Date : 6th December 2025
Location : Cofton Park, Birmingham
The second fixture of the Midland Women’s Cross Country League took place at Cofton Park, where recent rain had left the course wet and muddy in parts. Thankfully, the weather on the day was much kinder than expected, allowing runners to focus on the challenge ahead—an undulating, mostly grass course with energy-sapping hills and plenty of classic cross-country character.
The Cobra Ladies fielded a fantastic 10-runner team, all of whom put in strong performances and finished the race. While three runners from the first event weren’t able to take part this time, the squad welcomed four new faces to the lineup:
Abbie Swindells, Laura Stevens, Oksana Kyte, and Kasia Talbot.
It was the first-ever cross country outing with Cobra for Abbie, Oksana, and Kasia, and each of them rose to the occasion superbly.
Leading the team home was Abbie Swindells, producing an outstanding debut run to finish in 36:41, securing 109th place overall and an excellent 31st position in the Senior Category—just shy of a top-100 finish in her first XC race for the club.
Not far behind, Elsa Newton delivered another strong performance to take the second Cobra position in 37:09, continuing her impressive early-season form.
Despite the mud, the hills, and the December chill, every runner crossed the line with a smile—helped, no doubt, by the post-race mince pies, which brought a festive touch to the finish area and lifted everyone’s spirits.
A brilliant team effort, fantastic debuts, and plenty of mud—everything you’d hope for from December cross country!
| Name | Position | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Abbie Swindells | 109 | 36:41 |
| Elsa Newton | 118 | 37:09 |
| Kristina Newton | 138 | 38:49 |
| Laura Stevens | 140 | 38:50 |
| Catherine Smith | 146 | 39:15 |
| Saranne Moreno | 147 | 39:31 |
| Margaret Brereton | 152 | 39:52 |
| Oksana Kyte | 161 | 40:22 |
| Debbie Luton | 162 | 40:24 |
| Kasia Talbot | 186 | 42:39 |
