This years National Cross Country Relays were run in what the announcer described “as the worst conditions in thirty years”. It was ‘classic’ cross country weather, rain, wind and mud – the kind of conditions that help hone an athletes pyschological and physical strength.

RESULTS

The Harriers Senior Men had their best result since 2006 as they finished in 16th place overall out of the one hundred and sixty one teams entered from all regions of the country. Rob Warner – one week after clocking 29.31 at the Leeds Abbey Dash 10k – ran a stunning Leg 1 in a time of 16.20.30 which was the 14th fastest Leg of the day and just 3 seconds slower than Marc Scott who won the Great South 10 mile recently in 46.55. Rob handed over to Tim Raynes in 11th place who clocked a time of 17.47.40 before sending off Ben Fish on Leg 3 in 17th spot. Ben pulled back six places to take the team back into 11th spot with his time of 17.04.95, passing over to Karl Billington on the final leg who ran 18.42.10 to finish with the team in 16th overall – 1st Lancashire, 1st North West and 5th Northern Team on the day.

Rob Warner (A21)

Tim Raynes (B21)

Ben Fish (C21)

Karl Billington (D21)

The Harriers 2nd Team consisted of Chris Davies, Paul Bradshaw, Paul Guinan and Dominic Walton which saw them come home in a very solid position of 54th with a combined time of 77.06.35. Chris went off on Leg 1 and ran the fastest Leg for the team with his clocking of 18.17.40  in 62nd place. On Leg 2, Paul Bradshaw who ran the Amsterdam Marathon only two weeks ago in a new PB time of 3.03, ran 19.30.45 to come back in 69th spot before handing over to Paul Guinan on Leg 3. Paul ran 20.26.20, picking up another place to see Dominic run the final Leg in 18.52.30 which meant he had pulled back a whoppping 14 places to bring the team home to its 54th finishing place. Unfortunately a flurry of injuries meant that the Club’s third team was reduced to just one runner – Danny Maynard who went on Leg 1 and ran 21.07.60.

Chris Davies (A22)

Paul Bradshaw (B22)

Paul Guinan (C22)

Dominic Walton (D22)

Danny Maynard (A23)

Two teams in the Senior Womens Race represented by Annabel Ralph, Jess Judd and Ellen Sagar-Hesketh and for Team 2 Lindsay Davies, Michelle Teare and Jan Buckingham. Annabel set off on Leg 1 coming across the hand over line in 49th place having run 11.43.35. On Leg 2 Jess – who clocked a new 10k PB of 32.11 at Leeds Abbey Dash – ran a phenomenal race pulling back 41 places and clocking the third fastest Leg of the day with her 10.11.05 to hand over to Ellen on Leg 3 who ran 12.48.35 to see the team finish 23rd overall out of one hundred and twenty seven teams.

Annabel Ralph (A1101)

Jess Judd (B1101)

Ellen Sagar-Hesketh (C1101)

Team 2 saw Lindsay Davies lead them off on Leg 1 with a time of 14.20.25, coming in to hand over on Leg 2 in 102nd place to Michelle Teare who gained back six places with her time of 15.35.95 to pass on to the final Leg in 96th, a position that was maintained with the last Leg time of 16.06.10.

Lindsay Davies (A1102)

Michelle Teare (B1102)

Like Rob in the Senior Men’s Race, Matt Ramsden ran the 14th fastest Leg of the day in the U17 Men’s Race as he clocked 9.38.45 to come home in 17th place on Leg 1 – it’s possible he could have run even faster had he not run into a Marshal at the very start of his race!! Sam Hodkinson was on Leg 2 which saw him run a good time of 10.14.05, clawing back three places as he handed over to Jamie Teare on the final leg. In only his second cross country race since January Jamie clocked a solid 10.34.40 to see the team finish in 27th spot out of 82 teams.

Matt Ramsden (A705)

Sam Hodkinson (B705)

Jamie Teare (C705)

Only forty nine teams in the U17 Women’s race which arguably had some of the worst of the weather, saw the Harriers team of Amy Davies, Eleesha Charnley and Rebecca Ramsden finishing in 37th spot. Amy ran Leg 1 clocking the fastest time for the team with 10.11.10 in 40th position. Eleesha ran a time of 10.36.00 to pull back nine places before handing over to Rebecca on the last Leg who clocked 11.56.80.

Amy Davies (A293)

Eleesha Charnley (B293)

Rebecca Ramsden (C293)

The U15 Boys race had 86 complete teams and a staggering 30 incomplete teams, 21 of whom were just one athlete short of compoleting a team!!

Two Teams for the Harriers who finished in 49th and 63rd places. The ‘A’ Team had Dexta Thompson on Leg 1 with the fastest time of all the Harriers with his 7.33.00 in 64th place. Leg 2 had Theo Watson who clocked 7.53.45, pulling back 16 places to hand over to Kyle Taylor Pomfret on the last Leg who ran a solid 8.27.45.

Dexta Thompson (A960)

Theo Watson (B960)

Kyle Taylor-Pomfret (C960)

The ‘B’ Team Had Sebastian Burton on the first Leg and he ran strongly for his time of 8.09.10 (95th) and is improving all the time. Another young athlete who is coming on is Jack Paget-Fowler and on Leg 2 he ran the fastest time of 7.51.75 and the second fastest of all the U15 boys as he pulled back 29 places before handing over to Codie Dewhurst on Leg 3 which saw him run strongly for his 8.43.20 and picking up a further three places.

Sebastian Burton (A961)

Jack Paget-Fowler (B961)

Codie Dewhurst (C961)

Ninety eight teams participated in the U15 Girls Race with one Blackburn Harriers team of Keira Haxton, Caroline Woodworth and Kiera Booth. Keira Haxton ran the fastest time for the team on Leg 1 with her 8.32.05 clocking in 63rd place. Caroline took over on Leg 2 running a time of 9.14.55, coming across the line in 72nd before handing over to Kiera Booth on the last Leg where she ran a similar time of 9.16.70, gaining four places and beringing the team back to 68th place.

Keira Haxton (A827)

Caroline Woodworth (B827)

Kiera Booth (C827)

The Harriers U13 Boys team came home in 36th position from the 79 teams in the race – again, a good number of incomplete teams – 17 in all.  The lads improved throughout the race which was a good sign for them as Daniel Smith led off on the first Leg with the fastest time of 7.54.00 to come home in 52nd place. Leg 2 featured Oliver Gill who pulled back 9 places as he ran 8.11.90 before handing over to Matthew Smith on Leg 3 who clocked an almost identical time of 8.11.60 gaining another 7 places with his effort.

Daniel Smith (A380)

Oliver Gill (B380)

Matthew Smith (C380)

84 complete and 20 incomplete teams participated in the U13 Girls race which equals 20% of all teams entered finishing as imcomplete!! Faith Gillibrand, Amelia Burton and Imogen Robinson represented the Harriers in this one which had Faith – in her first competitive season and only 2nd  competitive cross country race – leading off on Leg 1, coming home in 53rd spot with a time of 8.32.55 and the fastest for the team. Amelia ran strongly on Leg 2 (9.13.75) to hold onto the place, handing on to Imogen on the final Leg who improved the teams position by two places with her 9.25.01 clocking which saw them finish in 51st.

Faith Gillibrand (A500)

Amelia Burton (B500)

Imogen Robinson (C500)