Alton Runners hosted the fourth race in this season’s Southern Cross Country League (SCCL) at Chawton House.

Previous events held on the course involved snow and ice but this year’s event was held on a windy day after a few days of wet and windy weather. The course was quite muddy in places and the wind made it challenging for those taking part. The race attracted 322 runners from 23 clubs and was won by James Perrett of Alton Runners.

Alton Runners had 20 members taking part and their scoring team of four men and four women finished third overall. The men’s team finished in joint-second place, level on points with Basingstoke & Mid Hants AC but behind winners Denmead Striders. The women’s team finished in fifth place.

Following James in the men’s team were Alex Hall in 11th place, Chris Birch (15th) and Steve Drysdale (24th). The first female finisher for Alton Runners was Laura De Lisle, who finished eighth. The other three scorers in the Alton women’s team were Wendy Kilner-Smith, Diane Byrne and Nicola Fitpatrick, who finished 22nd, 31st and 37th respectively.

Race director Philip Scrase congratulated the Alton Runners who ran. He said: “That was our best result at Chawton House in the five years since we started using the course.” It is one of Alton Runners’ best results in the SCCL.

Philip and co-race director Richard Taylor spent several weeks liaising with the Chawton House management in preparation for the race and put together a team of 41 volunteers. The volunteers were involved in course preparation and closing down, car park marshalling, tail walking/running, finish line duties and course marshalling.

After the race, runners and volunteers retired to the barn and tucked into burgers, pasties and hot drinks which were prepared by Chawton House staff.