Hercules Wimbledon AC round-up: Senior men defend Surrey Cross-Country title

It took final day heroics from Hercules Wimbledon Athletic Club’s senior men to successfully defend their Surrey Cross-Country title thanks to Saturday’s last-gasp turnaround at Lloyd Park, writes George Mallett.

Hercules faced a 36-point deficit to eventual runners-up Guildford & Godalming heading into the final fixture and faced an uphill battle to win their third title in four years.

Unlike previous winners they also did so with a team of almost entirely first-claim members, meaning they do not compete primarily for another club, and with most of the group training together each Tuesday night.

Seven athletes in the top 20, including five in a row in the late teens, saw Hercules post a score of 220, ahead of Belgrave Harriers on 297 with Guildford on 369.

Jonathan Cornish led them home, overcoming a slower than usual start to move through the pack and eventually match his Southern Cross-Country Championships position of seventh.

Not far behind was cross-country captain Fred Slemeck, whose ninth-place finish wrapped up his own individual title.

Slemeck has finished top 10 in all four fixtures with three ninth place finishes, as well as an opening day sixth spot at Effingham. His combined score of 33 across the four saw him beat James Hancock of Croydon Harriers into second with 35.

Hercules show of strength in depth started at number 15, as five athletes in a row came in bearing their yellow-and-red vest.

Charlie Eastaugh, fresh off a 4.13 indoor mile just three days before, came home a couple of seconds ahead of Ed Mallett.

Behind him was his brother George with Oli Carrington returning to the Surrey League top 20 for the first time since this fixture last year.

Carrington has endured a difficult few months of injury and illness and his return to form was met with a real sense of excitement for a team looking forward to the spring relay races.

James Stockings rounded out the quintet in 19th and has scored twice in the top-20 in his first year for the club.

Another welcome return saw Dan Cliffe in 26th. The man who can boast the UK’s fastest road 5k time in 2015 has been recovering from a hip injury and adds weight to Hercules’ relay prospects.

Finn Johnson, in 36th, scored for the fourth consecutive fixture and the team was rounded out by Sam Todd in 57th.

Hercules women were ninth on the day and 10th overall.

The team was led home in 33rd place by Matilde Lomba with Claire Grima in 38th. Poppy Robson finished 50th with Gina Galbraith 55th. Phillipa Mitchell in 85th rounded out the teams scoring.