The Harriers youngsters were again in action on the road with the National Road Relays, held over the traditional 3.88k course in Sutton Park, and it was again the U13 Girls who led the way securing a brilliant top 10 finish.
The U13 girls won a fine Bronze medal at the Midland Counties Road relays 2 weeks earlier over the considerably shortened 1.6k course, and they showed their versatility with a fine performance over the longer distance in a competition which attracts some of the best teams throughout the UK, with almost 60 teams competing.
U13 Girls again top finishers in the County with a brilliant 10th place (L to R Elsie Bennett, Tiggy Guthrie-Brown, Clara Booth)
Elsie Bennet who is settling nicely with her new club, was the lead runner for the U13G and she turned in a brilliant performance to slice an incredible minute and a half from her previous best over the course. Bennett paced the tricky steep climb at the start perfectly, and ran a fine race finishing her leg strongly in 12th place in 15:04, which was the 20th fastest time on the day. Clara Booth ran a superb second leg and also smashed her course PB by over a minute to make up a single place and bring the Harriers home in 11th in 15:44, with Tiggy Guthrie-Brown on anchor also running a terrific race and slicing 44 seconds from her PB in 15:22 and making a further place, it was an outstanding top 10 finish for the Girls.
Elsie Bennett setting in well with the Harriers and top individual placing on the day (20th fastest in her AG)
The U13 Boys also showed their strength over the longer 3.88k distance with a splendid 17th place finish out of the 50+ teams competing. Joshua Spavins who is a bottom year U13 competed over the opening leg, with a superb race to finish in 19th place in 14:13, setting the 32nd fastest time on the day. Spavins handed over to Ollie Smith who maintained 19th place running a 16 sec course PB in 14:56, with Rafferty Davey anchoring the team and making two places with a 20 sec course PB of 15:15 for a fine top 20 finish.
Joshua Spavins fine run with the 32nd fastest split on the day and still bottom year in the AG
In the U15 Boys race George sharp smashed his course PB by almost 3 minutes with a fine opening leg of 13:44 (49th place) handing over to Finley Brooker who ran 14:43 (53rd), with Harlee Hooker making up 7 places to bring the team home in 46th place with a 50 second course PB in 14:13.
George Sharp a near 3 minute course PB spearheading the U15 Boys
The U17 Women finished in 28th place with opener Chelsie Locker completing the course in 15:44 (39th), with Lara Turner putting gritty performance to take 25 places in 15:25, a 24 sec course PB, with anchor Charlotte Jackson slicing 45 seconds off her course PB to bring the team home in 17:29.
Lara Turner gritty performance to make 25 places in her 2nd leg.
The U17 Men finished in 61st position with James Clutton opening in 15:26 (61st), handing to Joseph Pickering 13:24 making 9 places, and Dylan Ransom bringing the team home in 13:44 making an additional 12 places.
With the transition into longer cross country distances now complete the opening XC fixture in 1 week will be at Derby with no sign of the more typical XC weather it could be unseasonably warm for the athletes.
Well Done to everyone who ran.