Herne Hill Harriers’ men’s team turned out in good numbers for the final cross country club team championship event of the year, the South of the Thames 7.5 miles race at Beckenham Place Park on a foggy Saturday afternoon.
This was a much better showing than at the other recent shorter South of Thames race as seventeen men and five women from the club toed the start line. Herne Hill men were placed a good fourth in the six runners to score team contest and the squad strength in depth was displayed with a second position behind host club Kent AC in the twelve man team championship.
Harriers’ sole individual medal was claimed by Simon Coombes, who was first in the M40 category within the overall senior race. Mike Cummings led the team in thirteenth, followed by Coombes twenty-fourth, Jeff Cunningham twenty-sixth and Alex Hobley thirty-third, with Sean Fitzpatrick thirty-seventh and John Tayleur fortieth completing the main six to score team. Our backup runners for the twelve man scoring team were Eric Sapac, Oliver Morrison, Sam Knight, Jonathan Ratcliffe, Alex Marks and Gavern Newsum.
Harriers’ women’s team had four runners completing the undulating 7.5 miles course, with Annes Stevens running well in her longest cross country race to date to lead her team as seventh lady ahead of Jess Winfield, Helen Couchman and Penelope Cummings on a day that saw fine effort from all members present from team Herne Hill Harriers.