Triathletes perform well at English National Cross Champs 2017

Ben Dijkstra takes Silver at English National Cross Country Champs

Top-10 finishes for Richard Horton and Georgia Taylor-Brown in the Senior races

Saturday saw the 2017 English National Cross Country Championships held in Wollaton Park, Nottingham.

And that, of course, gives rise to my now traditional look at which familiar triathlete / duathlete names are mixing it up at the front end of the races with the single-sport specialists.

Leading the way and winning the Silver medal in the Men’s Junior race was Ben Dijkstra. A winner at this championship three years ago at Under-15 level, Dijkstra still has several years left in the Junior ranks, so this represents a great start to the year for the 2016 ITU World Junior Triathlon Championship Bronze medallist.

British Elite Duathlon Champion Richard Horton was ninth in the Senior men’s race, closely followed by Callum Johnson and Carl Avery.

In the Senior women’s championship, Georgia Taylor-Brown also cracked the top-10 to finish eighth, with Sophie Coldwell 14 seconds further back in 12th. With running arguably Sophie’s weakest discipline, that’s also a great start to year for her – and was also a great present for her 22nd birthday!

Senior Men Championship – 12km

1st – Ben Connor (Derby Athletics Club) – 39:35
2nd – Alex Teuten (Southampton Athletic Club) – 39:49
3rd – Sam Stabler (Owls AC Leicester) – 39:50

9th – Richard Horton (Shaftesbury Barnet Harriers) – 40:23
12th – Callum Johnson (Gateshead Harriers & AC) – 40:29
18th – Carl Avery (Morpeth Harriers & AC) – 40:50

Definitely not smiling, just trying to hold off this mega fast finisher! 😉 great day out at my first senior National XC, v happy with 12th! pic.twitter.com/rcB7CBQsgq

— Calum Johnson (@caaljohnson) February 25, 2017

Senior Women Championship – 8km

1st – Jess Judd (Cheltenham AC) – 29:07
2nd – Louise Small (Aldershot, Farnham & District) – 29:10
3rd – Clare Duck (Leeds City Athletics Club) – 29:21

8th – Georgia Taylor-Brown (Sale Harriers Manchester) – 30:10
12th – Sophie Coldwell (Charnwood AC) – 30:24

It was all fun and games until the race, then it just turned mean! But I still love XC and it's so good to be back 😆 #NationalXC pic.twitter.com/n9EsYb3tMC

— Georgia Taylor-Brown (@georgiatb) February 25, 2017

The course for national cross reminds me why I do triathlon and run on the road 🤦

— Sophie Coldwell (@sophiecoldwell) February 25, 2017

Junior Men Championship – 10km

1st – Ellis Cross (Aldershot, Farnham & District) – 32:25
2nd – Ben Dijkstra (Leicester Coritanian AC) – 32:29
3rd – Paulos Surafel (Enfield & Haringey AC) – 32:41

Over the moon the come 2nd at U20 National XC today, steps being made in the right direction 💪🏼 pic.twitter.com/OiebZEX0ru

— Ben Dijkstra (@Ben_Dijkstra) February 25, 2017

Junior Women Championship – 6km

1st – Harriet Knowles-Jones (Warrington AC) – 22:03
2nd – Gemma Holloway (Thurrock Harriers) – 22:48
3rd – Philippa Stone (Middlesborough Athletic Club) – 23:04

15th – Serena O’Connor (Poole Runners) – 24:33

U17 Men Championship – 6km

1st – James Puxty (Tonbridge AC) – 20:28
2nd – Lachlan Wellington (City of Portsmouth AC) – 20:31
3rd – George Groom (Shaftesbury Barnet Harriers) – 20:32

15th – Daniel Slater (Liverpool Pembroke & Sefton) – 21:22

U17 Women Championship – 5km

1st – Amelia Quirk (Bracknell AC) – 18:35
2nd – Phoebe Barker (Tonbridge AC) – 18:42
3rd – Alex Brown (Herne Hill Harriers) – 18:57

10th – Libby Coleman (Sutton in Ashfield Harriers & AC) – 19:34

U15 Girls Championship – 4km

1st – Olivia Grace Mason (Border Harriers & AC) – 15:47
2nd – Charlotte Alexander (Herne Hill Harriers) – 15:58
3rd – Ella Minivan (Liverpool Harriers & AC) – 16:16

5th – Espeth Grant (Matlcok Harriers Club) -16:38