The highly competitive Surrey League cross country competition returned after a 20-month absence with outstanding performances from both Belgrave senior teams at Richmond Park.
“Belles dominant in first league match”
What a day! What a team! What a result!
No less than 18 members of this terrific squad turned out in drizzly conditions in this first league match of the season. Still more had to miss because of colds or injury. Every single member of this team ran better than expected with the Belles A team easily winning the match and the B team 4th, ahead of the A teams of Herne Hill, South London, Hercules Wimbledon and Clapham Chasers amongst other local teams.
The forecast was wrong, I was was hoping dry conditions and why i opted for trainers (bad mistake!) the team were greeted with heavy rain before the start of the race, but this did little to dampen our team spirit. Luckily the rain eased after the race started but it did leave slippery conditions on the downhill sections of the course. Something I struggled with.
Our team was led home by Grace Richardson in 3rd place. Grace had only moved to London from Ireland a few weeks previously. Then came the rest of the Belles runners in the teens. The secret for cross country team races is packing , something we dominated at this ace. The claret and gold vests just seemed to be coming non-stop with another new recruit, Lea Adamson next in 13th, our dependable second-claimer Sophie Cowper in 15th, Liv Papaioannou next in 17th back to her very best, just ahead of me in 18th, over twenty places further up than in the same race two years previously.
Love Richmond Park and enjoyed this race !