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Another solid set of performances from Chiltern Harriers again claimed fourth place at Stockwood Park, Luton on Saturday in the third round of the Chiltern Cross Country League but that was enough to edge the club into third place overall.
The afternoon began with a chill wind and was occasionally cloudy with sunny spells. Conditions underfoot were still relatively firm on the grassy parkland courses.
The Under 11 girls were first off and again the team showed their strength in depth winning the team race by 23 points from Windsor, Slough, Eton and Hounslow. Connie Lewis, sixth, Emma Barraclough, seventh, and Claire Buttivant, eighth, were the three counters but the remaining team members packed well in the top thirty to push back other teams' counting runners.
The Under 11 boys were without several key runners but still managed an amazing 1,2,3,4 with Joe Cochrane the individual winner this time. He was followed home by James McCarthy, Will Perkin and Bill Hughes to put the boys in a strong position with two races to go. This age group has now had three different individual winners, all from Chiltern Harriers.
The Under 13 girls saw promising debuts this season for Carrie Holloway and Gemma Wenman, earning valuable points in 42nd and 47th places. In the boys race Michael Goddard, fifth, Jack Dutton sixth, Dan Barraclough, ninth and George Gillingwater, fifteenth, combined to put Chiltern in second place on the day behind Bedford and County.
As the afternoon wore on the weather deteriorated until at 2.30, the start of the senior women's race had to be postponed due to lightening, thunder and a torrential hailstorm. The long parkland courses now began to cut up to provide a traditional muddy cross country test and the Chiltern ladies ran well to achieve an excellent third place. Sandra Reynolds was eighth on the 5.9K course with 23.54, Laura Butt was tenth in 24.03, Judith Orr was 17th in 25.00 and Louise Dobby was the final counter in 18th with 25.16. Sandra was second Vet 35, Judith fourth, Cath Holloway sixth, Barbara Ralph third Vet 45 and the vets team were again victorious.
The men started in drizzle with a biting wind and were glad to get going on the 10.2K worth of laps around the park and golf course. Despite absences due to illness and injury the men ran well to achieve fourth place, Eddie O'Gorman again showing the way with an excellent eighth place. Stuart Ellerby had his best run of the season to be 15th and Matt Bennett, 30th, and Kingsley Nanton, 39th both scored highly.
This leaves Chiltern in third place overall, narrowly ahead of local rivals Vale of Aylesbury with races in January at Eton and February at Wing to close the season.