Belgrave stalwart Phil Wicks leads Bels to victory at Surrey XC Champs
Belgrave Harriers’ men kicked off 2025 in roaring fashion, winning the Surrey County Cross Country Championships for the first time in over a decade.
Belgrave’s winning sextet of (l-r) Ollie Garrod, Sam Gebreselassie, Harry Lawson, James Hancock, Jonny Neville and Phil Wicks atop the podium.
Words by Alex Janiaud
Phil Wicks, Sam Gebreselassie and James Hancock finished sixth, seventh and eighth as the Bels took the county title at Lloyd Park in their first race of the year.
Victory marked 21 years since Phil’s first Surrey County cross country gold, with our club secretary having racked up 10 titles in total.
The Bels’ front three were followed home by Ollie Garrod in 17th, Harry Lawson in 23rd, Jonny Neville in 24th and Angus Lamb in 25th.
A strong turnout ensured it was a good club day out for the men across the field.
Full results available here
Depleted Belles finish fourth
Words by Charlie Dickinson
The Belles had just enough runners for a scoring team thanks to the late inclusion of Emily Barrett who agreed to complete the team despite being involved in a serious car crash in India just three weeks before. Emily ran with a massive bruise on the leg. Spike length was difficult to choose with a mixture of hard frosty ground and the usual Lloyd Park mud.
Emily Bradley led the team home in an excellent seventh place continuing her fine form this season. Then came Penny Oliver getting stronger with every race in 17th, as is Lara Mangan in 25th again - displaying her trademark fast finish. Emily found the hills and ground tough but still finished in the fist half of the field with the Belgrave team fourth.
Full results here. All photos by Henry Hart.