Gwent Cross Country League at Brecon Feb 14^th 2010

4 down and 1 to go! Some great running by all.

Wells City Harriers continue to be neck and neck for the prestigious top junior club award at the tough Gwent Cross Country League. Following the latest fixture at Brecon the club continues to fly high. Over 50 athletes and parents made the long trek to contest the 4^th of the season’s 5 fixtures.

In the Minor boys and girls events for Year 5 and 6 athletes, Will Norcross was 3^rd and Johnny Ellis 18^th out of 30 competitors whilst in the girls race Madeleine Baldwin was 32^nd and Kayleigh Sullivan was 38^th out of 52 runners. That’s very impressive given how far these youngsters had to travel. Well done.The boy’s team lies in 7^th and the girl’s team in 9^th with one fixture to go, out of the 30 or so teams competing.

In the u13 boys event, the club’s Oliver Fox once again ran away with the race finishing well clear of his main rival, and then came his team mate Charlie Martin having his best race of the year to date to finish 3^rd, and with James Bridge and Luke Prior also finishing in 13^th and 14^th, Tom Jones `19^th and Charlie Beake 21^st from the 37 starters. Oliver, Charlie and Luke are 1^st, 3^rd and 9^th overall after 4 fixtures, and the team lies 2^nd to a strong Cardiff AC team.

In the u13 girls rankings we also have three in the top ten after 4 races with Abigail Gibbons, Jemma Jones and Annabel Arnold in 4^th, 5^th and 7^th places. The team lies 2^nd only out of almost 30 teams to a strong Taunton AC team. At this fixture, Abigail had her strongest run in the League to finish 3^rd overall, with Jemma 9^th and Annabel 11^th out of the 45 starters.

In the u15 age group, Emily Smith again had a great run in 3^rd place, with Lauren Willow in 13^th and Rebecca and Hayley Carver also running well for 20^th and 23^rd places. Emily is 2^nd and Rebecca 8^th in the overall standings after 4 fixtures. The Harrier team lies in 4^th place overall, but have a realistic chance of medalling after the final fixture next month. The team will be bolstered should Rebecca & Hayley’s transfers come through in time. Best run for the boys at this age group was by Matthew Dickinson in 6^th place, just a second or two ahead of team mate Matthew Cole, and with Philip Bridge in 16^th, Sam Harding 18^th and James Todd 22^nd. Both Matthew C. and Sam went into the race with various injury niggles so it was good to see them both come through. The team lies in 5^th place overall.

For the u17 men George Harris again led home team mates Cameron Rafferty and Reuben Whitcombe with positions of 12^th, 15^th and 18^th to leave the team in overall 7^th place. Ashley Martin also ran here and is in the process of joining us – he ran a well judged race for 14^th place. None of the u17 women made it to this fixture after racing the previous two weekends, but the team lie in 7^th with one fixture to go. In the u20 women’s race Leighanna Chappell was the sole representative this time out and finished in 2^nd place. This leaves her in 4^th place overall in the League standings with team-mate Alice Murray Gourlay in 2^nd overall despite not contesting here.

Amongst the seniors the main talking point was the fact that the Club managed to rummage up a team of 10 men to contest the fixture which by a combination of some great running at the sharp end, and by sheer weight of numbers propelled the team to the top of Division Two. If they can maintain this form the Club will be promoted for the 3^rd year in succession since joining the League in Division 4 back in 2007. Best individual performances on the day were by Alastair Lindsay, 13^th and Andrew Deamer, 28^th out of the 200 runners contesting the race. Next home was Dickie Wythe in 46^th, 3^rd V50 on the day, and then Simon Prior, 89^th, Dave Stanfield, 102^nd, Simon Arnold, 115^th, Paul Chadwick 125^th, Geoff Cole, 141^st, Rex Whitcombe 150^th, and Pete Wright 162^nd. Alastair is in 12^th place overall after 4 fixtures. Many thanks to Pete who continues to make the effort to compete at these races despite lack of training and working away most of the week – that’s a great effort. He’ll be able to say it’s his points that won the promotion if we manage to do it!

For the women, the team was hit by injuries and illness and only Katerina Prior ran here to record her best ever finish in 24^th out of the 117 finishers. Katerina is now in 7^th place overall in the F35 rankings.

The team’s attention now turns to the final fixture on Saturday March 6^th at Blaise Castle, Bristol with a big turn out needed amongst the juniors to retain the top junior club award and by the senior men to clinch promotion to Division One. Can we hold on to the Dragon trophy for one more year? Will we get 50 runners out?

Thanks to all supporters and team managers on the day.

Members are reminded that the Harrier supported Babcary 7.5mile road race is this coming Sunday, Feb 28^th starting at 11.00am. Entries on the day by 10.30am, and for the accompanying shorter junior races by 10.45am.

Good luck to all of the Harrier juniors competing this coming Saturday for Somerset or Dorset County Schools at the South west Schools Inter-counties match at Truro.

Good luck to the few who are making the trek to the National XC Championships in Leeds