Both sides of the Belgrave Harriers’ cross-country stable took team honours at the Surrey Cross-Country Championships on January 7, setting the standard for 2023.

Lenane will represent Surrey at Inter-Counties

Words by Charlie Dickinson

There was a very strong performance from all the nine Belles who took part in the Surrey Championships with the scoring four winning team silver medals.

Lloyd Park in January is famed for its muddy conditions, and it didn't disappoint. Runners had to negotiate strong wind, rain, heavy mud and freezing cold puddles of water.

The Belles were led home by an outstanding run by Naomi Lenane in sixth place. This gives her an invitation to represent Surrey in the Inter-Counties in March. Naomi found the second lap particularly tough but held on strongly to maintain her position against the chasing runners.

Felicity Harrison is a real find for the team, second scorer in the last Surrey League race and again on Saturday just ahead of the resurgent Olivia Papaioannou, fast returning to her best form. The pair ran together with Felicity finishing marginally ahead. They finished 15th and 16th. 

Natalie Beadle closed for the scoring four with another very strong run in 23rd place, continuing her excellent form this season. Natalie likes to take part in fell races in the Lake District, and this obviously gives her the strength to negotiate difficult conditions. 

Then came that familiar Belgrave train. Orna McGinley surprised herself with an excellent run in 27th, followed closely by Bethany Brown in 29th, Ella-May Hards who loves cross country in 30th and Mimi Corden-LLoyd - who worked through the field so well in the second lap in 32nd. Finally, another strong run by the ever-improving Sarah Dewhirst who finished in 44th place in a field of 124 runners. 

As usual, Aldershot sent a strong team, but the Belles scoring four finished well ahead of all their other local rivals to win very well-deserved silver medals. 

RESULTS

Teams, 1. AFD 48, 2. Belgrave 60, 3. Herne Hill 71. 12 complete teams finished. 

Individual. 1. N. Scott (AFD)30:03, 2. S. Monk (G & G) 30:08, 3. D. Corradi (Sutton) 30:34, ....6. N. Lenane 31:55, 15. F. Harrison 32:42, 16. O. Papaioannou 32:47, 23. N. Beadle 33:49, 27. O. McGinley 34:19, 29. B. Brown 34:37, 30. E-M. Hards 34:43, 32. M. Corden-Lloyd 34:49, 44. S. Dewhirst 35:39.

Belgrave men match the Belles for silver

Words by Conall McNally

This year's Surrey County XC champs had every ingredient needed for a 'proper' cross-country; mud, brutal uphill sections and a strong Belgrave team that snatched a silver medal in the team competition.

Lloyd park saw the latest iteration in the Calcutta cup of Belgrave Jonnys, on this occasion Jonny Scott (English) coming out on top of Jonny Neville (Scottish).

Both Jonnys are showing their younger Bel compatriots how to run consistently over the country this year, with Scott finishing in 20th and Neville in 21st. This was an interesting race to watch with Neville opening a gap in the second lap of three to be chased down in the third lap by Scott, who is undoubtedly putting himself in contention for the hotly-contested 'Best Belgravian from the Midlands'.

Working with the two Jonnys in the early stages and holding on for a solid 25th place finish was George Loxton - George is fast improving and despite being new to the club is one of the most consistent performers for the club this year. One place behind him in 26th was Conall McNally who spent two of the three laps completely alone (naturally). Conall struggled on the mud and at one point fell as he failed to navigate a slippery corner.

Making up the final two scorers of the Silver medal winning scoring six were Angus Lamb in 27th and Tom Lole in 30th. Lamb is an international man of mystery who will be the subject of much speculation with these stellar performances, despite his own admissions that he doesn't run that much. Lole, having suffered a fate familiar to many Belgravians - seeing Lamb disappear over the horizon - rounded off a great team performance in his usual metronomic style. The smart money would suggest Tom will play a bigger role in these teams as the distances remain long.

Michael McCarthy was next in 37th, Michael is strongest over the mud and will hope that the surfaces remain suitably soupy over the next few weeks. His last trip to the North for a national cross-country resulted in him coming home as Belgrave's top finisher on the day, so Chester has been put on notice. Matt Edgar finished four places behind in 41st. Matt can do anything, having ran ultras and competed in Ironman triathlons. The last full season Matt completed saw a meteoric rise by the end of the season so the sky is the limit. 

Continuing the solid packing was Rob Kelly in 44th. Rob described this run as 'probably my strongest XC run', and those who had already finished saw him finish like a lion, growling as he crossed the line. Rob has clearly been inspired by his new flatmate, our infamous and handsome social secretary, Luke Pratt.

James Roberts came through the line in 50th. Usually a middle-distance runner, James will feel the benefits of these brutal miles during the summer. Ross Christie was close behind James, in 52nd, having gone for a swim in the big puddle on the course mid-race - Ross certainly looked the most like he had ran a cross-country. Two newer Belgrave recruits followed Ross through the line, with Peter Robinson in 54th and Tom Gifford in 77th. Tom is another shorter distance runner braving these longer distances to give him a head start for the track season.

An honorary, unofficial member of Belgrave but putting in one of the performances of the day was Peter McNally in 102nd (first V60). Pete is training for his first marathon in around four decades and will feel the benefits of these tough miles in the streets of Manchester in April. Pete has put out the challenge to other vets in Belgrave with this performance, the native Londoner revelling in spoiling the party. 

Finally rounding off the team was Rob Norville in 131st, this was a slightly smaller team than usual, and a good test run for the final surrey league of the season, which will be back at Lloyd Park.