Regional Cross Country Championships 2020: the Tri/Duathlete roundup

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

View this post on Instagram

Fuelled by @greggs_official bacon sandwiches and steak bakes. Patience. Perseverance. Back to the grind. #justrun

A post shared by Calum Johnson (@caaljohnson) on Jan 27, 2020 at 6:22am PST

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.

View this post on Instagram

First and final XC of 2020 ticked off with a silver at Midlands, must’ve had the home advantage 🥈📸: @breakfast_.at._tiffanys

A post shared by Ben Dijkstra (@ben.dijkstra) on Jan 25, 2020 at 11:42am PST

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.

View this post on Instagram

So pleased to finally earn my first Senior South Of England Cross Country Title today at Parliament Hill – 20 YEARS after winning the Under 13s title on the same course! . 20 YEARS!!!! 🤪😂🤷🏻‍♂️ . . . . . . . . . #crosscountry #parliamenthill #southofengland #athletics #running #instarun #instarunner #instafitness #run #mud

A post shared by Adam Hickey 🏃🏻💨 (@runhickeyrun) on Jan 25, 2020 at 11:55am PST

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