Southerns 2010 - Parliament Hill

 NIELSON HALL IN GREAT FORM IN THE SOUTHERN CROSS COUNTRY

Nielson Hall, was running in the front group for the first five miles, before breaking away to take Bedford & County to individual and team victories in the South of England cross county Championships reports Alastair Aitken for Runners Digest, whose website organiser,The 'X' man, was taking photos at various points on the course.

There were long tracts of churned up mud on Hampstead Heath, for one of the UK's toughest cross-country courses but Hall, made light work of it during last mile of the nine mile race, speeding to victory down Parliament Hill and round to the finish in front of Highgate's track.

Lap 1 - All together coming round lap 1.

    On the Sunday before the race he had come a creditable 10th in an international cross-country at Elgoibar in Spain.

He said "I was ill the week before that race and did not know how I would run but it turned out well and set me up for the Southern"

    The first six home were 1 Nielson Hall (50:57), 2 Jon Pepper (51:08); 3 Kevin Heywood (51:39); 4 Darren Deed (51:50) 5 German road 'Star' Florian Neuschwsander (52:00) and 6 Dean Lacy (52:21).

Nielson Hall strides out over the last k to seal victory (above)Florian Neuschwsander took on the early paceDave Wardle balances finely on the final lap..

    JESSICA SPARKE (30:05) of Woodford Green & Essex Ladies, has had a good season, back from injury and was breaking away from the Women's field at the top of the second hill. After that she never looked like being overhauled. 

Helped by recent international experience this cross-country season but on a modest 40-50 miles a week, she still has some major cross-countries to do. She was followed home by Harriet Scott of Havering Maysbrook in 31:04; and Andrea  Whitcombe of Harrow (31:05). Whitcome, who was a top triathlete for several years, looked back on her most satisfying of her three 'National' wins of 1990, 1991 and 1997. "Winning for the third time was the most satisfying" she said at Parliament Hill. The next three in after that were London Champion, Julia Bleasdale (31:18), Natalie Gray (31:27) and Stacey Ward (31:40). However in seventh place was Kathy Sparke, who won last year. She was clearly on her way back to being amongst the best again. She recorded a time of 31:27

Jessica Sparkes takes her first senior win.

The U17 mens race saw a decisive win from Richard Goodman (Shaftesbury Barnet). Fresh from his U20 win at Cardiff on the 17 Jan and a 5th place at the European xc champs the Geoffrey Williams coached athlete placed 3rd last year at Hillingdon and certainly went to work early doors. Coming into the 2nd lap he had a good 150 metre gap with no sign of fading coming over the mini 'hill of doom' Parli hill is so well known for. 

Richard Goodman leads early doors

Chasing U17 men pack had a good battle.....

The U17 girls race saw another fine piece of front running from Emelia Goreka of the powerful AFD outfit. The face paint adds beautifully to the sense of speed and variety of disciplines this girl is able to adopt. From 800 through to the country this is the girl to chase over the next few years. (Or as Dale Winton would say, 'Chase me!")

Above - Emelia Goreka - lean mean racing machine!

U20 men.

Their is no denying the fearless approach Mehretab Solomon takes to the starting line. Attacking early and leading from the gun up the hill of doom it was going to be a waiting game for the chasers in this 2 lap race. Coming into the 2nd lap the chasing pack had some work to do and this they certainly did. The London Heathside runner took the win here in the London champs following it up with a Middlesex U20 xc Gold. 

Chasing pack worked together to reel Solomon back in

Dan Clorley built on his 3rd place last year to break the field with a well deserved victory.