Dacorum & Tring maintain top spot in Chiltern League Division Two

Dacorum & Tring runner Jack Parslow, number 263, in action in Keysoe

The D&T runners dug deep despite a handful of injuries and the absence of a dozen young athletes, who were competing at the Dacorum district schools championships.

Results saw D&T maintain top spot in Division Two, ahead of rival clubs from Tring and Headington, thanks to a number of strong individual performances from across the board.

In the senior men’s race, Jack Parslow came a brilliant fourth overall out of 133 runners. He was followed by Matthew Salt in 14th, Jamie Marlow in 17th, Richard Slack in 42nd, Russell Morris in 43rd, Steve Russell in 46th, Chris Kitchener in 49th and Michael Lamb in 89th, who together contributed to a second placed finish for the men.

Just outside the points, but also running strongly over a hard course, were Rob Salt, Paddy Ashton, Ken Perry, Martin Kerr, John Slack, John Cooper, Malcolm Sargent, Gary Sturdy and Caspar Du Buisson.

Sam Fawcett (seventh overall), Kelly Du Buisson (11th), Becky Fawcett (15th) and Karen Wishart (28th) combined to finish as second ladies’ team on the day, ably supported by fellow runners Louisa Hopper, Jess Tanner, Vicky Thornley, Jan Strachan, Manon Pagniez and Sam Hawkridge.

Rhys Rowlands, competing in the U17 men’s category, added maximum points to the club score by finishing first overall – only a few hours after winning his age group in the Dacorum schools cross country championship.

Joshua Van Heiningen was fourth in the U15 boys’ race and James Glyn was sixth for the U13 boys.

On the girls’ side, Calypso Phillips finished seventh in the U17 age group, while her sister Star was 15th for the U13 girls.

The club’s U11 runners turned in superb performances, as the age group is ranked over the combined first and second division scores.

Young Jamie Bailey was leading the U11 boys race until he took a wrong turn on a complicated course, but recovered to finish an excellent fifth, while Thomas Ashton came in 34th overall out of 70 runners.

Olivia Edwards crossed the line 10th overall out of 60 girls in the U11 girls’ race, in her first-ever race for the club after turning 10 last week.