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Chiltern Harriers had a much better balanced performance at Cassiobury
Park, Watford on Saturday in the second of five matches. The young
athletes and senior women maintained their high standards and there was
a much improved effort from the senior men. The club were fourth on the
day and moved up from seventh to fifth overall.
A record total of 98 Chiltern Harriers took part in still, mild
conditions at Watford – this was despite a dozen young athletes being
lost to their schools for an inter-schools competition.
The senior men had a much more solid outing than the first match.
Fabian Downs was first home in 17th place on the tough six mile course
and there was a welcome return for evergreen runner Derek Brown in 26th
(2nd Vet 50). James Repper also ran well for 37th and there were Top
100 positions for Justin Fowler, 47th, Allan Stewart, 69th, Richard
Quantrill, 73rd, and Adam Bowller, 80th. The men were seventh on the
day which brought them up to eighth overall. Derek Brown, Justin
Fowler, Richard Quantrill and Michael Turney were third Vet team.
The senior women also had good support and finished in third spot. Sian
Thomas led the way in 9th. Sarah Quantrill, 15th, Ali Young, 17th, and
Kirstie Elliott, 30th, completed the scoring. The Chiltern Vet ladies
were again victorious thanks to Sarah and Ali plus Judith Orr, 33rd and
Caroline Holden, 38th.
Despite missing athletes due to the English Schools Cup event, the
remaining young athletes did the club proud. On the male side the U17s
were third, the U15s second, the U13s first and U11s first. The U17s
featured Michael Goddard, 10th, George Gillingwater, 13th, Liam
McDonald, 17th, and Jack Walker, 24th. This leaves the team in third
place after two matches.
The U15s were again narrowly beaten into second place and were led home
by James McCarthy in third. He was backed up by Joe Aherne, fourth,
Bill Hughes sixth, and Sam Butcher, 18th. The U15 league looks like
being a two-horse race with Bedford and County, both teams well ahead
of their nearest rivals.
Despite having six key runners out due to the schools race, the
Chiltern U13 boys team ran superbly to win the match anyway. Angus
Denison-Smith was fourth, Tom Conway sixth, Jack Murray eighth and Theo
Kontos tenth. There was useful backup from Calum Steer (19th), Richard
Slade (27th), Peter Hughes (28th) and Charlie Stevens (31st).
There was a very strong performance from the Under 11 boys. Tommy
Taylor, third, Callum Hodson, fifth, and Cameron Reid, seventh, were
the scorers but there were also good runs from debutants Finley Davis,
tenth, and Tom Hunter, 16th. The boys were winners on the day and lead
the league after two matches.
Hannah Wardley ran well in the U17 women’s race but the promising U15
team were badly hit by the schools race. Connie Lewis, second, Amy
Fawcett, 14th, and Emma Barraclough, 15th all ran very well but the
team dropped back to second without a fourth scorer. With the remaining
girls also away for the Schools Cup final which clashes with the third
Chiltern League fixture, it looks unlikely that the team can challenge
for gold medals this campaign.
The U13 girls had a full team out, however, and finished an excellent
second. Hannah Thear again ran well for fourth and Orla Fawcett, 12th,
Lizzie Barraclough, 14th and Abi Jones, 16th completed the scoring .
There were also great runs from Katie McCartney, 17th, Rachel Padwick,
20th, Mimi Houlihan-Burne, 24th and Maddy Lacey, 26th.
The Under 11 girls were missing several runners through injury but
still managed a good second on the day and remain in first place
season-to-date. Sophie Morton had another great run to record a second
victory and Sandie Pohlman ran well to be sixth. Debutant Magda
Rospedzihowska did very well to be third scorer in 14th.
The third match is at St Albans on December 3rd where the club hope to
make further progress.