link |
 | http://bit.ly/Sussex-XC-Champs-2014-official-gallery |
The conditions under foot were basically muddy and slippy, with muddy puddles getting softened and deeper through the races. Anyone in just trainers was going to have problems - spikes, studs or trail shoes were a must, unless barefoot is your cup of tea...
Certain parts higher up the course on the grass were quite firm under foot, but there was still quite a lot of standing water on the surface from the previous days heavy rain.
More photos at the bottom of the page...
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| if you view this in the webpage - you'll see the animation Poor chap from Hastings caught a tree root - but he did want to see the sequence... |
Current list of live Galleries in alphabetical order
Races to Enter !
| Call for entries: | Race Entry links for selected races: |
| some of these still need filling in ! | |
| 2014 | |
| JAN 2014 | |
| 1st Wednesday - Serpentine NYD 10k | completed - http://bit.ly/Serpentine-10k-Official-Gallery-2014 |
| 5th Sun - Sussex XC Champs @Bexhill | http://www.sussexathletics.org.uk/forms.php#form149 |
| 18th Sat - G3#1 - Guildford | free race gallery downloads http://bit.ly/aat-g3-entry |
| 19th Sun - Fred Hughes 10miles | http://bit.ly/fred-hughes-10-entry |
| 25th Sat - SEAA XC Champs Parliament Hill | |
| 26th Sun - Epsom Perch | http://bit.ly/Epsom-Perch-2014-entry |
| 26th Sun - Canterbury 10 | http://bit.ly/canterbury-10 |
| FEB 2013 | |
| 2nd Sun - Watford Half | http://bit.ly/watford-half-entry |
| 2nd Sun - Ashford and District 10k | |
| 2nd Sun - ETL Bookham 10k | |
| 9th Sat - G3#2 - Guildford | free race gallery downloads http://bit.ly/aat-g3-entry |
| 9th Sun - Deal Half Marathon | |
| 15th Sat - Brutal - Windmill Hill | http://bit.ly/Brutal-10-homepage |
| 16th Sun - (Brighton Half Marathon) | |
| 23rd Sun - Hampton Court Half Marathon | |
| MARCH 2014 | |
| Sat 1st - G3#3 - Guildford | free race gallery downloads http://bit.ly/aat-g3-entry |
| Sat 1st and 2nd - The Nuts Challenge | http://bit.ly/the-Nuts-Challenge |
| Sun 2nd - Berkhampstead Half Marathon | |
| Sun 2nd - Steyning Stinger | http://bit.ly/The-Steyning-Stinger free race gallery downloads |
| Sun 9th - Roding Valley Half Marathon | |
| Sun 9th - Surrey Half Marathon | http://bit.ly/Surrey-Half-Marathon-entry |
| Sun 9th - Lydd Half Marathon | |
| Sat 15th - Brutal Bordon | http://bit.ly/Brutal-10-homepage |
| Sat 15th - F3 Dorney Half Marathon | |
| Sun 16th - Colchester Half Marathon | |
| Sun 16th - ETL Tempest 10 and Spitfire 20 | |
| Sun 16th - Cranleigh 15-21 | |
| Sun 23rd - Richmond 13.1 and 10k | http://bit.ly/Richmond131-half-marathon |
| Sun 23rd - Back 2 the Trenches #1 | |
| Sun 23rd - PP Water of Life Half Marathon | |
| Sun 23rd - Brentwood Half Marathon | |
| Sun 30th - Warrior Run #1 | |
| Sun 30th - Paddock Wood Half Marathon | |
| Sun 30th - BHF Bournemouth Half Marathon | |
| more to follow... |
Shots from Bexhill:
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| All go at the starting stampede for the U13G |
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| It's difficult to look like you're trying harder than this - top racing |
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| Taking the race in his stride |
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| Mind out, here they come ! |
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| Spikes or trail shoes a must, this was just the second corner |
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| trying not to look too nonchalant over the deepest bogs |
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| Jason wasn't too sure why ?! |
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| Still possible to get some good air and pace on the mud paths |
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| Take route 1 if you want to win - like Jon... |
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| never overlook a photo opportunity ! |
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| working the camera |
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| Timber !! - 454 almost felled, but he recovered just in time... |
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| Far too stylish Boycey |
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| Jan had an attack of the wobbles as she hit puddle aversion |
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| Awesome effort from Jenny |
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| The Womens lead group slogging through the course as a pack - can you name them ? |
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| The glorious sight of a finish line ! |
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| Stick around and you get to accept the Trophy for your Team - Well done Brighton ! |
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| Reg takes down the results for quick reference later |
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| If you look like this at the end - you're doing it right ! |
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| Mr Hoyte #2 - one to watch for the future, and for the past 5 years to be honest... |
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| Saves having to wash them I suppose... |
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| Well done on Win number 3 Jon - try not to make it look too easy next time ! |
I now have my last weekend off until August, take it easy !
Until next time
Anthony
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