The Charity Cup, one of longest established cross county events in the country dating back almost 100 years and run over the traditional Wicksteed Park course saw the Harriers putting in a dominant display to secure 4 individual Gold medals and 5 team Gold medals including the senior men retain the Charity cup by the smallest of margins, just 2 points from Higham Harriers. Conditions were very wet underfoot, ideal conditions to test the athletes over the traditional Wicksteed Park course.
In the U11 Boys race over 2km, the Harriers secured a perfect 1,2,3 clean sweep in the medals with a win for the fast improving George Sharp who hit the front from the start, and gradually stretched out a winning margin of 40m to take the Gold with a brilliant race in 8:06. The Silver & Bronze were also secured by two of the Harriers up and coming U11’s with Zachary Scott who was keeping pace with Sharp until the final 400m finishing a strong race in 8:16 for the Silver, and Finley Brooker also running a fine race for the Bronze in 8:21, to secure a perfect score for the team Gold.
U11B team winners Finley Brooker, George Sharp & Zachary Scott
Jess Lamb, who has been training with the Harriers for the past 2 months and has seen a big improvement during this time, secured the U11 Girls race with a fantastic race, taking to the front from the start she controlled the race throughout to take the Gold in 8:25. Lamb who was competing for Northampton AC will complete her transfer to the Harriers in December. Peyton Almond was the first scorer for the Harriers with a fine run for 3rd place overall in 9:20 to grab the Bronze, and Billi Robinson & Sophie Panther completed the scoring for the U11 team in 7th (10:39) & 8th (10:41) respectively to secure a Silver team medal.
Strong run from Jess Lamb the U11 Girls winner
In the U13 Boys & Girls race over 3km, the Harriers secured a brilliant Team Gold for the Girls with Jemima Davey running a fine race for individual Silver just behind Northampton A/C’s Ella Darby in 12:22 top scoring, with Maggie Gancheva running a strong race for an individual Bronze in 12:33 & Lara Turner final scorer in 4th place in 13:01 helping the team secure the win. In the Boys race, Dylan White ran a fine race to finish in 2nd place behind R&N’s Arthur Tilt in 11:06, with Thomas Leak & Finnley Currie running well for 7th (11:42) & 8th (12:48) respectively to help secure a team Silver.
U13G Gold - Jemima Davey (174), Maggie Gancheva (206) & Lara Turner (191) the scorers
In the U15 Boys race there was a terrific battle for Gold/ Silver between the Harriers Luke Cole & Rio Carr, with the former just holding off the fast finishing Carr with an excellent win over the 4.5km course to take the Gold in 17:27, with Carr taking the Silver just behind in 17:30. Ben Brooker also ran a fine race to finish in 4th (19:08) place to ensure the Harriers won the team Gold. The girls won a team Silver with good performances from Josie Crick top scoring in 7th place and Izzy Broackway & Niamh Sinnott completing the team scoring in 9th & 10th place respectively.
U15B start with Luke Cole (202) & Rio Carr (235) taking the Gold & Silver
The U17 Men repeated the result of the U15B to take Gold & Silver with another terrific battle between Josh Geddes & Josh Clutton which saw Geddes just proving too strong for Clutton over the final 300m to take the win in 25:01 over the 6km course, with Clutton finishing in second place in 25:05, and final team scorer Ryan Raulia in a fine 4th place in 26:58 to help secure the team Gold. The Harriers only had a single athlete in the U17 Women’s race with Toni Robinson finishing in 4th place in 31:54.
U17 M Gold & Silver places, Josh Geddes (180) & Josh Clutton (182)
The Senior & Vet women’s race saw the Harriers claim a team Silver with some good performances from the x6 athletes competing, top scoring over the 6km course was Elana Albery who had a strong race to finish 5th overall in 25:27, with Elaine Fairbrother in a fine 9th place (28:43) and Karen Albery in 14th place (29:42) the final scorer for the team. The NAA Masters race also saw the harriers grab a team Silver, with Elaine Fairbrother top scoring in 4th place, Karen Albery in 6th place & Nicola Robinson in 7th place (29:47) the final scorer for the team.
Senior Womens Silver team medal, Elaine Fairbrother, Karen Albery & Elana Albery
In the Senior/ Masters Men’s race the Harriers retained the Charity cup with a brilliant displace, this year by the smallest of margins (2 points) from Higham Harriers. Matt Fowler had a strong race to finish top scorer of the 10km course in 37:31 in a fine 8th place, with good support from the Cannell brothers Josh (10th in 37:52) & Edward (11th in 38:12), Phil Brigden in 12th (39:46), Tony James in 13th (39:56), and Ross Brown final scorer in 18th (42:44) completing the team result to take the Gold medals & the historic Charity Cup trophy. For the NAA Masters there was a brilliant clean sweep of the medals with Matt Fowler, Phil Brigden & Tony James grabbing the first three places & Ross Brown supporting well in 7th place the final scorer for the team Gold.
Senior Men retaining the Charity Cup from left to right
Tony James, Phil Brigden, Matt Fowler, Ross Brown, Josh Cannell, & Edward Cannell
This was a brilliant day for the Harriers... well done to everyone who ran!