Cross Country League
In previous years Taunton AC has regularly competed in the annual Wessex XC League. (This year most runner are having a go at the Gwent league for a change - see XC Results). The Wessex League is a competition for club teams and individuals in junior and senior age categories is decided over a series of 5 races overwinter, each at a different venue across Wiltshire, Dorset and Somerset.
The winter 2008-9 fixtures were:
November 30th - Kings Park, Bournemouth
December 28 - Langport
February 1st - Hudsons Fields, Salisbury
March 1st - Ham Hill, Stoke-sub-Hamden (Yeovil)
March 22th - Avon Heath Country Park, Ringwood (Poole)
RESULTS 2008/9:
22 March 2009 : Following the 5th and final Wessex League fixture (held at Avon Heath, Poole this Sunday) Taunton AC confirmed their top Team placings for the 2008/9 season in both the U15 Girls category and Senior Mens category (with teams of no fewer than 3 runners having had to compete in at least 4 of the five races).
To obtain an aggregate placing in the Individual League runners had to complete at least 4 of the 5 events: here Joe Merriweather took a convincing overall 1st place in the U13 boys section; in the U15 Girls Harriet Rogers was placed 2nd and Rachel Langbein 4th overall; with Mark Lewis 2nd in the Senior Men's League. Full results of all five individual events and aggregate scores are now available at the Wessex League web-site.
Race 3: 1 Feb. Salisbury. Only a 'hard core' of 7 junior runners , and 4 of our Senior men (& supporters!) braved the freezing cold to compete at Salisbury. Well done to the U15 girls Harriet (3), Rachel (5) and Charlotte (6) who won the team event and now lie at te top of the league table to date. There was also an individual win from Joe (U13), and Charlotte (U13), Ben (U13) and Thom Fowler (U15) and Charlie (U17). {more results shortly when I have them!}
Race 2: 28 December, Langport : Members of the Taunton Athletic Club did not let the Christmas festivities lessen their competitive spirit when they gathered together for the second fixture in the Wessex League season last Sunday. Competing on an icy and hardened terrain on the levels at Langport the runners braved the cold conditions to put in some strong individual and team performances.
Taunton AC entered athletes in 6 of the 8 race categories and produced 3 individual winners, 4 runners up and 3 team victories. Holly Brown (U13 Girls) was the first winner of the day with a sizeable lead of nearly a minute over the second place runner. Simon Cooper (U15 Boys) produced the second win of the day whilst Naomi Taschimowitz won by a clear minute in the Senior Women’s race. There were runner up positions for Joe Merriweather (U13 Boys), Harriet Rogers running strongly in the U15 Girls, Blair Brown (U15 Boys) and Rachel Heard (Senior Women).
With 6 runners representing Taunton Ac in the U15 boys and scooping 5 of the 6 top places they easily won the team event with the added bonus of the B team taking second place. The other two team victories came from the Senior Men’s & Women’s races with Hannah Taunton and Sharron Kington playing strong supporting roles to Taschimowitz and Heard. Whilst the Men’s team continued their run of form with 3rd, 4th & 5th individual spots going to Mark Lewis, Tom Mellor and Martin Pearse.
Race 1 : 30 Nov Bournemouth [Provisional Results - click here] - Well done to all who braved the very cold and wet conditions, not least to Joe Merriweather and Simon Cooper who each came in 1st for Taunton in their U13B and U15B categories. Our U15 Boys also secured 1st in the team event, as did our Senior Men (1st of 10 clubs teams!). The U13G and U15G teams were both placed 3rd, with also many excellent individual performances to start the season. For selection of more (rather rainy!) photos go to Galleries.