Victories for five DAC teams at final North Mids cross country event

Derby Athletic Club had an amazing day at North Midlands Cross Country, with victories for five teams as well a host of individual high placings.

The final North Midlands Cross Country League event of the season was at Berry Hill Park in Mansfield on Saturday January 14.

In a fantastic club result, with amazing team spirit on show, Derby AC athletes recorded team victories for the season for senior men, senior women, U15 girls, U15 boys and U17 boys. The U13 girls team came third.

Individual overall results included a win for Clive Toplass in the V60 category, senior men’s third place for Sammy Galpin, first and second places for senior women Bethan Hudson and Rebecca Miller – separated only by a head-to-head comparison, and a win in the U20 women’s for Annabelle Ita.

In the junior races, first U17 woman went to the ever-consistent Sarah Bourne, with second place for U17 Katie Gardner; there was a second place for U17 man Leo Powell, who has made great improvements this season, and a second place for U13 boy Oscar Blake.

The club is especially grateful to a number of volunteers and parents who stepped in at the last minute to help organise and run the teams on the day, after the teams’ usual organiser was unavailable.

The victories are particularly special to the club’s cross-country runners because last year the club struggled to put forward scoring teams on the seniors side. DAC is so grateful to all the coaches and athletes who make victories like this happen.

Pictures from Berry Hill:

DAC U15 boys at Berry Hill, from left, Joe Young, Stanley Lowe, Sam Watson, Luke Bradbury, Joe Lang, George Patterson.

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is DAC-Senior-men-1024x768.jpg — DAC senior men after the race at Berry Hill, from left, David Narborough, Martin Kerr, Sammy Galpin, Jack Dakin, James Meader, Grant Cummings.

DAC senior women’s team, from left, Annabelle Ita, Rebecca Miller, Hannah Pinkney, Abbey Van Dijk, Bethan Hudson.

DAC senior men with their trophies, from left, Jack Dakin, Grant Cummings, Sammy Galpin, David Narborough, Martin Kerr, James Meader.

U60 men’s overall winner Clive Toplass with his trophy.

Full details of DAC placings:

U13 girls on the day, Sophia Wheeler 7th, Isla Powell 14th and Jessica Whitehead 24th. The team placing for the season was 3rd overall. Individual overall Sophia 7th, Isla 8th and Jessica 11th.

U13 boys, Oscar Blake, DAC’s only representative in this league, finished on the day 5th, and overall 2nd.

Under 15 girls on the day, Poppy Radbourne 5th, Isla Love 10th, Emily Whitehead 13^th, Tilly Thompson 18th and Kira West 21st.

Team placing for the season was first. Individual overall Poppy 3rd, Emily 6th and Tilly 8th. U15 boys on the day, Stanley Lowe 4th, Joe Young 9th, Luke Bradbury 11th, Joe Lang 13th, George Patterson 15th, Sam Watson 17th and Harry Tatham 21st.

Team placing for the season was first. Individual overall, Stanley 3rd, Joe Lang 7th, George Patterson 8th, Joe Young 9th.

Under 17 women on the day, Sarah Bourne 1stand Katie Gardner 5th.

Individual overall, Sarah 1st and Katie 2nd. Through a league ruling, Derby AC could not use the points that Katie, Rosie Challender and Abigail Nicholson gained after moving to DAC in October; otherwise DAC would have won this team competition.

U17 men on the day, Leo Powell 2nd, Tom Eason 7th and Ashley Bellamy 9th.

Team placing for the season was first. Individual overall, Leo 2nd and Tom 7th.

Senior results:

Overall team wins for both women’s and men’s teams.

Women’s on the day, Abbey Van Dijk 4th, Rebecca Miller 7th, Annabelle Ita 10th, Bethan Hudson 12th and Hannah Pinkney 18th.

Overall individual, Bethan Hudson and Rebecca Miller were on equal points; Bethan won based on head-to-head, with Rebecca second, and making it a clean sweep Annabelle Ita came third overall, as well as winning the U20 title.

Men’s on the day, international athlete and DAC member Ben Connor turned out for us and won, Sammy Galpin gained his highest position of 9th, Jack Dakin 13th, David Narborough 15th, Grant Cummings 20th, James Meader 23rd, Martin Kerr 28th, David Garji 41st, Jacob Garji 81st, Ben Hewitt 87th and Clive Toplass 121st.

Overall individual, Sammy 3rd, Grant 9th, Jack 12th, Martin 13th, David 21st, Jacob 30th, Clive 38th; he also won the M60 class.

Our men secured a great overall team win, after a magnificent competition with Notts AC, Notts Uni and Mansfield. It’s been a long time since DAC senior men have won this event, so this victory is very well deserved.

Big congratulations to everyone who has competed in this event, be it just one or all of the races; you have contributed massively, and the club has been rewarded with great results.

Many thanks to Grant Cummings and Jenny Bradbury for the great pictures from the day.