SEAA Womens XC Relays, Wormwood Scrubs - 22nd October 2016

SEAA Womens XC RelaysWormwood Scrubs - 22nd October 2016Author: Charlie Dickinson

"So near, yet!"

It was a question of what might have been, the Belles A team finishing just outside the medals and a mere 31 seconds from winning the 3- Stage SEAA cross country relay.Again, there was an excellent spirit with two strong teams competing for the Belles, the B team finishing in an excellent 11 place out of over 30 teams.On the first frantic leg, Zoe Doyle ran her usual sensible race giving the A team a very solid start in 10th place. Following just three places further back, Helen White ran perhaps her best ever cross country race for the B team. Taking over for the A team, Sam Amend ran a blinder, the 6th overall fastest time of the day, just the day before tackling the Great South run in Portsmouth. Sammi moved the team up to 4th place and within striking distance of the teams in front. Becky Prince had taken over for the B team, what a wonderful new member she is, trains hard and keen to do all the races, and is improving all the time. Becky ran a very good leg, about the same time as Zoe, and brought the team up to 11th.When Saron Haileselase took over on the last leg for the A team, expectations were high, especially as she immediately begun to eat into the lead of the women in front of her. However, unfortunately, Saron had been suffering from a bad cough all the previous week and half way round the course this begun to take its toll. In the end, she did well to finish almost walking over the finish line at the end with the three medal winning teams just ahead of her.It was so nice to see Sophie Carter  back in business and competing the B team, not in her usual brilliant form, but prepared to come for the team anyway. Sophie kept the B team in 11th place, a really commendable result in the South of England Championship.1. London Heathside 36.07,  2. TVH  36.38,  3. Luton AC  36.43,  4. Belgrave A 37.06, (Z. Doyle 12.44, S. Amend  11.57,  S. Haileselase 12.25). 11. Belgrave B  39.44, (H. White 13.09, R. Prince 12.43, S. Carter 13.52).Fastest legs;  1. Rosie Keen Luton AC 11.20,  2. Tracy Barlow TVH  11/36,  3. Sophie Crumly  Newbury  11.42,  6. Sam Amend  Belles  11.57.