Weekly Update - 17th Dec. 2025

European Cross Country Championships, Lagoa, Portugal (Sun. 14th Dec.)

Holly Dixon helps GB secure bronze at Euro Cross relay

Holly Dixon claimed a bronze medal as part of Great Britain’s mixed relay team at the European Cross Country Championships. The relay format featured two men and two women, with teams free to choose their running order and even alter it mid-race. Each leg was approximately 1500 metres, with a slightly shorter opening leg and a longer final leg.

Most nations opted to start with a female athlete, though Turkey took a more aggressive approach by fielding a male runner on the opening leg in an attempt to establish an early lead.

The British quartet was led off by Ava Lloyd (Wigan & District), who handed over to Jack Higgins (Tonbridge). Higgins then passed the band to Dixon on the third leg, with GB well positioned in the leading group. Dixon ran a composed and intelligent leg, sitting on Italy’s shoulder, working efficiently through gaps and taking turns at the front to maintain the pace. Her efforts ensured Callum Elson (Cambridge & Coleridge) began the final leg in the best possible position.

Although the team briefly slipped to fourth during the closing stages, Elson produced a powerful sprint finish, surging into the bronze medal position over the final 20 metres to secure a podium place for Great Britain. (Photograph courtesy of Graham Smith Photography)

Kent Cross Country League, Norman Park, Bromley (Sat. 13th Dec.)

The senior men went into the final League fixture of the season in second place, comfortably so in the 4 to score, more precariously in the 12, writes Clem Dixon. A target of being the second best team in Kent might seem under ambitious, but Tonbridge aren't just the best team in the county they are arguably the best in the country, wouldn't it be nice to beat them just once? Well this was that day! Our front four were the same as at Danson Park three weeks ago, they initially ran as a group before Hugh Tibbs broke away for 5th place, Danny Kendall outsprinted Ben Shearer for 8th and 9th leaving Angus Vosper in 12th to net us 34 points, three ahead of Medway & Maidstone and nine clear of Tonbridge. And the good performances kept coming all the way down to Ben Thompson in 86th who had the honour of closing out the 12 to score: a win by 51 points over Tonbridge. So the target of finishing second in both tables has at last been achieved, all we need to do now is to repeat this at the Kent Championships in January.

Was it a full strength Tonbridge that we beat? Of course not, but that shouldn't detract from the victory, part of being a great club is having lots of speedy runners, but another part is them showing up and performing well on the day. And on the subject of being a great club it isn't just about the scoring runners, we had a total of 22 finishers at this one, once again more than any other club.

There was yet more good news: Danny and Ben came into this race lying 2nd and 3rd in the individual table and with the runner ahead of them, James Crombie, being one of Tonbridge's no-shows they moved up to 1st and 2nd, and as they are both in their 40s they had those positions in the masters table too. Perversely the Dartford Shield presented to Danny for being first master is a lot more impressive than the cup he got for being first overall. Other positions in the individual table for those that had completed all four races were 13th John O'Mahony; 29th James Pitts; 32nd Mark Penny; 42nd Ben Thompson; 43rd David Reader; 76th Clem Dixon; 78th Ian McCarthy.

Hugh Tibbs - Angus Vosper - Ben Shearer - Danny Kendall

The senior women's team often struggle to get a team of six out for the final Kent league race of the season, but perhaps because of the earlier date we had eight runners at Norman Park, reports Rose Baker. Christine Lutsch was our first runner home in 15th place overall, followed by Hayley Newman and Hannah Capey to close our team of three. Rose Baker and Chris Bond, neither fully fit, were next to finish, being first and second W60s. Chris had good company, finishing in a Cambridge Harriers group with debutante runner Olesya Golovina and Marian Hine immediately behind her. Olesya immediately signed up for Bands Hatch on finishing.

Marian was one of few runners who ran in every fixture this season and was rewarded for her consistency (and speed!) with third place in the league in her age category, well done Marian.

Emma Brown was finally recorded in the results correctly, having been consistently mixed up with another runner of the same name this season. Overall, the senior ladies finished 4th of the 12 clubs in the league who managed to field a full team of six or more runners each fixture, well done ladies.

Lesnes Abbey 5, Abbeywood (Sun. 14th Dec.)

Congratulations to Danny Kendall, who took first place, improving on his second-place finish from last year’s event. Danny crossed the line in 34:35, nearly two minutes ahead of John O’Mahoney (pictured - 36:13), who put in a strong performance to secure second place; both had raced in the Kent Cross Country League the previous day.

Other club finishers: 35 Hjalti Rognvaldsson 48:56; 40 Russell Buchanan 49:36; 47 Graham Maynard 52:22; 54 Clem Dixon 53:58; 61 Alex Griffith Crowe 57:30