Jemima Davey was the most prominent performance for the Harriers in a large number of Junior age group athletes participating in the traditional XC relays held at Berry Hill Park in Mansfield. Davey setting the fastest time on the day for the U13G, with the U17W finishing in a splendid 5th place in the team competition the highest placed team on the day for the harriers.
The course although slightly altered and notably wider in the traditional wooded section was short, fast, undulating and frim underfoot, so performances on the day sometimes favoured different athletes, certainly more so than the more traditional longer courses.
The U13 girls race saw a remarkable performance from top year Jemima Davey who set the fastest time on the day, and also incredibly would have beaten all but 7 of the entire U15 G age group such was the strength of the performance. Davey running the ‘A’ leg got away well at the tricky start over the 2km course and settled in 5th place just off the leaders before entering the wooded section. Moving into 3rd place just as they climbed the steepest part of the course Davey made her move with 400m to go with a decisive injection of pace to storm into the front, a position she maintained to the line, finishing in 7:17.0 two seconds ahead of Liverpool Harrier’s B. Hughes. ‘B’ leg athlete Tiggy Guthrie-Brown ran a solid 2nd leg (8:46), as did Peyton Almond (8:48) to finish in a fine 21st position overall in a combined time of 24.51.
Jemima Davey set the fastest time for the U13G setting the team up for a fine 21st place finish.
The U13 Boys race saw a good performance from the trio to finish in a very credible 35th place out of the 65 teams, with George Sharp running a fine race & setting the quickest time as the ‘A’ runner in 7:42 to finish in 38th, with Finley Brooker running the ‘B’ leg in 8:15 making 1 place, and final runner Harley Hooker making 2 places with a strong run in 8:11 (24:09 combined time).
The U17 Women went into the race in hot form having picked a bronze medal in the National Road Relays, but the trio didn’t quite match this form over the shorter XC course, but still managed a hugely credible 5th place out of the 53 teams competing. Alice bates ran the ‘A’ leg and was just a little off the pace, not helped with a nasty knock to her eye while tying her lace just before the start with a trailing leg from another athlete. Sporting a nice shiner, Bates still ran a brilliant race to finish in 6th place in 9:05 over the 2.5km course (9th fastest leg on the day). Demi Locker, making great improvements since joining the Harriers in September, had forced her way into the team and she competed the ‘B’ leg, fully justifying her inclusion Locker ran a fantastic race to maintain the Harriers 6th position with 9:37 (8th fastest ‘B’ leg), handing over to the anchor Elsie Robinson who made up a single place with a splendid run to bring the team home in 5th place in 9:27 (7th fastest ‘C’ leg) with a combined time of 28:10. Sophie Dunbobbin, the sole representation to an injury hit ‘B’ team ran a solid race in 10:32.
Alice Bates (center) ran the 9th fastest time on the day helping the U17W team to a brilliant 5th place overall
The U15 Girls also produced a highly credible performance to finish in 26th place out of the 77 teams competing. Lara Turner set off in the ‘A’ leg, and produced a top quality race to finish the 2km course in 7:33 in 18th place to set the team up, with Chelsi Locker running well in the ‘B’ leg in 8:25, handing over to the anchor Maggie Gancheva who produced perhaps one of her best races with a well-paced 7:57 making 9 places up in the process to bring the team home.
The Junior Men competing over the 3km course finished in 45th place with Dylan Bowley setting the fastest time of the trio on the ‘A’ leg in 9:47 (50th), with Josh Geddes 10:33 (42nd) making 8 places & the ‘C’ leg completed by Josh Clutton in 11:20) bringing the team home. The U17 Men also competing over 3km finishing in 49th place out of the 64 teams competing with Rio Carr running the fastest leg on the opening leg in 9:54 (38th), with Lucas Mansell 10:33 (41st) and Ben Brooker 11:25 (49th). The U15 Boys ran with an incomplete team with Dylan Ransom & James Clutton running well with 7:21 & 8:13 respectively over the 2.0km course.
Well done to evryone who competed.