Back to back storms may have caused the cancellation of Saturday morning's Nonsuch parkrun, but didn't deter the eleven Herne Hill vets who turned out to brave the wind, rain and mud for the Surrey Masters Cross Country Championship yesterday afternoon. Even wearing spikes several competitors took falls on the sharp corners, but opting for Alphaflys Gaby Reynolds was breathing down the neck of Aldershot, Farnham and District's Georgie Bruinvels for all of Race 1, finishing strongly to take W40 Gold in 23:05, just a few metres behind the W35 and overall winner Georgie. With Karen Ellison collecting W40 Bronze in 25:51, and Sue Swaine fourth in 26:13, it was also a dominant team performance as Herne Hill took home W35-44 Team Gold. Running as the only W55 for Herne Hill Mary Setyabule came in 9th in her age group in 30:46, where the team prize went to the large South London Harriers contingent. Also the only Herne Hill entrant in his age category, Tony Harran was 10th M65 on the two lap course in 30:06.
Starting an hour after Race 1, with gusting winds threatening to blow the officials' tent away, and yet more rain adding to the mud on the course, the three lap M35 to M60 race was a battle from start to finish between ex-HHH Eoin Brady and current Hercules club mate Richard McDowell, with Richard out sprinting Eoin in the last 50 metres to narrowly take the overall win in 31:42, over a minute clear of 3rd place Adrian Russell from Dulwich. Ben Paviour was the first Harrier home in 33:53 for M50 Bronze. The M60 Gold went to Guildford and Godalming's Terry Booth, with Graeme Moyse M60 Silver in 36:41. Mark Preskett, Muhamud Haile, Derek Lee and Norman Urquia worked together as a team for all three laps, picking off other runners as they went. M50 Mark Preskett led them home in 38:06. Despite a fall, M55 Muhamud Haile was just behind in 38:09 for M55 Bronze. With M60 Derek Lee just missing out on an age group medal, finishing fourth in his category in 38:18, the M55-64 team of Graeme Moyse, Muhamud Haile and Derek Lee collected Team Gold. Despite injury problems kicking in on the final lap Norman Urquia held on to come in 5th M60 in 38:25 as all six Herne Hill men finished in the top 50.