Marteletti the road runner stamps his name on the country

Middlesex XC Champs 8th of January 201.  Trent Park, Cockfosters
 
In the Middlesex cross country Championships, which had plenty of muddy patches on the hilly course, Victoria Park's, New Zealander, Paul Marteletti, improved on his ninth position of 2009 to win well at Trent Park. However Marteletti had only done 4 cross countries in his life before!.
    After the start Mohmud Aadan went ahead but by the 800m point he was  joined by London Champion Chris Smith, Marteletti and previous winners Dan Dalmedo and Steve Sharp. At  the end of the first of three laps Chris Smith was leading Martelleti with Sharpe a further thirty metres behind that, then came Dalmedo, Aadan, Richard Phillips, Henry Dodwell and Hugh Torry.
    On Lap 2, at the bottom of the ravine, Marteletti opened up a bit and moved clear, with a strong run up the hill into the last lap. Smith looked as though he might get on terms a couple of times after that but Marteletti had things under control. It was somewhat surprising to see Serpentine win the team title as it is usually a preserve of Highgate Harriers but the Serpentine club are swelling with new members by the day. Serpentine filled in their six scorers within 27 and Highgate had their men in 29 of the 144 that finished the race.
    Martelleti who ran 2:17:54 in Amsterdam last year said " I was using the race as strength work. Even as a hill session, rather than doing hills. I am doing the hard training in the race for marathons and I intend running in Seville.'
 ' I would like to have a go at getting into the New Zealand team for the Olympics with a very slim chance of making the UK team, as I will be eligible for them also at the time. I will have to get my times down under 2:15 or maybe 2.14/2:13. It all depends on the selection policy really, We'll see."
    Steve Sharpe said the conditions were horrendous and really tough going in the mud but he was pleased with his run as he was only 10 seconds away from the winner. " I will do a few road races and then look forward to the track and the warm weather."
    Esther Evans, who won the women's race last year went out fast. Her raking stride took her well clear of the field and at one point she had 100 metre lead then but Becky Glover, who overtook the North London Champion Sue Rust early on perused Evans who just hung on long enough to win.
    In the second half of the Men's Junior race, 'Under 20' Jake Shelley battled with his clubmate from Shaftesbury Barnet, Jack Perry Williams but Shelley was strong on the last hill to win. Shelly was injured in the Summer before taking fourth place in the Varsity cross country match for Oxford University.
Men First six over the 12,000m (approx) course were 1 Paul Martelleti (VPH &TH) 41:32; 2 Chris Smith (TVH) 41:37; 3 Steve Sharp (Belgrave H) 41:42; 4 Richard Phillips (Serpentine) 42:38; 5 Mohamud Aadan (TVH) 42:40; 6 Henry Dodwell (Highgate H) 42:54.
Women ran over 8,000m (approx) Esther Evans of the winning Highgate team 32:32, 2 Rebecca Glover (Serpentine) 32:36; 3 Sue Rust (London Heathside ) 34:09; 4 Maggie Cooper (SBH) 34:20; 5 Anna Critchlow (West 4) 34:24; 6 Jo Singer (VPH &TH) 34:32.