England won all four team titles at the Home Countries International Cross Country event held at Dinefwr Park, Landeillo, Carmarthenshire. On a bitterly cold but fortunately snowless day there was a series of competitive races with England Scotland and Wales all having performances to cheer for, the Midlands, North and South also fielded Teams in this annual event.

Catherine Blew Leading

Two individual titles also came England’s way, firstly a dominant Jack Gray won the Junior Men’s race in 23 mins 22 secs over the undulating 7200m course, Gray led for a large part of the race and was a convincing winner. It was different for Catherine Blew in the Senior Women’s race as Catherine only established a winning margin in the last 400m to win in 26 min 13 secs.

England Senior Men on Podium

In the Junior Women’s race held earlier in the afternoon over 5400m a close battle developed between England’s Jenny Walsh and Scotland’s Rhona Auckland and they remained locked together until the last 600m when Auckland moved away to win 19 mins 10 secs.

Jack Grey Winning

The final race of the afternoon the Senior Men’s event proved to be the closest as Meles Okbazghi out sprinted England’s James Walsh to win in 32 mins 52 secs. The Eritrean based in Sheffield and running for the North had stayed on Walsh’s shoulder until late on to score the win however Walsh had the satisfaction of leading England to the Team victory

England Results Junior Women: 2nd Jenny Walsh, 4th Annabel Mason, 5th Iona Lake, 8th Rebecca Murray.
Junior Men: 1st Jack Gray, 4th Edward Sepherd, 5th Matthew Shirling, 10th Luca Russo.
Senior Women: 1st Catherine Blew, 3rd Georgie Bruinvels, 7th Olivia Walwyn, 17th Francis Briscoe
Senior Men: 2nd James Walsh, 4th Dan Garbutt, 7th Alex Tueten, 13th Richard Morrell