Although the championships returned to the popular venue of Fairthorne Manor in the Southampton countryside, this year’s event carried a quite different feel, with the ground firm and frosty instead of thick with mud as usual.
Friedrich raced in the U13 boys’ event over 3.3km, where he very quickly ended up in a duel for top spot against Winchester youngster Edward Shawcross Campbell.
The Guernsey competitor held a small advantage as racers passed through the main start/finish field for the penultimate time, but the lead continued to change hands until he made a long kick for home.
He crossed the line in 10min. 46sec. after just holding off a late flourish by the Winchester athlete, who charged in within a second of him.
Guernsey girls achieved Inter-Counties qualifications in every age group from U13 to senior, but U20 Eleanor Jamieson and U15 Grace King particularly excelled in also getting onto the individual medal podium.
Less than a month after being crowned Guernsey senior cross-country champion, Jamieson joined a small contingent of U20 women racing in adult company and covered the 8.9km course in 35-53 for silver.
Only Portsmouth’s Emma Smart could top her, having taken victory 28sec. ahead.
King had got stuck into a good three-way battle in the U15 girls’ race over 4km, eventually losing contact with strong rivals from Southampton and Portsmouth but staying clear of the next athlete to take third in 15-41. Southampton’s Katherina Hoppe had taken the honours 17sec. ahead.
The day had started in pleasing fashion for Guernsey with Rowan Wilesmith placing fifth in the youngest category, the U11s.
Behind Friedrich’s winning run in the U13s, Jasper Rutherford-Child finished 11th, Roberto Nettleton 19th and Edwin Littlewood 22nd to bag them a team bronze.
The equivalent girls’ team went one better with Erin Greenfield’s individual run for sixth complementing Willow Warren’s 12th, Holly Sebire’s 13th and Ruby King’s 24th for a team silver.
Guernsey added another silver in the U15 boys, with Josh Pailing leading them home in ninth but the two Maxes – Roger and Stafford-Bell – finishing 18th and 19th respectively as Toby Blake placed 25th.
Indi Warren was Guernsey’s next-best finisher in the U15 girls, placing 18th, while there was not much between James Stafford-Bell (14th) and Freddie Furley (16th) in the U17 boys.
After a strong run for sixth in the U17 girls, Theodora Murray also joined the select few Sarnians over the weekend who earned the opportunity to don Hampshire vests at the Inter-Counties Championships.
This year’s Inter-Counties take place at Woollaton Park, Nottingham, on Sunday 7 March.
