SEAA XC Relays, Wormwood Scrubs

Belgrave returned to the Wormwood Scrubs relays last Saturday, where we have enjoyed considerable success over the past few years. This year, the men decided to keep their powder dry which meant the Belles - two full teams of them! - had the spotlight all to themselves. Very rainy days prior to the race had made the surface very slippery with muddy sections in the woods, but on the day the weather was fine with sunshine and clouds until the final leg when we were treated to a heavy shower.

Emma Howsham made a very good start for the A team. Running the fastest Belgrave leg of the day, she brought the girls home in fifth place. Emily Barratt then took over and ran a very solid leg, leaking two places.To complete the trio was 400m specialist Laura Suggitt who decided to venture way out of her comfort zone for the muddy 2Mi leg. Regardless, she crossed the line in a very respectable 8th place, placing the Belgrave A team in a comfortable top 10 spot.

The ever-dependable Fiona Maddocks took the first leg for the B team having had to rush to the venue from a school netball match. Much like Laura, this track specialist regularly bites the XC bullet for us over the winter months in search for fitness and team points. She claimed 17th place on the opening leg before Orna McGinley scalped another two runners in the middle stage. Orna has supported the club brilliantly on track road and country since joining the group from her home in Dublin last year. Relatively new Belle Tasha Tennant completed the B team but sadly could not quite bring them closer to a top 10 spot. She didn't leak any places either though, so the B Belles could celebrate a top 15 finish.

RESULTS;
Belgrave A; E. Howsham 12:11 (5),  E. Barratt 12:57 (7),  L. Suggitt 13:05 (8).Belgrave B; F. Maddocks 13:08 (17),  O. McGinley 12:56 (15),  T. Tennant 14:05 (15).