The atmospheric photo above, taken by Tonbridge AC's Tom Richards at Brands Hatch on Saturday 4 January 2025, captures the grassroots endeavours of a typical County Cross Country Championship race – Kent's senior women's title decider in this case.

Prominent in the white Tonbridge AC vest, reflected in the stream crossing, is world-class race walker Grazia Manzotti who often turns out to support her club in running events, including tough cross country races like this 8,350m skirmish on the former airfield at Brands Hatch Motor Racing Circuit at Fawkham.

Manzotti finished halfway in the field of 100 and was her club's third scorer as Tonbridge AC finished 6th behind Blackheath & Bromley Harriers, Invicta East Kent AC, Kent AC, Tunbridge Wells Harriers, and Medway & Maidstone AC.

The new Kent individual champion is Rebecca Weston (Invicta, 31:21) who powered clear of Naomi Kingston (Blackheath & Bromley Harriers, 31:59) and Charlotte Young (Medway & Maidstone, 32:13). The leading master was the world's best W60 middle-distance runner Clare Elms (Kent AC) who was ninth in 35:23.

The first Kent Cross Country Championships were held in March 1921 from the Ladybourne Athletic Club of Ladywell and Lee, in the current London Borough of Royal Greenwich. Few clubs have dominated the senior men's race like Tonbridge AC who finished six in the top seven places to claim their ninth consecutive championship victory, with a record team score.

The top three in the 12,000m race were James Kingston (Tonbridge, 38:18), Louis Small (Ashford AC, 38:57) and Alexander Howard (39:30) as Medway & Maidstone AC, Cambridge Harriers, Blackheath & Bromley Harriers, Dartford Harriers and Kent AC led the chase for the other team medals.

Earlier in the day, eight junior age group races saw team and individual medals shared among eight clubs. Blackheath & Bromley Harriers claimed three top awards in each category and Tonbridge AC secured an 18th successive under-17 men's team gold.

runABC South reporter Alan Newman apologises for this slightly tardy report but he was following events from a hospital bed as his mardy meniscus was being repaired via an arthroscopy operation just as the senior men were setting off in one of his favourite races! 

Full results are available via the runABC South race listing.

Image courtesy of Tom Richards, Tonbridge AC