Wells City Harriers again demonstrated that they are the top Club in the South west with their team performances at this years South west Cross country championships held at Bicton Park, Devon. The course offered an undulating/ twisting parkland setting for the large fields assembled from the Clubs from Gloucestershire down to Cornwall. The Championships combined an individual and club championships along with an Inter-County competition

The Harriers had probably the largest entry of all the teams with 60 Harriers entered by the closing date back in mid-December and whilst eight were unable to attend due to illness the remainder competing in the various age groups acquitted themselves well and not only succeeded for their Club but also contributed significantly to some of the County team successes.

Proceedings got underway with the u13 girls race where two of the Harrier girls were late withdrawals and it was left to Harriet Fox to fly the flag for the Club. She finished in 37^th place in a time of 14.19 for the 3km course. Given that Harriet is only just 11 and will be able to contest this age group for the next two years that was some run. In the following u13 boys race over the same distance the Harriers team won the team award with some great running by the assembled squad. Led home by Oliver Dickinson in 9^th place, 11.25, then James Bridge 19^th in 11.59, Luke Baker 36^th and Bradley Seager 37^th in 12.31 and 12.33 respectively. There was good back up by team-mates Johnny Ellis, 42^nd 12.48, Dylan Dukes, 45^th13.12, and Mike Biss 49^th in 14.12. Dylan will also be able to contest this age group race for the next two years.

In the u15 girls race over 3.7km, the team competed well for 3^rd place with Charlotte Baker first home for the Club in 19^th place, 15.37, then Annabel Arnold, 29^th in 16.24,  Abigail Gibbons, 36^th in 17.06 and Georgie Lane closing for the team in 42^nd place with 18.17. The u15 boys race over the same 3.7km circuit, saw the best packing by Harriers of all the races of the day with the winning team quartet all home within the first 14 places. Somerset Champion Oliver Fox ran well for 4^th place in 12.35, with team mate Sam Sommerville 7^th in 12.58, then Charlie Martin in 12^th 13.23 and Luke Prior closing for the team in 14^th with 13.26. This quick quartet also made up the Somerset team and was 2^nd overall in the County clash. There was further back up for the Club team from Mark Bailey, 35^th in 14.32, Josh Boon, 44^th in 15.17 making his team debut here and Jonathan Greenwood 51^st in 16.21.

In the u17 women’s race the team was hit by a late withdrawal but the three Harriers that ran were all in the top ten finishers and made up three-quarters of the winning Somerset County team. Former English Schools winner of 2010, Emily Smith was 4^th here in 16.32 for the 4.3km course, with Lilly Hawkins in 7^th with 17.29, and Rebecca Carver in 10^th place with 17.58. That was some great racing by the trio.

The u17 men competed over 5.5km and the Club team finished 3^rd with some good running. Matt Dickinson was 11^th in 19.01, with Phillip Bridge just edging team mate Harry Lane for 15^th and 16^th positions, in 19.44 and 19.51 respectively. Sam Harding was 42^nd in 23.05 and Matt Cole 43rd in the same time.

Due to withdrawals we were left with just three senior women runners competing over 5.5km but all ran well. Katrina Prior was the quickest of the three in 28^th place, 28.47; then came Sam Baker 35^th in 31.18 and Claire Thomas 40^th in 33.28.