CLEVEDON AC’s senior men got their Gloucestershire Cross Country League campaign off to a strong start in the opening fixture at Cirencester Park.
Top Clevedon runner in the men’s race was Luke Murray in 29th while ben Burns (42nd) and Steve Wood (48th) also made the top fifth from a total of 172 finishers.
Completing the men’s team were Matthew Evans (55th), Martin Hewlett (64th) and Chris Aldred (76th) to give Clevedon AC sixth place overall of 18 complete teams with 314 points just ahead of Thornbury Running Club in seventh (339pts).
Thornbury were led home by James Harrod in 10th, an excellent run.
In the women’s race Natalie Southernwood was the first Clevedon runner home. According to the UK Athletics Power of Ten website it was the first time Southernwood was racing the league so her 26th place in a strong field was a very creditable performance over a traditional
– that’s to say fields, woodlands and mud! – two-laps 6.5k course.
In addition, Southernwood was fifth in the over 35s age category.
She was backed up by in Laura Meech and Tracy Allan in 57th and 63rd places respectively for a total of 146 points to put Clevedon in 14th overall from 37 teams.
Gloucestershire Cross Country League, Cirencester Park – senior men teams: 1 Western Tempo (Cheltenham) 77; 2 Team Bath AC 82; 3 Bath University 95; 4 Cirencester AC 191; 5 Team Bath AC B 197; 6 Clevedon AC 314; Thornbury RC 339.
Senior women: Teams: 1 University of Bath 8; 2 Cheltenham 26; 3 Team Bath AC 35. 14 Clevedon AC 146.