There were almost 70 Harriers out racing at Bicton College, Devon in the South West Clubs and Inter-Counties Championships on Sunday Jan 6th.

Headlines were made by Isobel Glaisher winning the u17 womens race; Oliver Fox & Sam Sommerville, 2nd in the u17 men and u15 boys races; Nathan Young 3rd in the senior mens race; and by Emily Smith & Matt Dickinson  who were both 4th in the u17 womens and u17 mens races respectively. For the veterans Lloyd Collins and Steve Masters were 2nd & 3rd V50s and Clive Harwood was 3rd V60..For the team the u17 men and women and the u15 girls all won team Gold, whilst the u15 boys were silver medal winners (4 to count in the junior races) and the senior men were 2nd in the Mob race (based on 12 finishers).

Well done to all that competed especially those competing for the first time for Club or County.

Full report below

Provisonal results here:

http://www.sw-athletics-academy.co.uk/directions/

It was a great day of racing for the nigh on 70 members of Wells City Harriers that were out competing at the South west Cross Country Championships on Sunday. The Club once again proved it is amongst the best, if not the best, Club in the region winning the team golds for the u15 girls, u17 women and u17 men and silvers for the u15 boys.

Many of the Club members were also competing for their County in the parallel inter-Counties match and gained separate medals for their County teams. Harriers competing for Somerset wore the white vest with the red & black band; whilst others competing for Dorset had the Green vest; and one Club member competed in the green of Wiltshire! The races were held at the scenic Bicton College in Devon with the circuits making full use of the slopes and the lakeside setting.

First up were the u11 development races where Rachel Packard had a good solid run for 17^th place in a time of 6.52 for the 1.5km circuit. Then for the boys, Innes Davidson again had a great race for 4^th place in 6.10, whilst William Carr and Dan Hughes, both a year young finished well up in 6.44 and 7.18 respectively for 18^th and 22^nd positions. The final team member, Ryan Macpherson was making his debut and finished an excellent 34^th place with his 8.10 clocking.

In the u13 girls race Jessica Cooksey was giving away a year to many of her competitors but still finished 40^th in 14.33 for the 3.1km circuit. In the u13 boy’s race we had a great turn out of Harriers with Bradley Seager powering through for 12^th place in 11.40, followed by Alex Williams 27^th in 12.31, Chris Ellis 36^th in 12.31, Luke Baker 44^th in 12.47, Dylan Dukes 51^st in 12.58, Luke Macpherson 57^th in 13.17, and George Biss 63^rd in 17.01. All bar the first two Harriers home are young enough to compete in this age group again next year, and Luke MacP is young enough to compete another two years in this race. Bradley & Alex did enough to help the Somerset County team to County bronze medals, whilst the Club team was 4th.

In the u15s girls race we had a great gold-medal winning performance by the squad with the first 4 Harriers home winning the SW Club Championships. Charlotte Baker led the way in 8^th place with her 15.40 running of the 3.7km circuit, with Lucy Baldwin in 18^th after a tumble clocking 16.44, and then Amy D’Arcy 31^st with 17.38 and Tash Jones,35^th in 17.55. Providing good squad back up were Jess Morris, 44^th in 19.25 and Darcie Cook, 45^th in 20.45.

For the boys in the u15 age group we had an incredibly strong squad of 8 out competing and it was a surprise in some respects that they only secured silvers being outscored by Exeter Harriers. Sam Sommerville led the way with 2^nd place in 13.27, with Felix Rusby a great 9^th place in 13.54, followed by James Bridge 18^th in 14.18 and Oliver Dickinson, 27^th in 14.55. These four won the silver medals. They had good back up from James Williams, 29^th with 15.11, Mike Biss 35^th with 15.40; Johnny Ellis, 44^th in 16.32; and Jonathan Greenwood, a gutsy 52^nd in 18.32. A number of these boys will be young enough to go again in the u15s age group next year.

Then came the gold medal winning u17 women’s and men’s performances. The women’s race saw another precocious run by Isobel Glaisher who left the rest of the field behind as she strode out on the 4.3km circuit. Her winning time of 16.25 was some 25 seconds up on 2^nd place and almost a minute up on the 3^rd placed runner. Emily Smith was 4^th in 17.36, with Rebecca Carver 12^th in 19.28 and Lilly Hawkins 13^th in 19.30. These four collected team Golds with Isobel & Emily also collecting County Golds for Somerset. They were ably supported by Hermione Toomey, 16^th in 20.02 and Abigail Gibbons in 21^st in 21.32. Hermione collected team bronze for Wiltshire.

In the u17 men’s race we were treated to quite a tussle with the first four breaking away on the first of the two large laps and including the Harrier’s Oliver Fox & Matthew Dickinson. Oliver finished in 2^nd place in 18.52 for the 5.5km circuit after the leader got away, with Matthew just outside of the individual medals in 4^th with his 19.21. Philip Bridge in 11^th, 20.34, and Max Travers in 26^th, 21.57, ensured that the Club won Team Gold, whilst the first three Harriers home also won County Golds.

In the senior women’s race we had one representative with Gill Macpherson ensuring that all members of the family were out competing and finishing in 43.12 for 69^th place. Well done Gill.

In the u20 men’s race combined with the senior men Sam Harding’s ran a solid 37.29 for 19^th place over the 8km circuit. In the senior men’s race itself Nathan Young steadily pulled himself through the field to finish in an excellent 3^rd place for individual bronze in a time of 27.15. Nathan also won a County silver medal. Tim Hawkins was next in for 36^th place, 30.04; then Paul Maskell 44^th, 30.36;Jack Bancroft 47^th in 30.53; Andrew Deamer, 50^th in 31.12; Lloyd Collins, 53^rd, and 2^nd V50, in 31.17; Steve Masters, 54^th, and 3^rd V50, in 31.20; Paul Allen 68th in 32.30; Neil Biss in 74^th , 33.08; Tom Dukes, 82^nd in 34.01; Simon Arnold 98^th in 35.19; Clive Harwood 104th in 35.56; Geoff Cole, 108^th in 36.33; Cris macpherson 115th in 37. 49; Rex Whitcombe 119^th in 38.40; and Pete Wright 121^st in 39.03. The first 12 Harriers home were 2^nd overall in the senior men’s ‘mob’ match, beaten only by the Bristol & West club.

For many in the Club they now prepare either for their schools competitions later this month or for the re-arranged South of England Championships at Parliament Hill on Saturday Feb 16th . The next full Club outing will be to the next Gwent League fixture on Saturday February 9th at Univ of Bath. Note parking fee of £2 applies as it is the Saturday.

All club members (age 11 upwards) who competed at the SW Championships, or at the County Championships in December, and who are eligible for Somerset are invited to advise Simon Prior if they are available for consideration for selection for the Inter Counties team, representing Avon & Somerset, to compete in Birmingham on Saturday March 9^th. The deadline for advising Simon is Friday January 18^th. Simon is on This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Left Behind: a few items of clothing were left behind at Bicton college - contact Paul to claim.