Calum Johnson wins Northern Counties Championships

Georgia Taylor-Brown, Ben Dijkstra also on the Regional podium

The domestic cross country calendar in England stepped up a level this past weekend. Three weeks ago it was County Championships weekend, but the depth of competition ramped up this past weekend with the three Regional Cross Country Championships – Northern, Midlands, Southern. (The National Championships – England, Wales, Scotland – will all be held on 22nd February).

As is often the case, I spotted several familiar triathlete/duathlete names, past and present, performing well on Saturday with several claiming podium results.

Northern Counties XC Championships
Bedale, North Yorkshire – Saturday 25th January 2020

Senior Men

1st – CALUM JOHNSON (Gateshead Harriers & AC) – 41:41
2nd – Jon Steward (East Cheshire Harriers) – 41:57
3rd – Linton Taylor (Leeds City Athletics) – 41:58
4th – CARL AVERY (Morpeth Harriers & AC) – 42:15

https://www.instagram.com/p/B704hkiB6uf/

Senior Women

1st – Jessica Judd (Blackburn Harriers & AC) – 28:48
2nd – GEORGIA TAYLOR-BROWN (Sale Harriers Manchester) – 29:13
3rd – Mhairi Maclennan (Preston Harriers) – 29:21

Northern XC Women's Champion Jess Judd of Blackburn Harriers with silver medallist Georgia Taylor-Brown of Sale Harriers Manchester @NorthernAthlet1 @blackburnh @SaleHarriers pic.twitter.com/foplweCkDl

— Woodentops (@WoodentopsFR) January 26, 2020

Midlands Counties XC Championships
Loughborough, Leicestershire – Saturday 25th January 2020

Senior Men

1st – Omar Ahmed (Birchfield Harriers) – 36:44
2nd – BEN DIJKSTRA (Leicester Coritanian AC) – 37:03
3rd – Kadar Omar Abdullahi (Birchfield Harriers) – 37:18

After his recent 28:53 for 10km on the roads, Ben Dijkstra showed once again that he is starting 2020 in fine running form.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B7wTeVChLvt/

Southern Counties XC Championships
Parliament Hill, London – Saturday 25th January 2020

Senior Men

1st – ADAM HICKEY (Southend on Sea AC) – 47:28
2nd – Alexander Leprêtre (Highgate Harriers) – 48:19
3rd – Dylan Evans (Shaftesbury Barnett) – 48:35

While he’s not raced in triathlon for many years, Adam was a very talented Junior triathlete ‘back in the day’, representing Great Britain in international Elite competition.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B7wUPialV2I/

Senior Women

1st – Jess Gibbons (Reading AC) – 28:41
2nd – Nicole Taylor (Tonbridge) – 29:02
3rd – Elizabeth Janes (Herts Phoenix AC) – 29:03

9th – LUCY CHARLES-BARCLAY (Orion Harriers) – 30:29

Just a little bit savage but I’ve always been a sucker for XC!!🏃🏼‍♀️💩 Pretty happy with a 9th place finish in the South of England… oh & did I mention MUD!!!💪🏻 @Orion_Harriers #CrossCountryChamps https://t.co/AZSJLCs0Ob

— Lucy Charles-Barclay (@LucyAnneCharles) January 26, 2020