Belles bag bronze at Surrey county XC championships
Surprise bronze for the Belles in the Surrey
l-r: Georgie Fenn, Camilla Barden and Olivia Papaioannou with their county medals.
With a crowded cross country January and several still to return from the Christmas break, this race had not been the highest priority for the Belles. However, more than enough for a team wanted to do it including second claimer Sophie Cowper and South of England Inter-counties medallist Georgie Fenn. Unfortunately, Sophie who has really strengthened the League team this season had to duck out with cracked ribs and Vicky Goodwin decided not to chance her vulnerable achilles, but that still left a strong team of four.
A new start/finish area in front of the buildings greatly improved the course and the lack of rain over the Christmas period meant the going was fairly firm. A leading group of ten runners soon broke away at quite a furious pace from the start including previous national winners Lilly Partridge and Phoebe Law and previous Surrey winners Emily Wicks and Georgie Brunivels. Georgie Fenn managed to hang onto the back of this group until they begun to stretch out going into the second of the two laps. Over the second lap Georgie managed to use her strength to move through to finish a fine 7th.
Georgie Fenn (right) with club president John Gladwin.
The three other Belles in the team were all members who had joined since the summer, Olivia Papaioannou just before Christmas. Emily Barrett was next to finish in an excellent 18th place followed by Olivia in the late twenties and Camilla Barden after a storming last lap close behind.
With four in the first 12 Aldershot walked the gold team medals and Guildford won the silvers. After originally being left off the team scores and a forceful protest, the Belles were surprised and delighted to claim well deserved bronze medals which made the day worthwhile. Many thanks to President John Gladwin and Vicky Goodwin for their support around the course.
Results; 1. L. Partridge (AFD) 31:25, 2. C. Dannatt (Camberley) 31:34, 3. N. Brown (AFD) 31:54, ……. 7. G. Fenn 32:52, 18. E. Barrett 35:07,
29. O. Papaioanou 36:18, 38. C. Barden 37:22.
Teams; 1. AFD 12, 2. G&G 77, 3. Belgrave 92.