Men’s XC league standings 2018/19 with Arena fairing well.

Report from the men’s captain Dan Vaughan.
Men’s XC – League Standings – onwards and upwards…
So, whilst the A team finished 5th in the 1st Division for the third year running, that masks a story of steady improvement. Having been promoted in 2014 and flirted with relegation in 6th place in 2015 & 2016 (7th & 8th go down) we have been getting closer to cracking the top 4 each year since. This year (with an excellent third place at the final race in Bexhill) we finished only 28 pts behind 4th placed Phoenix (678 v 650). Last year we were 584 pts behind 4th place. And this year we were nearly 400 pts ahead of 6th placed Chichester below us.

Further evidence in our B team and Vets. Last year the B team was 7th in Division 3. This year we were 3rd, on 976 pts, only 42 pts behind 2nd place. Promotion next season has to be the target.
Saving the best till last – the Vets finished 3rd overall (up from 10th last season), behind only Haywards Heath and B&H. Great running from Jim Watson, Touradj Derangi, T van Well et al.
Men’s XC – Awards time!
Had the inaugural Arena XC Cup existed last year then the top 3 would have been Alex Jago, Michael Barker and Timmy Gedin. This year we have a new entrant into the top 3 – an up & coming youngster by the name of Jim Watson. Keep an eye out on him – he’ll go far.
The top 3 for 2018/19:
1st Alex Jago
2nd Michael Barker
3rd Jim Watson

Looks like we will have to call it the Jago Cup for the next 12 months then. Well done.
Of the 30 men who ran at least one of the league fixtures this season, 7 ran all 3 fixtures – congratulations and thanks to Alex Jago, Michael Barker, Jim Watson, Touradj Derangi, T van Well, Craig Isaac and Julian Hollingdale. All will be repaid their £15 of race entry fees by the club. Give me a few days to sort it out.
Timmy did beat Alex in both the fixtures he ran in, but by missing the 2nd Stanmer fixture he cost himself a shot at the cup.
Of those who entered at least 2 of the 3 fixtures, the table is as follows:
1 Alex Jago – 80 pts
2 Michael Barker – 132
3 Jim Watson – 190
4 Blake Steven Brown – 228
5 Timmy Gedin – 230
6 Aled Anderson – 238
7 Touradj Derangi – 269
8 T van Well – 275
9 Craig Isaac – 287
10 Steve Mcnealy – 336
11 Jim Risdale – 356
12 Julian Hollingdale – 364
13 Gary Osborne – 377
14 David James Gifford – 378
15 Paul Hebden – 399
16 Sam Bennett – 444
17 John Orden – 457
Trophy ceremony in a local hostelry to follow.