Birmingham League Race 2, Sat 3rd December
Rugby & Northampton AC will play host to the Men’s Birmingham Cross Country League at Abington Park on Saturday for the 16th time. After taking victory in the first fixture of the division two race at Leamington the squad are hoping to be at full strength to consolidate on their lead.
Stuart Nelson and Chris Lamb should line up to challenge for a top ten place once again and will be relying on 18 year old Rory Grant to make an appearance after missing the first race.
Along with Luke Robinson, Greg Spellman and Chris Perez the club could challenge their record of 83 points for this division set at the same venue in 2006.
The first ever Birmingham League fixture at Abington Park was the division three race hosted by Northampton Phoenix in January 1989. Of the 24 athletes that took part for the club that day only three are still competing for R&N today. Terry Egan, Brian Summers and Alan Mould all made the scoring six in that first race and almost 23 years later are expected to race again along with team manager Vince Carroll, consistent veteran Brendan Moen and Ben Malia all of which should strengthen the B team.
Gary Wallace ran 22 league races for Phoenix in the late eighties and early nineties before retiring from the sport age just 25, now 15 years later he returns and will make a welcome addition to the team.
The Ladies are also in action for Rugby & Northampton in the Midland Womens League and after their victory two weeks ago in the Midland 5 mile they will have a formidable team in Jo Pulsford, Daisy Melville, Maree Jesson and Alison Cooper along with international veteran Angela Copson and inspirational captain Kate Williams.
The two lap race for the Ladies starts at 1.30pm with the Men’s 10k over four laps beginning at 2.30 pm.
