THE Essex Veterans’ Cross-Country Championships were held on an unsurprisingly boggy course in Ilford.

The county is traditionally very strong at veteran level and it was no different this year as Sarah Stradling (women’s race), Nick Shasha (men’s over 40) and Colin Ridley (men’s over 50) were all high-class winners of the three races.

The only medals won by athletes from south of the county were by Thurrock Harriers’ over-50 team who picked up a bronze medal.

The team was led by Don Lawless, who finished a terrific seventh, with Jon Metcalf finishing in 23rd and Mick Bumstead running through the pain of an Achilles injury to finish 34th.

It was just enough to pip Billericay Striders to a medal.

Billericay also just missed a medal in the individual women’s race as Emma Prideaux came home in fourth place.

Southend AC’s Simon Le Mare was also just agonisingly short of the medals in the men’s over-50s race.

Le Mare ran superbly to finish fourth just five seconds back on the bronze medal, while his team-mate Peter Binns also just missed out on another medal for his collection, finishing fourth in the over-60s category.

Southend’s Steve Jewell was 83rd in the over-50s race while the Seasiders’ over-40s team were led by Alec Kyriakides in 29th, followed by Gary Cheek, 38th, Al Monte 49th and Mathew Gillard 60th.

The Seasiders’ women’s team were led by Anne Jenkinson in 16th spot.

Natasha Lagden followed five places later,Vanessa Mathers was 34th, Debbielyn Hallam 52nd, Sally Newman-Russell 75th and Teresa Pearmain just two places later.

Benfleet Running Club were well represented in Ilford.

First across the line in the women’s race was Jacqui Watson in 18th followed closely behind by Vanessa Dodds (36th) and then ladies captain, Sarah Norton (51st).

Next back was Annette Johnson (64th), followed by Mandy Cooper (66th) and Frances Webster (78th).

Nick Rankin led the way for the men’s over-50 contingent in 13th place, closely followed by Graham Crocket in 30th place and then Bob Chapman (96th) and Richard Dyson (105th).

In the men’s over-40 class, Terence Spooner was 22nd, Alan Clark 31st and Tom Robinson 66th.

Thurrock Harriers’ top individual performer was Scott Rice in 14th in the over-40s with Jodie Farrell their first woman back in 19th position (seventh over 45).