COVENTRY Godiva Harriers made a strong start to the new cross country league season.
Godiva’s ladies raced in Pelsall North Common in Walsall while the men ran at Abington Park in Northampton.
And the ladies enjoyed a stellar start to the season as Sophie Hurst took the race win closely followed by Amelia Starling in second as the Coventry pair achieved a one-two finish.
Further back, Alicia Roberts finished an impressive 11th while debutant Zaneta Pochlska placed 79th (47th master) to leave the A team third in the overall standings on 93 points.
Other Godiva finishers were Jodie Greenfield in 123rd, Shona Murray 161st (sixth junior), Paige Zhang-Green 172nd (116th master) on debut, Flavie Rasson 199th and Izzy Khan 211th on debut.
Elsewhere, the men were led home by Dan Clarke in 32nd (fifth master) with Scott Hudspith just behind in 36th while Joe McLeod finished 48th to ensure three runners crossed the line inside the top-50.
Further back, Adam Jackson 91st (15th junior), Teklay Alemu 105th on debut and Oscar Jarman 119th (23rd junior) completed the A team who sit 10th overall following a solid start to the season.
Hossien Mohammediha led home the B team in 135th (28th master) while David Cooper 148th, James Wright 149th, Peter Eccleston 151st (34th master), Sam Marshall 156th (36th master) and Matt Hadlum 170th complete the line-up.
The results leave the Masters A team in an impressive fifth place overall.
Running for the Masters B team, Richard Todd 180th (50th master), Michael Todd 188th (55th master), Clark Roberts 199th (61st master) after returning from surgery and Sam Katanda 200th (62nd master) left the squad in second place.
Other Godiva finishers were Jason Brotherhood 202nd (63rd master), Anthony Mitrofaniuk 205th (65th master), William Chalmers 207th (46th junior), Waising Yip 209th (68th master), Dale Ball 219th (75th master), Kevin Otieno 224th, John Treadwell 232nd (86th master), Eildris Kabango 240th (47th master) on senior debut and Lee Connelly 242nd on debut.
