16/12/2025
Gwent League Blaise Castle Saturday December 6th 2025
The club hosted the third Gwent Cross Country League of the season at our home ground in Blaise Castle and what a fantastic day it was for the club.
The mass of club volunteers arrived early and braved the rain and wind to set-up the course ready for the first race at 11:30.
Over the twelve races on the day the club put out 142 runners or roughly 11 percent of the total runners on the day.
It wasn’t just numbers we had but top quality too with four race wins, two second places and multiple runners finishing in the top 10 percent of race finishers.
Our top performers were Elizabeth Hutchins winning the Under 15 girls race and topping the standings after three races. Lilia Beazley-Long finishing first in a very close finish in the Under 17 Women and second after three races. Elen Ruck finished first in the Under 20 Women and first after three races.
In the Senior Women Rosie Hamilton-James made it back-to-back wins with a comfortable victory whilst in the Senior Men Ben Rawlins finished a fantastic second place.
The Gwent League has separate standings for Masters athletes (anyone 35 or over) and Hannah Large was third in the Women’s Masters 35 category, Katie Hughes was second in the Women’s Masters 45 category, and Sandy Masters was first Women’s Masters 65 and Oli Beale was second Male Masters 45 across the line.
There’s also a team element to the races and our Women Masters 45, Women Masters 55 team and Women’s Masters 65 teams are first overall. Our Under 11, Under 15 girls and Women Masters 35 are second overall, our Senior Women are third in Division 1. Many other teams are just off the podium positions to leave them in a strong position to aim for the top spots at the end of the season.
It's so good to see such a massive age range representing the club and for the club to come together as a whole to put on such a great day.
To all at the club and supporters far and wide, have a great Christmas and New Year.