AFD 2012/13 Awards Ceremony

The Couplands spent this afternoon, Sunday 9th Feb. from 2pm onwards in the Cody Sports and Social club, cheering and clapping as the AFD awards were handed out to the good, the great and the outstanding.

With the like of Steph Twell, Amelia Gorecka, Ian Bailey and Steve Connor mounting the stage it was great to see Robbie called up for the second year running. Last year Robbie got an achievement trophy based on his improvement on track, specifically his 800m time. This year the acknowledged was for his preferred discipline of Cross Country. Congratulations to Robbie Coupland, awarded the AFD U13’s of the year, (for last year) Cross Country Trophy.

Robbie with his XC Runner of the year (U13’s) Trophy.

Hampshire League – Salisbury (5 of 5)

Unusual for this season, but we set off to Salisbury in glorious sunshine, things changed after we parked up and headed to the race start though. Wind whipped across the fields, driving the very air from your lungs, and as the U13 girls got under-way the rain started and swiftly turned in to hard and sharp hail stones. The U13 girls running head on in to a gale force wind, driving pellets of ice in to their skin, was not a pleasant to watch, and must have been much worse to experience. The shower, all be it very nasty, was brief and by the time the U13 girls had finished the skies were once again blue, and the sun was once again out. It didn’t last though, and the U15 boys experienced the same driving wind and pellet like hail as they raced to the line.

Robbie finished 8th on the day, adding an improved position to his event scoreline. With this being the last race of the league, both individual and team positions would be calculated in a hurry, and medal ceremonies were set for 14:15. So post race, it was leg it to the scout hut, buy hot chocolate and cake and try to warm up as we waited for the final positions to be announced, and the medal ceremonies to be completed.

Just before the Hail Storm started, with James Beaks.

Going in to this final event AFD were clinging on to first place in the team event, but Reading, with the return to form of Matt Rawlings looked likely to be a huge threat on the day.

AFD U15 Boys Hampshire League Results.
2: Jake Cvetkovic Best 4: 4,4,2,1: 11
9: Robbie Coupland Best 4: 10,10,8,8: 36

U15 Boys Team Results
1: Reading: 8
2: AFD: 9
3: Southampton: 16

Over the period of the Hampshire League this year, 5 AFD runners contributed to AFD coming 2nd in the team event. The most obvious of which was Jack Boswell, who is still injured and couldn’t make today’s event.

But well done to all contributors.
Jack Boswell, Jake Cvetkovic, Robbie Coupland, Sean Pocknee, Michael Try.

Jake, Robbie and Sean collect the Silver medals on behalf of AFD U15 Boys.

Southern Cross Championships 2014 – Parliament Hill

As always the Southerns is one of the most difficult, arduous and physically demanding races of the cross country calendar, and this year was no different. 4.5 kms of hill and mud faced the boys and was braved and battled through by all who attended.
Jack Boswell is still injured, so once again the U15 boys were without there No. 1 runner.

AFD U15 Boys Results
A Team (5th)
07. Jake CvetKovic
23. Robbie Coupland
51. Ollie Percival
70. Harry Grace

B Team (28th)
093. Tom Fitch
159. Sean Pocknee
182. Reece Webber
200. James Hier

C Team (N/A)
244. George Dorran

Robbie’s 23rd place was an exceptional run, seeing Robbie beat many runners who we would normally expect to see in front of him, including the likes of Thomas Kendrick and Matt Rawlings who have been two of the super stars at Robbie’s age.

If mud is as good for your skin as they say, then Robbie’s legs are going to be really soft.

Hampshire League – Bournemouth (4 of 5)

The penultimate event of the Hampshire league saw something of a depleted AFD squad, with a number of age groups failing to field a full 3 man team. The U15 boys were without star runner Jack Boswell, and were missing a number of the regular attendees, at least they managed to field a full team.

Who says running is hard? Robbie and Tom Bourne closing their eyes in relaxation as they enter the top field at Bournemouth.

Full AFD U15 Boys positions and times will be added later, Robbie finished 8th with Jake Cvetkovic coming 2nd. Reading were the stars of the day with 4 runners in the top 10.

AFD Runners.
2. J. Cvetkovic 13:42
8. R. Coupland 14:10
27. S. Pocknee 15:20
43. R. Webber 15:57

Teams.
1. Reading 11
2. AFD 37
2. Southampton 37

Hampshire County Cross Country Championships 2014.

Just got home from a very wet Flemming Park in Eastleigh, where the Hampshire County Champs have just played out. If last years event was wet, this years went well beyond that description, the course sitting beneath an inch or two of water in many places.

As always AFD struggle at a team level in the county championships, because they draw runners from 3 different counties, so team medals were always going to be few and far between. At an individual level the club managed to be up there, or at least thereabouts in a number of sections. The U15 Girls coming 1st and 4th, but unfortunately not enough runners to make up the minimum 4 required to do anything at a team level.

U15 Boys Results. (AFD only)
A Team – 1st
2 – Jake Cvetkovic (15’02)
4 – Jack Boswell (15’24)
7 – Robbie Coupland (15’46)
20 – Michael Try (16’57)

B Team – 9th
24 – Sean Pocknee (17’05)
33 – Reece Webber (17’39)
44 – James Hier (18’40)
54 – George Doran (21’16)

Swimming at Eastleigh Hampshire XC Championships 2014

AFD Gold medallists. Winning Team U15 Boys Hampshire Championships 2014

South of England Athletics Association – Inter Counties

Robbie was selected to represent Hampshire today in the SEAA – Inter Counties, alongside AFD team mates Jack Boswell and Jake Cvetkovic, unfortunately Jack was injured on the day and Hampshire traveled the long road to Biggleswade minus their number 1 runner.

The loss of Jack definitely effected the Hampshire team standing in the race, but didn’t really effect Robbie directly as he was selected outside, and finished outside the team scoring positions (Only the top 4 runners score for the team, Robbie was selected 5th for Hampshire and finished 5th for Hampshire).

Hampshire Team Places and Times.

Pos. Name Time
26 Jake Cvetkovic 13:19.0
27 Luke Powell 13:20.0
32 Michael Ilott 13:22.0
33 Sam Costley 13:25.0
39 Robbie Coupland 13:29.0
51 Ben Reed 13:35.0
52 Alex Forster 13:36.0
James Beeks NF

Hampshire U15 Boys Team 2013. Southern Inter-Counties XC

Hampshire League, (3 of 5) – Popham

Lots of Photo’s were taken on the day, take a look here.

http://hammy8241.smugmug.com/2013-Races/Hampshire-CrossCounty-League-M/Under-15-Boys

A disappointing day for the wRECker. After finishing 10th in both Race 1 and 2 he was hoping to step up a spot and finish in single figures in the third Hampshire League race. The conditions were good, the day was fine the start was excellent, and in general the race was good, running in 9th place for nearly the entire race Robbie was looking good, holding off Wimborne rival Pierce Copeland and looking strong, right up to the finishing straight. The Popham finishing straight is around 800m long and slightly down hill, a great opportunity for the runners to throw everything they have left in to the finish. Robbie hit the straight in 9th, but was taken apart along the straight by 7 runners, ultimately finishing the race in 16th place. The time was good, the run was good but the position was something of a disaster. Heads up for Bournemouth and Race 4, he is determined to get those places back. On a positive note the AFD team won once again, making a series win look very possible.

About 1k in and fighting hard.

British Athletics Cross Challenge – Liverpool (Match 2)

A long trip up to Liverpool for the big British Athletics Cross Country Challenge event, Liverpool is one of the biggest events in the calendar, attracting 130 runners in the U15 boys event. It was always going to be hard, but the course itself was fairly flat, fairly good underfoot and fairly short, a meer 3km in length. At U15B AFD only had 3 representative runners; Jack Boswell, Robbie Coupland and Harry Grace. All three ran really well and ultimately got good times and placings with Jack finishing 4th (0:9:42), Robbie finishing 42nd (0:10:28) and Harry finishing 68th (0:10:56).

Fighting off the challengers on the way to the finish line.

Hampshire League (2 of 5) – Goodwood

A very wet day today, the rain came down hard and constant and everyone was soaked to the skin. Trex who tagged along today looked like a drowned rat, and to some extent I wish I had a photo of him to post up, but unfortunately I don’t.

It was another good day for AFD with some really good performances across the board, and more importantly a very high showing of runners.

The U15 Boys had a great race, Jack Boswell won by a long way, so far out in front he looked like a completely different class to the rest of the field, importantly though, for the team, Jake Cvetkovic, Robbie made top ten places, sliding AFD in to first place in the team event.

A quick rundown of results for the first three AFD runners a great team result, well done boys.

1st Jack Boswell 14:44.0
5th Jake Cvetkovic 15:31.0
10th Robbie Coupland 15:47.0

Jake and Robbie looking cold and wet after a hard 4.25k race.

Oh, did I mention the mud???

Also looking Muddy…

National Cross Country Relays 2013

AFD were out in bulk once again today, with a long old haul up to Mansfield to partake in the English Athletics National Cross Country Relays.

A great turn out across the board, with some excellent results and performances from U13’s right through to the senior men and women.

To be somewhat blinkered the details below only pertain to Robbie’s section, results for the event as a whole can be found at…

http://www.englishcrosscountry.co.uk/category/relays/

AFD U15 Boys had a lot to do again today, facing off against their Road Relay competition in the form of the all conquering Tonbridge team with other heavy competition being promised from Bedford and Leicester, would AFD be able to bump up out of 4th place and grab a medal? You bet they would.

1st Tonbridge
2nd Bedford
3rd AFD
4th Leicester

So at National Level the top 3 is a direct replica of the Southern Road Relay performance, and a very close run in for the National Road Relays, with the only change being the switch of 3rd and 4th place giving AFD U15 Boys a National Level Medal. Well Done Boys.

 Pos Team Team
Time
Leg 1
Time
Runner Leg 2
Time
Runner Leg 3
Time
Runner
3 AFD A 20:09.40 06:38.75 Jake Cvetkovic  07:01.70 Robbie Coupland 06:28.95 Jack Boswell
28 AFD B 21:28.95 06:56.85 Tom Fitch 07:13.45 Olly Percival 07:18.65 Harry Grace

Pic 1 is of Robbie pushing for the line, Pic 2 is the boys collecting their medals.

Robbie Pushing for the line.

AFD A collecting their well deserved Bronze Medals.