The cross country season continued on Sunday when the team took part in the final race of the season in the Derby Runner Cross Country League at Holly Hayes Wood in Whitwick. Once again a huge team turned out and enjoyed the challenge of a varied technical course of around 5 miles including woodland and stream crossings. 

First home for the club once again was Ramzi Sidani finishing an excellent 28th in 34:48 ahead of Phil Stevenson., 60th in 36:41, new member Charles Robinson, 69th in 37:23, Osian Flowers, 74th in 37:51 and Nick Rowles, 75th in 37:54, great running by all. The next Ivanhoe trio of Andy Lindley, 108th in 39:56, Martin Yeomans, 116th in 40:31 and James Cox, 118th in 40:40 were not far behind. These scoring eight were well supported by the rest of the team including Dave Allery, 162nd in 43:45, Steve Randall, 176th in 45:07, Damon Bland, 177th in 45:23 and Julian Rawlings, 189th in 46:26. There was a good tussle between the next four Ivanhoe finishers who packed closely together with Alan Edwards, 194th in 46:47, Kev Wright, 195th in 46:54, Bob White, 196th in 46:57 and Jason Green, 198th in 47:00. The men’s team was completed by chairman Kevin Sanders who ran despite a knee injury finishing in 229th in 49:52 and the ever present John Lewis, 263th in 60:57.

The ladies once again fielded a very strong team, with some runners even competing despite having run the Belvoir challenge the previous day. Fastest was Karen Bell who had a great battle with club mate Rosie Dear, Karen just finishing ahead in 23rd place in 43:35 to Rosie’s 24th in 43:39. Victoria Smith and Teresa Talbott both had great runs on the back of the previous day’s race, Victoria placing 45th in 47:54 and Teresa 67th in 50:41 ahead of Karen Hartland, 69th in 50:57 and cross-country stalwart Allie Sturla, 80th in 53:16. A group of six Ivanhoe ladies packed the next group of finishers having supported each other well throughout the race: Trish Mcpherson, 95th in 55:23, Helen Horn, 98th in 56:09, Bev Trilloe 99th in 56:10, Sarah Malone, 100th in 56:11 in her debut race for the club, Lucy Allsop, 101st in 56:14 and Heather Swan, 102nd in 56:15. Not far behind were Grania Towle, 117th in 58:09 and ever present Katie Poole, 130th in 63:54 with Julie Henfrey rounding off the team as she finished her first ever cross-country race 139th in 74:30.

The combined team finished on the day 4th in League 1 with the men’s team 3rd in League 2 and the ladies 5th in league 1. This great team performance meant that the ladies finished a fantastic 2nd place in Division one, with individual league prizes for Becca Hallam (4th overall), Zoe Allery (3rd Vet 40), Rosie Dear (5th Vet 40) and Karen Bell (6th vet 40). The men finished the season 4th in League 2 and men’s cross country captain Martin Yeomans took the individual joint 4th prize in the Vet 50 category. The final scores saw the combined team safely home 8th in League 1.

Written by Ruth Green - last updated on 03/03/2015