Jess judd adds inter-counties title to her recent national cross win.
THE historic Prestwold Hall provided a grand setting to last weekend’s Inter-Counties Cross Country Championships. The 1000-hectare estate has vast areas of lush parkland and ample car parking facilities, while the land owner, Edward Packe-Drury-Lowe, is a keen host with such a love for the sport that he himself trains barefoot on the grounds most days.
As well as providing a battle between county teams for honours, the meeting was also the trial for the IAAF World Cross Country Championships in Uganda later this month, together with being the final of the British Athletics Cross Challenge series. This led to the rather cumbersome official event title of ‘British Athletics Inter-Counties Cross Country Championships incorporating World Junior Trials and Cross Challenge Final’, although given the various number of elements to the day the organisers could be forgiven for not finding something more succinct.
Packe-Drury-Lowe was a proud spectator, while Richard Bowker, who will succeed Ed Warner as UK Athletics chairman in 2018, was also among those soaking up the atmosphere of a domestic cross country championships.
The day was marred slightly by a course error in the junior women’s race which saw runaway leader Amelia Quirk cruelly disqualified. But otherwise the event saw a number of exciting races and breakthrough performances.
SENIOR WOMEN
ONE of Prestwold Hall’s advantages is its central location. Situated only three miles from Loughborough town centre, it is easily reached by many. This was especially the case for Jess Judd, who timed her drive to the course at around eight minutes.
This story is from the March 16,2017 edition of Athletics Weekly.
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This story is from the March 16,2017 edition of Athletics Weekly.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
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