Local running club, Hailsham Harriers organised and marshalled race number 4 in this year’s 21/22 East Sussex Sunday Cross Country League held at Warren Hill on Sunday 16th January.
The event saw 60 junior runners compete in the 1-2.5 mile routes and 400 senior runners take on the muddy undulating, five-mile loop.
Although windy and cool at the top of Warren Hill for the Senior race start, runners soon warmed up as they hurtled down a muddy downhill section towards Cornish Farm. The tough route finished with a long climb to the top of Warren Hill before taking a left turn for the fast finish line stretch.
Running for the Hailsham Harriers and put- ting on strong performances were Graham Woolley 45th (32:32), Lianne Leakey 63rd (33:30), Carl Barton 88th (34:31), Helen O’Sul- livan 100th (35:02), Mark Pope 119th (35:45), Graham Purdye 129th (36:48), Chris Little 159th (38:11), Gary Smith 167th (38:30), Hannah Deubert-Chapman 253rd (43:23), Julie Chicken 279th (45:02), Felicity Williams 306th (46:34), Sam Neame 307th (46:44), Lisa Philips 310th (46:54) and Victoria Little 316th (47:33).
Hailsham Harriers would like to pass on their congratulations to the following junior winners in their age races. For the Under 11’s, Oliver Goodman and Lucienne Simkiss-Day (Hastings AC). For the Under 13’s, Fin Lumbar-Fry (East- bourne Rovers) and Sophie Sims (HY Runners). In the Under 15’s Finlay Goodman and Eve Tay- lor (Crowborough Runners) and for the under 17 Girls – Ella Ayden (Crowborough Runners)
In the senior race, congratulations go to Pat- rick Marsden from Polegate Plodders, overall race winner and first Male in a time of 27:49 and to Grace Baker from Hastings AC, first female in 29:44.
The East Sussex league consists of fourteen teams compiled from 18 clubs across East Sus- sex who take part in six races between October to March. Runners of all abilities take part and each course varies from open downland to muddy woodland. The penultimate race in the league takes place on Sunday 6th February at Whitbread Hollow, St Bede’s.
Please visit http://hailsham-harriers.org.uk for information on how to get involved, training nights and much more.
