Lucy Wildash leads all the way to claim Hampshire Cross Country League title (From Basingstoke Gazette)

Lucy Wildash leads all the way to claim Hampshire Cross Country League title

8:00am Sunday 17th February 2013 in Sport By John Boyman

BASINGSTOKE and Mid Hants athletes continued their good cross country form at the final Hampshire League meeting of the season at Salisbury.

The Down Grange club won two team titles, one individual crown and a host of silver and bronze medals at the end of an excellent winter season.

Star of the show was Lucy Wildash, who produced an excellent display of front-running to leave a high quality under-15 field in her wake, winning the final race to claim the league title.

The team titles were won by the under-17 men and women.

After a tremendously successful season, the women just needed to get three runners over the line to be sure of winning – but they did so convincingly. Gemma Wildash came third, ahead of Charlotte Chalwin, who was fifth, Freya Davis, who finished sixth, and Jenny Helyar, who came ninth.

The result left Wildash and Chalwin tied for second place in the overall standings, with Chalwin taking silver and Wildash bronze on countback.

The under-17 men needed to beat Aldershot, Farnham and District to be sure of claiming the title and were almost assured of victory when their rivals failed to field a full team.

However, they did not let up. Brendan O’Connor finished third, Ollie Butler was sixth, leaving him third in the overall standings, and Richard Fernando came 13th to complete another strong display.

Elsewhere, the under-15 boys secured team silver and Harry Richardson was ninth in the under-13 boys’ race, while Tayla Wegg finished fifth in the under-13 girls’ race.

In the senior ranks, David Ragan secured fifth place in the overall standings by finishing 11th, while Chris Ladhams was the eighth under-20 home.

Overton Harriers enjoyed success in the veteran men’s event. Sean Holmes finished second on the day, a result that left him second overall, while Neil Martin was ninth and Keith Vallis 11th to leave the club third in the overall standings.