By Owen Morgan
Welshman Charlie Hulson kicked of the British Athletics Cross Challenge Series with an impressive win on home soil in Cardiff.
The Liverpool AC athlete broke away from the field on the final lap of the 9.6km course to finish in 29:53, ahead of last year’s runner-up Muhammed Muhammed and 2014-15 series champion Adam Hickey.
With Storm Callum battering much of South Wales with high winds and heavy rain on Friday and overnight into Saturday, many competitors had endured difficult journeys to attend the Cardiff Cross Challenge, the first fixture of this year’s series
However, the Llandaff Fields course was perfect underfoot as Hulson strode to an impressive victory in unseasonably warm but windy conditions.
The North Wales athlete, who finished third in the senior race on his last visit to the Cardiff Cross Challenge in 2016, said: “It was tough. It was really windy and really warm. I enjoyed it though.
“All the guys were so up for it and that’s what you want. It was a really good race. In the last lap I just tried to go, they came with me but I managed to stay away.
“I’m feeling good, I’m just still trying to get back into the swing of things but the result gives me a massive boost for the rest of the season and I want to carry the momentum on.
“I’m working hard and it all seems to be going well. Because of the wind on the course, I sat in a little bit on the opening lap and I didn’t know what shape I was in. I used my strength and tested the water on the second lap, but all the guys were up for it.
“I left it until the third lap and as soon as I hit the front, I knew I could put the hammer down.”
Hulson will now target the Liverpool Cross Challenge at Sefton Park on November 24, which incorporates the European Cross Country Championship Trials.
Asked what his immediate plans place were, Hulson said: “I don’t know, I’m just going to go with it. I’ll do Liverpool, but in between I don’t know. Today’s been a massive boost to my confidence, just what I needed.”
Cardiff AAC’s Dan Nash finished 8th, Eryri Harriers athlete Rob Samuel was 11th while Welsh Cross Country Champion James Hunt was 12th.
The Senior women’s race was won by Denmark’s European Under-23 steeplechase champion Anna Emilie Moller in 21:48, ahead of Shildon Running and AC’s Kate Avery and Aldershot’s Emily Hosker-Thornhill.
Moller said afterwards: “It means very much to me to win today because I didn’t expect it,”
“I’m training in a new group with Mick Woods and just getting used to that training, so this was a test for me. I liked the course and the atmosphere today.
“The European Cross Country Championships will be my main goal now until December.”
The highest place Welsh runner was Stevie Stockton of Leeds City Athletics Club, who finished 9th in 22:48, while Beth Kidger, of Brighton Phoenix, who was second in the Welsh Cross Country Championships, was 14th overall in 23:11.
Cardiff AAC’s Jake Heyward retained his Under-20 title on home soil, cruising to victory over the 6.4km circuit in 19.56. Menai’s Oliver Barberesi finished third in a sprint finish just ahead of Swansea Harrier Elliott Lawrence.
The women’s Under17/20 race was won by Cornwall AC’s Grace Brock, who led from start to finish, to clock a winning time of 15:32. Swansea Harrier Cari Hughes matched her performance from last season to finish third.
The Llandaff Fields event saw a full-programme of races with hundreds of athletes taking part from under-11 age groups right through to the senior events, which also incorporated the first round of the Gwent Cross Country League.
A minute’s silence was held in memory of Ben McDonald and Dean Fletcher, the two runners who tragically died after finishing the Cardiff Half Marathon last Sunday.
Full results from Saturday’s event can be found on the Full On Sport website.