The 2010 PSUK Cross Country Championships were staged by South Wales Police in the village of Pentyrch.  The organisers were blessed with a dry but cold day; some 400 plus athletes competed over a proper old style cross-country course, using farmer’s fields.

The course, a lap course for both men and women, was undulating and just as a good cross-country course should be, fairly demanding with very little flat ground.  The women ran two laps of 2.9km totalling 5.8km and the men ran a lap of 1.8km, 2 x 2.75km, finishing of with a lap of 2.9km totalling 10.2km.

The women’s race started the afternoon’s competition; Sarah Hill (Vet 35) (Hampshire) took control of the race from the gun, closely followed by Christine Howard (Vet 35) (Derbyshire) and Johanna Fletcher (Gloucestershire) with Diane Lauder (Lothian & Borders) leading the chasing field.  By the end of the first lap Hill had pulled away a little from Howard in second place, Lauder had pulled away from the rest of the field and was having a good battle with Fletcher for the third and fourth places.  Hill, who appeared to struggle a little on the last lap held on well to win the race in a time of 22 minutes and 34 seconds, just nine seconds ahead of a strong and fast finishing Lauder with Howard finishing in third.  Fletcher took fourth place to lead Gloucestershire to the overall Championship team title, well supported by Georgina Taylor in 6^th place and Lorraine Ryan in 7^th place.

Sarah Simmonds (West Midlands) ran strongly to finish in 5^th place taking the leading Veteran’s Championship.  Other strong performances came from Samantha Bell (Northamptonshire) in 8^th place, Katrina Kemp (Leicestershire) in 14^th place and Heather Mitchell (West Yorkshire) in 89^th place, who won their respective age categories.

Staffordshire took the Veterans team title and neighbouring Force, Gwent taking the Minor Forces team title.

In the men’s race Martin Williams (West Midlands) and Steve Cairns (Vet 40) (Lothian & Borders) led the men’s field around the first of four laps.  By the end of the second lap Williams had taken control of the race having a good 50 – 60m lead on Cairns who was running strongly for second place.  Williams never relinquished his lead and looked majestic as he appeared to glide over the ground winning the Championship in an excellent time of 34 minutes and 38 seconds.  Half way around the third lap Ben Gamble (Staffordshire), was running strongly catching and passing Cairns to get to within 9 seconds of Williams to take second place.  Cairns ran well to hold on and take third place comfortably and first veteran.

Other top performances came from Malcolm Fowler (Cheshire) Iain Campbell (Metropolitan), Pete Gray (Northamptonshire) and Ian Cooper (West Mercia) all winning their respective age categories.

The Metropolitan Police retained the overall Championship team title and the Veterans team title, with Norfolk police retaining the Minor Forces team title.

Hill, Howard, Fletcher, Janine Brown (Kent) in 12^th place and Kelly Morgan (South Wales) in 15^th place have been selected to represent the PSUK National Marathon team in the European Police Marathon Championships which take place in Prague on 9^th May 2010.  From the men’s race Cairns, Nigel Bedell in 18^th place and Simon Newton in 21^st place (both West Yorkshire), Wayne Usher (Gloucestershire) in 41^st place and Justin Maxwell (PSNI) in 55^th place have been selected for the men’s team to compete in these Championships.

Martin Williams is looking to gain selection to represent Scotland in the Commonwealth Games which are being held in New Delhi later this year.

All are wished the very best for these Championships.

All competitors are to be congratulated on their efforts and the organisers on a well supported and successful Championship.

Results Summary 

Full Race Results

Men's Race

Veterans 40+

Veterans 45+

Veterans 50+

Veterans 55+

Veterans 60+

Teams - Men

Veterans

Minor Forces

Women's Race

Women Veteran 35+

Women Veteran 40+

Women Veteran 45+

Women Veteran 50+

Women Veteran 55+

Teams - Ladies

Women's Veteran Teams

Women's Minor Forces

Links

Entry and Event Details

Full Race Results