After the disappointment of missing both young athlete road relays in
recent months due to issues with the venue, the Harriers were in good
form at the Nation XC Relays held in the traditional venue of Berry Hill
Park in Mansfield. Conditions on the day were surprisingly good, and
firm under foot, despite much wet weather leading up to the event.
First off for the Harriers were the U17 Women, where we have an
abundance of talent, and has x2 full team competing. The A team
consisted of Kayli Walford, Claudia Kelsell & Abigail Coleman, and Kayli
Walford made a terrific start, and continued her fine start to the XC
season by bringing the girls home in an excellent 18th position over the
short 2.5km distance setting the quickest time on the day from the
harriers of 9:46, Claudia Kelsell ran a fine 2nd leg to record 10:20 and
bring the team home in 25th position, and Abigail Coleman ran a strong
anchor leg to make up 4 places and bring the team home is an excellent
21st position with the second fasted leg of 10:01. In the B team Jess
Gordon was the lead runner and she ran a strong race to record 10:35 to
finish in 52nd position, handing over to the improving Lauren Mehmet who
ran a storming 2nd leg to make up 7 places and finish in 45th position
with 10:45, Fran Ashworth ran the B anchor leg and Also ran an excellent
leg to make a further 7 places for the team to finish in a highly
credible 38th position with 10:36. The icing on the cake was that both
A&B team finished ahead of local rivals Rugby & Northampton A&B teams,
who finished in 40th & 57th position!
In the U13 Girls race it was the turn of Tabatha Walford (Sister of
Kayli) to take centre stage and she did not disappoint finishing the
lead leg of the short 2km course in an excellent 19th position in 8:07,
handing over to the improving Izzy Cara who ran a determined race to
finish in 31st position in 9:02, the anchor leg was ran by Rebecca
Hughes who enjoyed a better race by holding on to a superb 32 position
for the team with a time of 8:54, again the team finishing well ahead of
R&N who finished in 62nd.
The U5 Girls Race saw Gemma Vaughan starting off the A leg and she found
herself swamped at the start and was near the back of the field, but ran
superbly to claw back many of the positions and finishing strongly in
the 2km course in 71st position with 8:28, making her XC debut and
looking a good prospect was new middle distance recruit Claudia Nevitt
who ran the B leg in fine style to finish her leg in 80th position with
a very respectable 9:23 which she will look to build on over the coming
months, the anchor leg was run by Hannah Winstone who finished the race
for the team in a respectable 82nd position with 9:51.
The sole male representation for the day was the boys U15 who were
missing one of their leading athletes Josh Cara, however the team again
showed their strength in depth when Jack Hope ran the A leg to bring the
team home in an excellent 25th position over the 2km course in 7:01,
showing improved form in the B leg, Ethan Mehmet ran a strong leg to
bring the team home in 37th position with 7:31, with Edward Cannell
running the anchor to finish mid table in 40th position overall with
7:48.
Well done to all who competed,
the next XC fixture in the Kettering leg on the North Midlands League
this Saturday 10th November, athletes in all age groups from U11 to
Senior can race, you do not need to enter just turn up on the day,
details on website.