Striders Women finish third in the second Surrey Women’s Cross-Country League Division Two match of the season

Striders of Croydon’s women produced a very good team performance to finish third in the second Surrey Women’s Cross-Country League Division Two match of the season, at Mitcham on Saturday. They were led by Jodie Gray, making her Surrey League debut, who ran very well to place 16th of the 235 finishers, covering the six-kilometre course in 24 minutes 43 seconds. Jenny Rowe also ran well to place 22nd (25:24) with Jemma Zakariyyau 27th (25:55), Jennifer Gutteridge 33rd (26:25) and team manager Nikki Javan completing the A team in 45th (27:13). Striders also had the second B team, led by Ally Whitlock in 49th (27:35) with Becky Laurence 60th (28:10), Debra Bourne 72nd (28:37), Amanda Hewett 77th (28:49) and Selena Wong 78th (28:49). Striders had a total of 16 finishers.

The Ladies XC team at Mitcham Common

Meanwhile Striders’ men were competing in their Surrey League Division Two match at Wimbledon. They were led by Alastair Falconer, who ran well to place eleventh of the 211 finishers, completing the five-mile course in 29 minutes 39 seconds. Lee Flanagan was 54th (32:02), while veteran Krzysztof Klidzia ran very well to win the over-50 category, placing 60th overall (32:12). Andrew Aitken was 71st (32:43), while Matthew Stone ran well to win the over-55 age-group, placing 76th overall (32:55). Simon Ambrosi was 82nd (33:21) with Martin Filer 89th (33:40), Peter Mills 96th (33:52), Andy Perks 112nd (34:46) and Steve Corfield 122nd (35:24). Striders had 21 finishers, but had to settle for ninth place in the team event. Rob Zietz ran well to finish first in the over-60 category, placing 156th overall (37:57). In the under-13 race, Christopher Finch ran well to place 19th out of 72 finishers, completing the two-mile course in 11 minutes 21, while his brother Daniel Finch was 43rd (12:13).