Striders face strong opposition at the Surrey Cross-Championships

Striders of Croydon faced strong opposition at the Surrey Cross-Championships at Dorking on Sunday. Alastair Falconer ran very well to place 34th of the 199 finishers in the senior men’s race, completing the muddy 12-kilometre course in 45 minutes 18 seconds. Tatsuya Okamoto also ran well for 51st (47:30) with Lee Flanagan 68th (49:02), Steve Corfield 116th (52:34), Joseph Ibe 126th (53:40) and Luke Burden completing the scoring team in 128th (53:43). They placed 12th in the team event. Team manager Andy Perks was 161st (57:18), Mick Turner 179th (60:09) and Nigel Finch 181st (60:43).

Striders’ women were led by Jodie Gray who ran well to place 38th, covering the eight-kilometre course in 38 minutes 31 seconds. Steph Upton was 71st (39:48) with Amanda Hewett 101st (44:55), Jadwiga Brzask-Makiela 128th (54:05) and Michelle Klein 129th (54:05). They placed 14th in the team event.

In the under-13 boys’ race, over 2750 metres, Christopher Finch ran well to place 23rd of the 89 finishers, completing the 2750 metre course in 10 minutes 44, with his younger brother Daniel Finch 72nd (11:49). Their elder sister Lucy Finch was 51st in the under-15 girls’ race, completing the 4200 metre course in 21 minutes 31.

Earlier in the day, Striders had seven finishers in the Tadworth 10-mile race, led by Robert Zietz who was third in the over-60 category and 85th overall (74:40).

On New Year’s Day, Samuel Hansen ran very well to place first out of 218 finishers at the South Norwood parkrun, recording 18 minutes 42 seconds. Niamh Vincent was the first woman to finish, placing 23rd overall (21:33). On Saturday, Peter Mills was first out of 87 finishers in the Bethlem Royal Hospital parkrun (19:37).

This Saturday (11th) Striders will be competing in the penultimate Surrey Cross-Country League Division Two matches of the season. Their men are at Chobham while their women are at Wimbledon.