Striders Ladies run well in the Surrey Cross-Country League

Striders of Croydon did well to place sixth in their Surrey Women’s Cross-Country League Division Two match  at Wimbledon on Saturday. They remain fourth in the overall Division Two table with one match remaining. Striders were led by Jodie Gray who ran very well to place 15th of the 245 finishers, covering the five-mile course in 38 minutes 16 seconds. Steph Upton also ran well for 30th (40:00) with team manager Nikki Javan 45th (41:41), Ally Whitlock 54th (42:40) and Debra Bourne 69th (43:42). Striders’ B team placed 13th in their category. Maria Gabriel was 178th (51:07) with Jane Hughes 198th (53:39), Jadwiga Brzask-Makiela 200th (53:48) and Michelle Klein 204th (54:50).

Meanwhile Striders’ men faced strong opposition in their Surrey Cross-Country League Division Two match, at Chobham. They had to settle for seventh place of the nine clubs in the match. Striders were led by Alastair Falconer who ran very well to place ninth of the 205 finishers, completing the five-mile course in 26 minutes 32 seconds. Tatsuya Okamoto also ran well to place 25th (27:54) while veteran Krzysztof Klidzia was second in the over-50 category and 58th overall (29:02). Peter Mills was 60th (29:06) with Simon Ambrosi 66th (29:27), Matthew Stone 90th (30:30), James Rhodes 92nd (30:35), Joseph Ibe 102nd (30:56), Luke Burden 120th (31:26) and Richard Lee-Smith completing the scoring team in 125th (31:41). Striders had a total of 19 finishers. They remain seventh in the overall Division Two table but are only just outside the relegation zone, five points ahead of rivals Wimbledon Windmilers.

On the following day Striders had 20 finishers in their annual mob match against Blackheath & Bromley. They were led by Tatsuya Okamoto who placed third, completing the 10-kilometre course in 40 minutes 51 seconds. Striders’ women were led by Niamh Vincent who placed 35th overall (49:36).