Hastings Athletic Club stages '˜best ever' Sussex Championships

Under-17 men's race winner George Pool. Pictures by Simon Newstead

Hastings Athletic Club hosted what's been described by some as the best Sussex Cross-Country Championships ever on Saturday.

The finest adult and junior runners from clubs around the county battled it out across the various age groups at the long-standing venue of Bexhill Down.

Hastings AC chairman Terry Skelton said: “Going by what other people from Sussex were telling me, it was the best Sussex Champs ever, which really pleased me.

“Last year was good even though we had a hitch, but this year I changed the course slightly to rectify that and it was fantastic. I couldn’t have asked for any more really.”

The field sets off in the under-17 men's race

See also: * Sussex Cross-Country Championships: Hastings AC to field possibly largest ever squad* Tottenham Hotspur debut for son of ex-Hastings United player* Goalkeeper suffers serious injurySkelton had feared the event might be called-off after there was a sewage leak on the Downs, albeit not on the course, the previous day, but the problem was fairly swiftly resolved and there was some great racing.

Underfoot conditions at this notorious muddy course were the driest experienced since it was first used for championship or league races some 60 years ago.

On a dry but fairly chilly day, the host club enjoyed a fair bit of success, winning three individual and two team medals.

The under-17 men’s race was particularly fruitful. George Pool, who only returned from holiday on the morning of the event, moved clear of the field on the second of three laps to win by 19 seconds in a time of 16:46.

The leading group on the first lap of the under-17 men's race

Isaac Elam was fifth in 17:18 and with James Crombie 10th in 17:50, Hastings AC claimed the team prize. Lewis Courtnage was 16th in 18:32 and Dylan Bolton 21st in 19:45.

Carlos Nieto-Parr continued his fine form this season by breaking clear of Worthing’s Ethan Ward to win the under-15 boys’ title by six seconds in 14:50. Adam Morrissy was 39th in 18:29.

Joe Body was the runner-up in the under-20 men’s event in 24:15, with Ethan Hodges 10th in 25:41 and Ryan Morrissy 19th in 27:43.

Although Caitlin Millar pulled out after about a mile due to breathing difficulties caused by a heavy cold, Hastings AC won a bronze medal in the senior women’s team event.