NYSD Cross Country Relays Darlington - 10th October 2004

This Winter’s Cross-Country Season for the Athletics Clubs in the region started at 12 noon on Sunday 10th October with the NYSD X-C Relays at Eastbourne Sports Complex. There were 258 athletes competing, representing 12 Clubs, and Richmond and Zetland Harriers had teams in six out of the twelve races contested. Although the Harriers didn’t have any winners this year, either teams or fastest laps, they were in contention throughout and finished 3rd Club in the overall Aggregate Trophy - one more team could have put the icing on a good day.

Scarborough won the opening race, 3 x 1 mile laps for Under 13 Boys, and Michael Parry of Darlington ran 6:16 to claim the fastest lap. The Under 13 Girls also raced 3 x 1 mile and Loftus, led off Hope Rodgers with a 6:38 leg, took the honours. The combined Under 17, Under 20, Senior and Veteran Men had 28 teams toe the line for their 4 x 2 miles race. The first two Men’s team titles both went to MAC (Mandale) with Andy Wiles of MAC the fastest U17 in 11:26 and Lewis Moses of Newton Aycliffe the fastest U20 in 10:54, one of only two runners to break the 11 minute mark. The second two Men’s team titles and fastest laps all went to Loftus with Stephen Hepples showing great form to stop the clock at 10:16 and John Hunter fastest Vet with 11:14. The Harriers best results came with their best turnout; 5 teams lined-up in the combined Men’s race and resulted in 3rd place for the Under 20s, 3rd for the Seniors, 2nd for the M40 Veterans and 5 out of the fastest 10 two-lap-times on the day. The Women’s race also combined the same four age groups and the 15 teams of 3 had the same 2 laps to dispute but there were no complete teams of either U20s or Veterans. Nestle Rowntree won the U17s team race with Tori Wheatman of Scarborough running the fastest lap of 13:16; Susie Rutherford of Darlington ran 12:14 on the last leg and took Darlington from 5th to 1st place to win the Senior race. Johanna Jackson, running for M&C, was fastest U20 with 12:41 and Sue Milburn of Newton Aycliffe won the award for fastest Vet with a time of 14:29. The last two races, for Under 15 Boys and Girls, both over 3 x 1 mile, were both won by Scarborough with the Seagull’s Jonathon Sharp clocking 5:38 and Jessica Russon of New Marske Harriers finishing in 6:12 to pick-up the last two individual trophies. Home Club Darlington managed to produce seven teams and, although they only won one race, it was sufficient for them to lift the Aggregate Trophy with 49 points, 2 points clear of Scarborough in 2nd place and 7 points ahead of the Harriers.

RZH results: Under 13 Girls - 'A' team Lily Cuthbert 07:57, Brogan Fraser 08:05 & Ruth Hill 07:18 = 23:20 = 6th - 'B' team Hannah Terry 08:45, Jade Wrest 08:08 & Ellie Watson 08:55 = 25:48 = 8th; Under 20 Men - Edd Richards, 11:44 Carl Outhwaite 13:46, Matt Prosser 15:41 & Nick Zissler (3rd fastest U20M) 11:32 = 52:43 = 3rd; Senior Men - James Wardman 12:05, Scott Wardman 11:11, Ken Harker 11:34 & Richard Hunt 11:34 = 46:24 = 3rd; incomplete team Brian Rogers (M40) 12:45 & Charlie Lawrence 13:02; V40 Men - Jon Orange (2nd fastest M40) 11:29, Chris Peacock 12:38, Shaun Purkiss 12:52 & Brian McNabb 12:36 = 49:35 = 2nd; V50 Men - Mike Brooks 13:43, Colin Sewell 13:20, Paul Zissler 14:26 & Ian Hepworth 15:20 = 56:49 = 5th; Senior Ladies - 'A' team Helen Driver 13:45, Jessie Roberts U17 14:00 & Louise Jackson 13:28 = 41:13 = 4th - 'B' team Fiona Hughes 14:35, Sarah Gregory 15:41 & Jenny Fenwick U20 17:57 = 48:13 = 6th; Under 15 Girls - 'A' team Rosie Adams 06:44, Katie Roberts 07:02 & Jo Adams 07:13 = 20:59 = 6th; - 'B' team Jane Thornton 06:58, Jess Ainsley-Gill 07:14 & Sophie Broadway 07:00 = 21:12 = 7th.

Harewood Hop 2 Mile 10th October 2004

On the same day, Club Coach Faye Chilton took several of her younger charges to Harewood House to compete in the very hilly 2-mile Harewood Hop - a Junior Fun Run! Phil Fitzpatrick was first Harrier home, 3rd overall & 2nd U16B in 12:02; Marc and Rob Scott were 1st and 2nd U11B in 13:24 and 15:42 respectively and Charlotte Dinsdale was 21st overall and 1st U11G in 15:53. Not to be overlooked, “Unattached of Leyburn” was 74th overall and 8th Lady in 19:56, despite a bit of trouble with her knees.

Late news from north of the border via Tom Robson is that his dad, Mick, completed the Loch Ness Marathon on the 3rd October in 3:47:47 and thoroughly enjoyed it!