​Top three finish for High Peak AC in cross country league

​High Peak AC members were in action as the third and final race of the 2023 season Derbyshire Athletics cross country mini-league competition for athletes aged 9-14 years was held at the grounds of the Derby Moorways Stadium.
By The Newsroom
Published 22nd Dec 2023, 14:51 BST
Some of the High Peak member with their medals.Some of the High Peak member with their medals.
Some of the High Peak member with their medals.

The weather was perfect for fast XC running with sun and calm conditions gracing the undulating, but often flat courses on offer.

Six High Peak AC athletes turned out for the last push at finishing as high as possible in the league.

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First race off was the combined U11 boys and girls race over a distance of 1.5km. High Peak’s Alfred Pritchard led at an early stage and maintained his lead throughout to finish first and also secure an overall gold medal after coming first and second in the first two races of the series.

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Laurie Swain-Fossey moved through the field to finish fourth on the day, his best position of the three race series. He was presented with the individual joint silver medal in the U11 boys category.

Bea Allen again put in a gutsy performance despite having been ill in the days before the race to achieve her third second place in a row. This earnt her a silver medal in the U11 girls league.

Holly Woolley also ran a very strong race, finishing fourth, her highest position of the three race series which was good enough to move her into the overall bronze medal position.

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In the U13 girls 3km race, Jessica Dilks settled into fourth place early on where she remained to follow up on third in the previous race in the series. This left Jess in fourth position overall in the U13 girls category despite having only competed in 2 of the three races.

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Matty Miller ran in the U15 boys race over 4km. Sitting in first place after the first two races, Matty knew he just had to finish to pick up a well-deserved gold medal in the league.

He finished third behind two strong and experienced Derby AC runners who were a year older.

Although the much larger Derby AC won the overall team trophy, with Amber Valley and Erewash AC in second place, High Peak AC finished third. This was only a few points behind and the highest finish ever in the XC mini league, ahead of Heanor, Chesterfield and Buxton AC.

Action starts again early in 2024 at the Derbyshire County Championships to be held in Nottingham on January 6.