Veterans X-C Report 2009-10 season
Gercs shines but Moen takes club title
The Veteran Mens Club Cross Country Championships includes the four Birmingham League races, Charity Cup, County Champs, Midland Champs and National Champs for athletes over 40 years of age. Five of the eight races must be completed to obtain a final position in the Championships.
Fresh from his world M40 800 metres title John Gercs was in superb form and led home the Veteran men in all four of the Birmingham League Division 1 races with a best place finish of 66th in the final race at Northampton. This ensured he finished in the scoring six in every race and in the eight years of Rugby & Northampton has made the team a record 16 times.
The Northants County Champs for Veterans has been included in the Charity Cup since 2006 and the team of Brendan Moen, Terry Egan, Vince Carroll and Alan Mould won back the title to claim their sixth victory in eight years. Mould also won the award for being the first M50 in the Charity Cup. Three Veterans also scored in the Senior team in the County Champs at a snowy Wicksteed Park in January. Brendan Moen led them home again in 13th place overall followed by Vince Carroll in 16th, but it was Terry Egan who set a record that may never be broken when he scored in the team for the 20th time.
In the Midland and National Champs Brendan Moen had the unique distinction of becoming the first Veteran to lead home the Men’s team in both races in the same season. It was these performances by Moen along with his two Birmingham League races that made him the Club Veteran Champion and equalled Alan Palmer’s record from the early eighties by winning it 4 years in a row. Another notable achievement came from Brian Summers when he notched up his 70th Birmingham League race at Coventry in January.
Vince Carroll clinched 2nd position in the Club Champs on a tie breaker with Terry Egan when the two of them couldn’t be separated on club placings and with the head to head at 3-3. Summers finished 4th.
