News

Yorkshire Schools Cross Country Championships Airedale School 19th January 2002

Richmond & Zetland Harriers had 19 runners line-up for the Yorkshire Schools X-C Championships last Saturday. Airedale School hosted the fixture over a hilly course and the wet weather made it muddy going from the off. At stake were County honours and places in the English Schools X-C Championships and two first places plus one second from the 8 races made it another good day for the Club.

The Intermediate Boys (Years 10 & 11) race over 5.0K was first on the programme and ended with Shane Murphy 12^th and James Raper 13^th, both winning places in the County match at Beverley on Saturday 2^nd February and Carl Outhwaite in 31^st place.

Next away were the Intermediate Girls over 3.4K and another two from the Club made the County team with Amy Baines finishing 9^th and Becky Robinson 10^th.

Josh Miers was the lone Harrier in the Year 7 Boys race and didn’t disappoint with a 15^th place finish.

The Club’s first medal place came from Jo Adams in the Year 7 Girls race - her 2^nd place being her best finish to date. Behind her, Jessica Gray put in another solid performance to finish 7^th and Katie Roberts was 18^th.

Race number 5 for Junior Boys (Years 8 & 9) was hard work, 3.8K over two long laps with the rain making the course heavier each lap. Philip Fitzpatrick, Simon Pinkney and Tom Gill finished in 5^th, 8^th and 11^th positions; they all earned their places in the County team and will be joined by Andy Lagan who will run as a guest having pulled-up unwell mid-race.

Jessie Roberts followed-up last week’s win in the NYSD race at Richmond with another 1^st place in the Junior Girls race and is now looking forward to this weekend’s NoEAA X-C Championships. Ashleigh Robinson and Leah Jackson both had good races and were rewarded with in 7^th and 12^th place finishes.

There were no Harriers in Race 7 with the Senior Girls (Years 12 & 13) concentrating on their "A" level studies but Scott Wardman brought the afternoon to a successful conclusion by winning the last race for Senior Boys. Given his present training and racing form, one short and three long laps, 6.9K round an extremely muddy course was meat and drink to the Northallerton College student. Geoff Pinkney finished a creditable 10^th but Craig Pickering fell heavily with half a lap remaining and did not finish.

Thankfully the weather improved overnight for the Eston Nab Nee Nocker, the 7^th race in the Northern Runner Winter Fell Race Series. The course was approximately 6 miles with 800 feet of climb, the wind was strong on the exposed sections and it was very muddy where the trials bikes had been practising but there was none of the previous day’s rain.

Merv Burn of Thirsk was first home of the 56 finishers in 37.02: Alison Raw of Darlington was first Lady and 7^th overall in 42.30. Less than a minute behind and on her debut over the Fells, Louise Jackson was second Lady, finishing in 12^th place in 43.26. Mike Brooks was 18^th and 3^rd MVO50 in a time of 44.48.