Police Sport UK Cross Country Championships 2012

Loseley Park, Guildford, Surrey

Wednesday 22^nd February 2012

The 2012 Police Sport UK Cross Country Championships were staged by Surrey Police within the grounds of Loseley House, nr Guildford, Surrey.  This year’s Championships also incorporated the selection races for the PSUK teams to compete in the 14^th USPE Cross-country Championships which are being hosted by Romania in Bucharest on the 22^nd to 25^th March 2012.  The weather was  dry but cold and breezy, with the rain just holding off for both races.  Some 350 plus athletes competed in this year Championships.

The course was set within the grounds of Loseley House. The course was a circular course, containing some testing undulating sections. The women ran two laps of the course, a distance of approximately 4 ½ miles and the men ran three laps of the course, a distance of approximately 6 ½ miles.

The women’s race started the afternoon’s competition off, setting off at a steady pace descending the gradient running away from the rear of Loseley House before turning right to ascend the gradient back towards the main lap.  As the ladies ascended the gradient Sarah Hill (Hampshire) headed the field closely followed by Natalie Farrow (Lincolnshire), Diane Lauder (Vet 35,Lothian & Borders) the reigning champion, Caroline Walsh (Metropolitan), Christine Howard (Vet 40, Derbyshire), Kelly Morgan (South Wales), Melanie Boon (West Midlands) and Rebecca Black (Surrey). Towards the end of the first lap, Hill and Farrow had pulled away from the chasing field leaving both Lauder, in 3rd and Walsh in 4th isolated and running on their own, further back Boon. Black, Howard and Morgan were having their own private battle. On the second lap Hill continued to lead the race with Farrow just behind on her shoulder.  It was not until the run in to the finish and a sprint for the line that Farrow got the better of Hill, taking the PSUK National Cross-Country Championship title by 3 seconds in a time of 29:30.  Lauder held on to third place finishing in a time of 30:19.  Walsh in Fourth place, led the Metropolitan ladies team to take the ladies overall team title.  Boon got the better of Black to finish fifth, with Black holding off Howard to take the Veteran 35 award.

Other strong performances came from Sarah Chaloner (Vet 45, Dorset) in 9^th and Judy Mills (Vet 55, Avon & Somerset) in 68^th, all who won their respective age groups.

The Minor Forces team title was won by Norfolk.

In the men’s race, Gary Blackman (West Midlands) led the field out, closely followed by his team mate Martin Williams, Ben Gamble (Staffordshire), John Franklin (Metropolitan), Steve Cairns (Vet 40, Lothian & Borders) Ian Phillips (Derbyshire) and Paul Cardy (Hampshire).  By the end of first lap, Blackman, Williams and Gamble had broken away from the chasing field.  On entering the wooded area for the second lap Williams had taken control of the race with Blackman a couple of metres behind and Gamble a few metres further back.  Franklin was running in fourth position being chased by Cardy, Phillips and Cairns.  The first three positions did not change for the rest of the race and Williams went on to win the PSUK National Cross-Country title in 37 minutes and 27 seconds, Blackman took second in 37:34 with Gamble in third place in a time of 37:55. 

Other top performances came from Steve Cairns (Vet 40) in 7^th place, Malcolm Fowler (Vet 50, Cheshire) in 12 place and Des Michaels (Vet 60, Hertfordshire) in 87^th place all winning their respective age categories.

The Metropolitan Police retained the overall championship team title, with Cheshire taking the veterans team title and Surrey taking the Minor Forces team title.

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

From the women’s race, six out of the first eight finishers, were later selected to represent Police Sport UK in the European Championships.  Walsh who is a member of support staff and Black, a Police Community Support Officer, were not eligible for selection.  In the men’s race, six out of the first seven finishers were selected to represent Police Sport UK in the European Championships. Franklin who is a member of support staff was not eligible for selection.

The Police Sport UK teams to represent PSUK in the USPE Cross-Country Championships in Romania are: –

Martin Williams (West Midlands), Gary Blackman (West Midlands), Ben Gamble (Staffordshire), Paul Cardy (Hampshire), Ian Phillips (Derbyshire) and Steve Cairns (Lothian & Borders) for the men’s team.

Natalie Farrow (Lincolnshire), Sarah Hill (Hampshire), Diane Lauder (Lothian & Borders), Melanie Boon (West Midlands), Christine Howard (Derbyshire) and Kelly Morgan (South Wales) for the Ladies team.

All are to be congratulated on their selection and are wished all the very best for the Championships next month.

POLICE SPORT UK CROSS COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIPS

Loseley Park, Guildford, Surrey

WEDNESDAY 22^nd February 2012

RESULTS

MEN’S RACE

VET’S 40

VET’S 50

VET’S 60

TEAMS - MEN

VET’S

1^st            Cheshire    (8, 12 & 18) = 38 points

2^nd           Lothian & Borders (7, 36 & 63) = 106 points

3^rd           Devon & Cornwall (27, 43 & 50) = 120 points

MINOR FORCES

1^st            Surrey (20, 33, 59 & 61) = 173 points

2^nd           Norfolk (22, 28, 72 & 100) = 222 points

3^rd           Northamptonshire (32, 48, 81 &104) = 265 points

WOMEN’S RACE

VET’S 35

VET’S 45

VET’S 55

TEAMS – Ladies

MINOR FORCES

2^nd           Surrey (6, 16 &45) = 67 points

3^rd           Fife (15, 27&33) = 75 points