BASILDON AC youngster Abigail Ives produced arguably the performance of the day at the first round of this season’s Essex Cross-Country League at One Tree Hill.

Ives, racing in her first Essex League fixture as the bottom year in the under-13 age group, stormed to victory over a tough course to outline her potential.

For the first time, the age group races were run as mixed sex and what made Ives’ run even more impressive was that she finished ninth overall with eight boys ahead of her.

The Basildon under-13 girls team packed well behind her with Kierra Scott running well for sixth place, just ahead of Hollie Rex in eighth and Sophie Wetheridge in 15th which saw the New Towners finish second in the team standings.

Thurrock Harriers were the third team, led by Holly Dowsett in ninth, followed by Demi Eaves in 12th, followed Demi Briggs (13th) and Hannah Peacock (22nd).

Echo:

Harry Parker

Harry Parker was the winner in the boys under-13 race, giving host club Thurrock Harriers their first of two wins on the day. His team-mate Finlay Lowe was fifth while Basildon AC’s Daniel Houchell was eighth.

Southend AC’s Joanna Rimmington worked her way through the field well to finish second in the under-15 girls race, just getting the better of Thurrock Harriers’ Amber Pullinger.

Echo:

Southend AC's Joanna Rimmington

Hayley Instance (Thurrock Harriers) was seventh and Benfleet RC’s Grace Goodall was eighth.

Southend AC’s under-15 boys team ran strongly to finish second in the team standings.

Sam Norris and Tom Stuttle had their own private battle with Norris finishing ninth and Stuttle 10th while Mitchell Lawrence (16th) and Harry Smith (20th) completed the scoring team.

Benfleet RC’s Sinead Clark ran strongly in the under-17/20 women’s race to finish third in her first race in the age group while the Basildon AC team combined well to finish second in the team standings.

Jemima Walker led the New Towners with a seventh-placed finish with Gemma Archer-Haley (11th), Meg Rapley (14th) and Megan Cross (21st) completing the team.

Basildon’s senior women also had a good turnout and were rewarded with a second-placed finish (first in division two).

They were led by Kirsty Tydeman who paced herself well to finish fifth and she was backed up by Anna Whitfield in ninth, Laura Brookes in 13th and Louise Douglass in 16th.

Echo:

Jodie Judd

The overall winner was Thurrock Harriers teenager Gemma Holloway who stepped up into the senior women’s age group while she was chased down all the way by another teenager, Canvey’s Jodie Judd who was competing in her first senior women’s race and finished second, just 15 seconds back on Holloway. Southend AC’s Claire Cornwell was seventh.

Grant Webb had an encouraging run in the senior men’s race as he finished in fourth position.