The highlights included a win for the women’s team in the long course, with the team consisting of India Barwell (4th individually), Beth Morley (5th), Tia Wilson (9th) and Charlotte Dannatt (15th) taking a convincing win from 2nd place Birmingham.
There was a further win from Jack Small who finished first in the men’s short course race leading Loughborough’s men to short course silver (team - Jack Small, Skip Snelson, Alex Miell-Ingram, Luca Mastrolonardo). Loughborough’s women matched their male counterparts to take team silver (team – Harriert Bloor, Indira Patel, Katie Hawkins), with Harriet Bloor finishing in bronze in the women’s short course race.
Finally, Loughborough’s men took bronze in a closely fought long course race with Louis Small finishing in 6th, George Beardmore in 12th, Rowan Miell-Ingram in 15th, Ben Wills in 25th and Sam Hodgson in 26th. Unfortunately, recent London International XC winner Alex Melloy was heavily spiked mid-course which led to a visit to the A&E department, several stitches and an inability to finish the race.
Kyle Bennett, Head of Endurance, spoke highly of the 120-strong team who travelled up to Leeds, “It’s been another successful year for the cross country runners, with all four teams coming away with medals, as well as individual medals for Jack and Harriet. The women’s long course team ran fantastically to win the team event, and this is now the sixth of the past seven editions where Loughborough’s women have won team gold. Our men’s team is a really young team, with the majority only just moving up from the U20 age group, so I’m incredibly excited for the future, and where endurance is moving to within Loughborough”.