The Hereford Times

James and Carwardine secure cross-country league title success

4:55pm Friday 22nd February 2008

HEREFORD Couriers celebrated a notable double by winning the men's and women's team titles in the 2007/08 Herefordshire Cross Country League.

Matt James and Sue Davies were crowned as individual champions.

The final race in the five-event series was held over a testing woodland course at Presteigne.

In the men's race, over approximately 10km, James of Hereford Couriers, broke away from the leading group at the highest point of the course just after the half-way mark and extended his lead to win his fourth race in the series by a comfortable margin.

This meant that James retained his league title to accompany the county championship which he won last month.

Wye Valley Runners' Christian Jones chased hard to record his best ever league position in second place with team-mate John Pullen in third. These two were strongly backed by Mike Fawcett in seventh and Sam Goodchild, eighth, to give Wye Valley a resounding team win on the day.

Couriers just held on to second place with James supported by Bill Lloyd in ninth, Dave Williams 14th and Max Suff 17th. A young Croft Ambrey team was led by Stacey Morgan in fifth place and accompanied by Nigel Mason 12th, Dave Moss 13th and Dan Barnett 19th finished just eight points behind Couriers in third place.

Couriers' team victories in the first three races in the series allowed them to win the team title by a single point from the fast- finishing Wye Valley outfit with Croft Ambrey RC in third place.

In the women's race, Presteigne Pacers' Welsh International Sue Davies took control from the start and cruised to victory to emphasise her place as the league's leading female runner and win the overall individual title for the second time.

Davies was followed home by a battling Dana Matousova, in her final league race before she departs for her home in the Czech Republic and Couriers team mate Amy Carwardine finished third. Sixteen-year-old Suzanne Turvey of Croft Ambrey RC, underlined her promise with an inspired run to take fourth place in a women's event which is becoming increasingly more popular.

Hereford Couriers again dominated the team event winning all five races convincingly to win the title for the sixth time in the last eight years. A young Ludlow Runners team finished in a promising second place with Wye Valley Runners third.

The County Summer Off Road League will start in June with dates to be announced shortly.

Presteigne Men's Results: 1 Matt James (Hereford Couriers) 39.44, 2 Christian Jones (Wye Valley Runners) 40.01, 3 John Pullen (Wye Valley Runners) 40.16, 4 Andy Taylor (Hereford Triathlon Club) 40.38, 5 Stacey Morgan (Croft Ambrey RC) 40.44, 6 Simon Norwood (Ludlow Runners) 40.58, 7 Mile Fawcett (Wye Valley Runners) 41.26, 8 Sam Goodchild (Wye Valley Runners) 41.43, 9 Bill Lloyd (Hereford Couriers) 42.15, 10 Barry Thompson (Ledbury and District Harriers) 42.25, 11 Frank Cooper (Wye Valley Runners) 42.28, 12 Nigel Mason (Croft Ambrey RC) 42.29.

Juniors: 1 Elliott Taylor (Hereford Triathlon Club) 24.14, 2 Joe Maddy (Hereford and County AC) 27.57, 3 Adam Martin (Rhayader AC 32.14, 4 Jon Barnes (Hereford and County AC) 35.36.

Presteigne Women: 1 Sue Davies (Presteigne Pacers) 26.41, 2 Dana Matousova (Hfd Couriers) 27.28, 3 Amy Carwardine (Hfd Couriers) 28.03, 4 Suzanne Turvey (Croft Ambrey RC) 28.14, 5 Gemma Morgan (Ludlow Runners) 28.26, 6 Nicki Edwards (Hfd Couriers) 28.31, 7 Mandy Evans (Presteigne Pacers) 28.34, 8 Christie Jones (Hfd and County AC) 28.41, 9 Jodie Wood (Wye Valley Runners) 28.59, 10 Lisa Quinn (Hfd Couriers) 29.11, 11 Alex Look (Wye Valley Runners) 29.21, 12 Jenny Papworth (Hereford Triathlon Club) 29.31.

Men's Teams: 1 Wye Valley Runners, Series Points 20, Cumulative Scores 97; 2 Hereford Couriers 19, 98; 3 Croft Ambrey RC 18, 86; 4 Wye Valley Runners B 17, 85; 5 Ludlow Runners 16, 79; 6 Hereford Couriers B 15, 78; 7 Croft Ambrey RC B 14, 65; 8 Presteigne Pacers 13, 60; 9 Ledbury and District Harriers 12, 41; 10 Croft Ambrey RC C 11, 42.

Women's Teams: 1 Hereford Couriers 10, 50; 2 Ludlow Runners 9, 42; 3 Wye Valley Runners 8, 39; 4 Presteigne Pacers 7, 32; 5 Hereford Triathlon Club 6, 24; 6 Ledbury and District Harriers 5, 21; 7 Wye Valley Runners B 4, 17; 8 Wye Valley Runners C 3, 3.

Final Team Positions Men's: 1 Hereford Couriers 98, 2 Wye Valley Runners 97, 3 Croft Ambrey RC 86, 4 Wye Valley Runners B 85, 5 Ludlow Runners 79, 6 Hereford Couriers B 78, 7 Croft Ambrey RC B 65, 8 Presteigne Pacers 60, 9 Wye Valley Runners C 58, 10 Croft Ambrey RC C 42.

Women's: 1 Hereford Couriers 50, 2 Ludlow Runners 42, 3 Wye Valley Runners 39, 4 Presteigne Pacers 32, 5 Hereford Triathlon Club 24, 6 Ledbury and District Harriers 21, 7 Wye Valley Runners B 17, 8 Builth and District Harriers 8, 9 Ludlow Runners B 7, 10 Hereford Couriers B 6.

Award Winners Senior Men: 1 Matt James (Hfd Couriers), 2 Tim Clarke (Hfd Couriers), 3 Christian Jones (Wye Valley Runners).

Veteran 40 plus: 1 Mike Fawcett (Wye Valley Runners), 2 Cliff Berry (Ledbury and District Harriers), 3 Neil Lewis (Hd Couriers).

Veteran 45 plus: 1 Max Suff (Hfd Couriers), 2 Dave Williams (Hfd Couriers), 3 Mark Paviour (Presteigne Pacers).

Veteran 50 plus: 1 Mick Legema (Ludlow Runners), 2 Martin Flowers (Wye Valley Runners), 3 Neil Collins (Ludlow Runners).

Veteran 55 plus: 1 Steve Herington (Hereford Couriers), 2 Peter Smith (Wye Valley Runners), 3 Mervyn Thomas (Wye Valley Runners).

Veteran 60 plus: 1 Garry Gunner (Croft Ambrey RC).

Veteran 70 plus: 1 Harry Franklin (Wye Valley Runners), 2 Tony Hewson (Ludlow Runners).

Junior Men: 1 Luke Mammatt (Wye Valley Runners), 2 Ollie May (Croft Ambrey RC).

Juniors: 1 Elliott Taylor (Hfd Triathlon Club), 2 Jon Barnes (Hfd and County AC).

Senior Women: 1 Amy Carwardine (Hfd Couriers), 2 Dana Matousova (Hfd Couriers), 3 Jodie Wood (Wye Valley Runners).

Veteran 35 plus: 1 Jenny Papworth (Hfd Triathlon Club), 2 Jo Crissal (Hfd Triathlon Club), 3 Nikki Page (Ledbury and District Harriers).

Veteran 40 plus: 1 Sue Davies (Presteigne Pacers), 2 Mandy Evans (Presteigne Pacers), 3 Ann Derby-Collins (Ludlow Runners).

Veteran 45 plus: 1 Alison Cooke (Hfd Couriers), 2 Nicky Turvey (Croft Ambrey RC), 3 Sarah Coggins (Ledbury and District Harriers).

Veteran 50 plus: 1 Jan Edwards (Wye Valley Runners).

Veteran 60 plus: 1 Christine Motteram (Wye Valley Runners).

Juniors: 1 Suzanne Turvey (Croft Ambrey RC), 2 Boe Jones (Hfd and County AC).