Herne Hill Harriers recorded one of their best overall team performances in the South of England Cross Country Championships on 29 January after a strong turnout from young and old athletes.
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The large turnout ensured top ten team finishes in five of the 10 races for the Harriers, with some excellent individual performances in what was the biggest cross country race of the season so far.
The Harriers’ best placed individual was Katie Snowden, who finished an impressive 7th out of 124 finishers in a competitive U17 women’s race. The Harriers’ U15 boys’ team were the highest placed team for the club, finishing in a fine 5th place and led by another strong performance by emerging talent Merhawi Yemane.
The U13 girls team finished in 6th place with Saskia Millard heading the team in an excellent 34th, while the Harriers’ U13 boys’ team closed in 8th place led by the youngster, Paul Burgess in 41st.
Herne Hill Harriers senior women’s team equalled the club’s best team placing in this race, finishing in a fine 6th with three its four-team members finishing in the top 30 of a field of 381. Cathy Ansell led the start of the women’s race to hang on to a very creditable 11th place, while team captain Karen Ellison finished in 25th and the 2011 South of Thames champion, Suzie Richards close behind in 28th.
In a gruelling 15km course, the Harriers’ senior men’s team finished in 8th place, packing 6 runners in the top 100 out of 885 finishers. The Harriers next six runners all finished in the top 200 to secure victory for the first Surrey team to close 12 men in the competition.