W/E 09.03.2024 - Intercounties XC, Mike Groves & Ryston R6

This week on our weekly #TeamThursday review, we firstly look back to last Saturday;

**Inter Counties XC 2024**

The event this year was held at Wollaton Hall and Deer Park to the west of Nottingham – our brilliant female club captain, Juliette Watkinson, was yet again asked to represent Athletics Norfolk at these XC championships. She was joined in a strong 🇩🇪Norfolk🇩🇪 side that finished 13th out of the 28th counties, which finished the race with enough representatives crossing the finish line. Jet finished the 8k hilly course (see Kev’s photo of that killer hill!⛰) in a brilliant time of 30:44 – well done Jet for representing #TeamWAC on the national stage!

Next up we travel to the North of the county for the County 10k Championships from the old ✈️ RAF Coltishall airfield ✈️, hosted by Coltishall Jaguars Running Club;

**Mike Groves 10k**

The two lap course of the airfield was selected for the Athletics Norfolk County Championships – first home for WAC was John Cracknell (35:57), followed by Tom Waterfall (PB – 39:22) & Dan Brocklehurst (PB – 39:23). First WAC female home was Tasha Eagle (49:17), followed by Dani Gilbert (PB – 52:03) & Sarah Nelis (53:46).

Plenty of Personal best on the day: - Tom Waterfall (PB 🎖️), Dan Brocklehurst (PB 🎖️). Matt Goode (PB 🎖️– 40:10), Thomas Sandy (PB 🎖️– 49:08) & Dani Gilbert (PB 🎖️).

Our placing runners on the day were; John Cracknell 3rd 🥉M18-39 (County Bronze🥉), Debutant Todd Lake 2nd 🥈M60-64 (40:08 – County Silver🥈), Yitzhak Ben-Aroya 1st 🥇M65-69 (43:38 – County Gold🥇), another debutant Raymond Gaye 3rd 🥉M50-54 (46:29 – County Bronze🥉), Stephen Dady 2nd 🥈M70-74 (48:21 - County Gold🥇), Natasha Eagle 3rd 🥉F18-39 (County Silver🥈), Graham Walsh 1st 🥇M75+ (49:24 – County Gold🥇) & Susan Guest 2nd 🥈F60-64 (54:14 – County Silver🥈).

We also had two team prizes with our Male U40s winning County Gold 🥇(John Cracknell, Tom Waterfall, Matt Goode & Thomas Sandy) & our Male O40s winning County Silver 🥈(Dan Brocklehurst, Todd Lake, Ben Smith & Yitzhak Ben-Aroya).

Well done to all! #TeamWAC 💜🤍💜🤍

Next up we travel west for the last of the Ryston Runners AC Cross Country XC series;

**Ryston Cross Country Race 6**

The last race of the 🌳XC series🌳 was over the 6.5km distance- first home for WAC was Stephen Woodcroft (23:51) & first female was Juliette Watkinson (26:17) – not happy just with her XC exploits the day before, Jet finished 1st female home 🥇🏆on Sunday. Adrian Hall finish 2nd 🥈M55 (27:31), Claire Woodcroft 3rd 🥉F40 (28:44), Lisa Greengrass 1st 🥇F45 (29:22) & Kathryn Heaney 2nd 🥈F35 (31:01).

After the final race we had 5 overall winners – Kathryn Heaney 2nd 🥈🏆F35-39, Juliette Watkinson 1st 🥇🏆F40-44, Claire Woodcroft 3rd 🥉🏆F40-44, Stephen Woodcroft 2nd 🥈🏆M40-44 & Adrian Hall 1st 🥇🏆M55-59.

Well done to all the runners that took part throughout the series! Thank you Gareth Hunt for his photos 📸 in the forest on Sunday. 🙌🏻

#TeamWAC 💜🤍💜🤍