The Harriers produces some Brilliant individual and team performances at the Midland Counties XC Championships, with x4 athletes securing top 11 individual placings, and the U15 Boys winning a superb team Bronze medal.
The Championships held on a revised course at Newbold common, Leamington Spa which still included the now infamous ditch which was a lot less daunting than previous years due to low rainfall over the winter. The course was still a challenging one with firm conditions in general but some slippery surfaces resulting from fresh rainfall overnight.
The strong U15 Boys team consisted of 6 athletes spearheaded by Idayi Jumbe, who in only his third race of the season showed the undoubted potential he possess with the top placing from Northamptonshire based clubs contingent. Jumbe got a fantastic start using his 800m speed to sit in with the leading group and as the 4km race progressed Jumbe was unable to hold is position and just dropped off the leading pack, but showed his strength by holding on for a magnificent 10th place in 15:15. There was a superb battle between the remaining athletes and close packing saw them scoring well for the team, Josh Geddes again just proving to be too strong and securing 32nd place in 15:58, with Callum Cox in 38 place (16:09) showing his much improved form, and final scorer Josh Clutton also enjoying a fine race in 45th place (16:19) helping the team secure a terrific Bronze team medal. Also running well for the U15 Boys was Luke Cole finishing in a credible 49th place (16:28), with ben Brooker in 65th (17:20) out of the 81 strong field.
Two of the bronze medal winning U15B team Callum Cox & Idayi Jumbe
The joint highest individual position of the day was bottom year U15 Alice Bates who continues to impress, with a fine run for 9th place over the 4km course in 16:59. Bates got off to a superb start settling into the leading group at the first turn and feeling confident enough to hit the front shortly afterwards, unfortunately for Bates poor marshalling allowed her to take a wrong turn whist leading the race and the subsequent tracking back and catching the lead group after the incident meant the 13 year old overdid it and suffered later in the race having to concede places which should have seen her comfortably in a top 5 position.
U15 Alice bates continued her fine start to 2019 with a superb 9th place
U17 Emily Williams didn’t enjoy her best race of the season, after a fine start she was in the leading pack of 6 athletes, Williams was unable to stay on the front group dropping off midway through the 5km course but still managing to finish in a highly respectable 9th place in 21:29 and she will look to put this performance behind her and put in a more competitive performance in a week’s time for the Anglian trophy, a race she has won 4 times in previously.
U17 Emily Williams in a fine 9th place, joint highest position on the day
In the U17 men’s race there was just a single Harrier in action, Dylan Bowley who struggled slightly with conditions over the 6km, to finish in 26th place in 23:16
In the U13 Age group Maggie Gancheva tasting competition for the first time at Regional level gained vital experience and ran a terrific race to finish in 50th place out of the 121 strong field over the 3km course, finishing in 14:43. The 11 year old still has two more years in the AG so will undoubtedly look to make big strides in the coming years. Also running well was Izabelle Brockway who finished in 114th place.
The U13 Boys race saw another great performance from Jacob Sher-Relf, finishing in a superb 11th place in 12:41 and gradually returning to full fitness and on this evidence he will look to salvage his XC season with his remaining races. Also running in the U13B race was George Separovic who finished in a highly respectable 62nd place in 13:46 in the 114 strong field.
Jacob asher-Relf a fine run for 11th place in the U13 B race
Well done to everyone who ran
Focus for the squad now switches to the Anglian Trophy being hosted by Northamptonshire at a the familiar surroundings of Abington park with the all-important English Schools places up for grabs for the top 7 or 8 places in the U15/ U17 & U19 age groups.