A huge thank you to everyone who came to the awards evening on Monday night and, of course, congratulations to all our award winners!
There are so many successes to celebrate over the past year, not least a string of outstanding performances in the Gwent League. The talent has been particularly impressive among the junior girls, where novices Kate Howard and Ruby Saunders, who placed first and third overall respectively, led a team of six to victory over four fixtures in Bridgend, Cardiff, Brecon and Bristol. Not to be outdone by their younger club mates, Westbury’s under 17 girls team also went on to claim victory, with Ellie Leather taking gold ahead of Ella Brimble in bronze position.
Meanwhile, the under 13 girls team bagged silver in their age group, clocking some superb individual performances including those by Ellie Hobbs, who went on to place second in the Midlands Cross Country Championships and sixth in the National Cross Country Championships, narrowly missing Team GB qualification.
On the boys’ side, under 15 Aidan Noble also placed first overall in his age group, after a solid win in the final fixture of the season, on home turf at Blaise Castle.
Westbury’s senior cohort also finished the season with plenty of silverware to add to the club’s trophy cabinet, with teams placing second in the Senior Women, Vet 35 Women, and Vet 40 men categories. Notable individual placings included Catherine Lee (second Senior Woman), Pat Gallagher (third Vet 65 Women), and Tony Jeffries (second Vet 70 Men).
In addition to the Gwent League medals, members also picked up numerous other awards, including those that recognised the dedication and hard work of committee members and group leaders, and the Richard Bloss Personality of the Year award, in memory of former club member, Richard, who lost his brief battle with cancer two years ago.
Full listings of award and Gwent League medal winners are below – if you weren’t able to attend the awards night, don’t worry, we will get the award to you as soon as we can!
AWARD WINNERS
Richard Bloss Personality of the Year award Geraint Torrington
Committee award (for services to the club) Geraint Torrington
Club person (awarded in memory of Mike Parks) Sandra Bailey-Gard, Joe Connors, Smita Ghosh, Simon Johnston, Alex Ling, Isabel Smart
Peter Griffin Memorial Trophy Georgia Taylor
Coach and group leader awards Scott Campbell, Nick Elliott, Justin Grimwood, Alex Miller, Neil Miller, Marilyn Palmer, Kay Ridgwell, Geraint Torrington, Sarah Tucker
Club captain award Kelly Winstone and Colin Johnson
Best newcomer Bryn Davies, Daniel Ewing, Alison Rogers, Ruby Saunders
Most improved Olivia Eskell, Alex Hamblin, Johan Hobbs, Bridget White
Reception Finn Goodhew, Tanaya Ghosh
Novices Alex Hayward, Kate Howard
Under 13 Greg Hayward, Ellie Hobbs
Under 15 Hannah Hobbs, Aidan Noble
Under 17 Ellie Leather, George Marshall
Under 20 Male Adam Wilson
Under 23 Female Katie Elliott
Seniors Oli Beale, Catherine Lee
Veterans Katie Hughes, Robin Phillips
Team of the year Under 17 Girls, Gwent League (Ella Brimble, Olivia Eskell, Emma Jones, Ellie Leather, Sophie Nash, Katie Perkin, Emma Taylor, Georgia Taylor, Emma Tomes)
Athletes of the year Ellie Hobbs, Aidan Noble
GWENT LEAGUE MEDALS
Champion (novice girls) Kate Howard
Third (novice girls) Ruby Saunders
Champion team (novice girls) Charlotte Bull, Amelia Honor, Kate Howard, Alexandra Ness, Eve Saunders, Ruby Saunders
Fourth (Under 13 girls) Rosie Hamilton-James
Runners-up team (Under 13 girls) Lalana Ghosh, Rosie Hamilton-James, Ellie Hobbs, Anne Jones, Charlotte Livesey, Isabel Smart
Champion (Under 15 boys) Aidan Noble
Champion (Under 17 girls) Ellie Leather
Third (Under 17 girls) Ella Brimble
Champion team (Under 17 girls) Ella Brimble, Emma Jones, Ellie Leather, Emma Taylor, Georgia Taylor
Second (Senior Women) Catherine Lee
Runners-up teams (Senior Women and Vet 35 Women) Lucy Bendan-Morgan, Anneke Bull, Fran Caroll, Tamsin Chick, Debbie Cleary, Jeni Cummins, Emma D’Alton, Sandra Dickens, Dot Fraser, Smita Ghosh, Jane Goodwin, Zoe Gould, Abi Hall, Lynsey Hall, Diana Heys, Katie Hughes, Svetlana Jones, Catherine Lee, Alex Ling, Nicola Ness, Eithne Noonan, Liz Pick, Kay Ridgwell, Alison Rogers, Beth Sergeant, Suneeta Sellars, Victoria Sloan, Lizzy Smith, Vicky Tester, Sarah Tucker, Bridget White, Kelly Winstone, Lucy Woodhams.
Runners-up team (Vet 40 men) Jullian Bailey-Gard (Snr), Chris Beck, Mike Clark, Simon Everington, Justin Grimwood, Mike Harris, David Hobbs, Robin Nash, Richard Noble, Robin Phillips, Ian Ruck, Nick Smart, Ian Smith, Geraint Torrington, Rick Wallis.
Third (Vet 65 Women) Pat Gallagher
Second (Vet 70 men) Tony Jeffries
Sheila Crump award (Volunteer of the Year) Phil Court
