Review of 2009 Birmingham XC League Fixture, Wyken Croft

by Mark Coyle

“Let's put the finish funnel here” grinned Bob “the masochist” Carey as he handed me the first stake to drive into the soggy turf at the top of a sharp rise on the edge of Wyken Croft. Clearly, he’d decided, nine climbs on a course of five and a half miles just wasn’t testing enough so the finish line at the top of a tenth climb would sort out the men from the boys at the latest round of the Birmingham cross country league.  A bright, clear dry morning saw several Sphinx bods including Mick Hudspith and latest recruit Paul Padmore join Alan Townsend, Mick Petch and Bob Torley in setting up the route as the promise of a mild winter’s day eventually succumbed to an overcast afternoon accompanied by a strengthening chill wind.

A tight twisting course of four laps that utilising every inch of Wyken Croft offered many locations for spectators and supporters alike who looked on as a small group quickly broke away from the field and battled for the lead. It was a titanic struggle only concluded on Bob’s final hill where Chris Wilson of Worcester AC in a time of 31:24, shaded Ian Furness of Dudley & Stourbridge by the thickness of his club vest. (I’m sure Bob Carey’s final hill did for him in the run in.) Clearly though Bob’s hills didn’t bother City of Stoke who had two finishers in the first five and three in the first ten. All of which helped to cement their place at the top of division two in the overall standings.

Stuart “I should be able to afford a new club vest on a teachers salary” Boon was the first counter home for Sphinx in a time of 33:20 in very respectable 15th place overall, followed twenty seconds later by Jag Shergill (2nd U20) who just missed out on a top twenty place finishing 22nd.

New member Ashley Miles made an impressive debut performance coming in as third counter in 73rd place with a time of 37:17.  Welcome to the club Ashley. Matt Melia was forth counter a courageous performance in finishing 96th (11th U20) in a time of 38:13 despite the fact that the youngster was decidedly off colour and growing paler and paler by the lap. Kevin Naughton – fifth counter - dipped under the forty minute barrier finishing 128th in a time of 39:40 leading a charge of Sphinx runners all of whom crossed the line within the next two minutes. A blanket could have been thrown over Gary Barnes, Graham “The Legend” Patton and Ben Orme all finishing with six seconds of each other. Gary – sixth counter - led the way in 141st with a time of 40:19. Ben and Graham – who both clocked 40:25 - couldn’t be separated although Ben was given the higher finishing place - 144th - clearly a case of beauty before age.  Graham could argue however that he was saving himself for the Not the Roman XI which took place the following day in Stratford, where, to nobodies surprise the Legend claimed 1st over the line in the over 65 category. Graham was joined among others by Kev Naughton, Trevor Clark, Ian Davies, Garry Barnes and Bryan Pears all of whom were running in both events over the weekend.

Trevor Clark 151st and Barrie Adams 153rd were separated by one place and five seconds clocking times of 40:54 and 40:59 respectively. Ian Gower was less than half a minute behind finishing 160th clocking a time of 41:26. Ian Davies came in 174th place with a time of 42:35. Tom Delaney – who suffered a stitch, and almost withdrew – recovered to finish strongly in a time of 43:12 in 180th place, three ahead of Andy Norton who came in 183rd in 43:39. Mick O'Connor crossed the line in 193rd in 45:07 followed three seconds later by the clubs second debutant of the day Paul Padmore crossing the line in 194th in a time of 45:10.  In total there were 219 finishers.

So the dust settled to leave the men’s “A” team teetering above the relegation zone to use a football parlance in Division Two. Local rivals Northbrook remain in sixth spot with the Warwickshire clubs of Straford upon Avon and Leamington Spa in 14th and 16th place respectively.

TEAM RESULTS AND SCORES TO DATE

 1 City of Stoke              3  5  9  14  35  42 108  277     385
 2 Wolverhampton & Bilston    6 13 20  28  29  43 139  312     451
 3 Gloucester AC              7 10 17  33  34  49 150  443     593
 4 Bournville                11 19 30  31  36  67 194  267     461
 5 Worcester AC               1 37 41  44  45  46 214  550     764
 6 Northbrook AC             12 25 26  89 101 103 356  744    1100
 7 Bromsgrove & Redditch     40 47 48  51  66 116 368  599     967
 8 Stourbridge RC             8 54 58  75 102 107 404  687    1091
 9 Sparkhill Harriers        21 39 59  81 117 118 435 1062    1497
10 Newcastle (Staffs) AC     24 38 60  85 104 136 447 1396    1843
11 Dudley & Stourbridge       2 16 23  88 129 195 453  921    1374
12 Tamworth AC               18 52 55  90 110 146 471  910    1381
13 Sphinx AC                 15 22 73  96 128 141 475  955    1430
14 Stratford upon Avon AC    50 53 77  82  98 130 490  789    1279
15 Dudley Kingswinford       62 78 79  84  91 106 500 1010    1510
16 West Bromwich Harriers    27 63 64  70 122 162 508 1119    1627
17 Leamington C & AC         61 71 87 100 111 112 542 1071    1613
18 Kidderminster & Stourport  4 32 65 138 143 172 554  640    1194