Herne Hill Harriers young athletes warmed up for this coming weekend’s English National cross country relays in Mansfield with some very good performances at the Bruce Judd Surrey County relays at Stoke Park, Guildford on Saturday.
Although some of the age group teams were depleted due to illness and half term holidays the club enjoyed a strong showing with a good win in the under 15 girls relay and silver medals in the under 13 boy’s race in which the B team also placed fourth.
In the under 15 girls event Poppy Craig McFeely got the team off to a promising start leading home a strong field by thirty metres. Maisie Collis then maintained the lead on leg two and Eva Holland bought the team home for an unchallenged win by eight seconds in 23.22. The B team of Phoebe Bowen, Sophie Williams and Tilly Stevens-Cox were an excellent sixth
The under 13 boys again had to settle for second place medals in the opening race of the day after their excellent second in the Southern x country relays the week before. Zac Crowther, Fabien Whitelock and Christo Chilton chased a strong South London Harriers team throughout the race, but finished eight seconds in arrears. Chilton chased the leader bravely on the final leg and was rewarded with the medal for the fastest leg in the race in 7.22 but was unable to close the gap enough for victory. The B team of Oak Buchan, Joe Russian (making his race debut) and Diego Lister were an excellent fourth.
The under 13 girls’ team of Annabella Bailey, Izzy Perry & Rosalie Laban finished eighth and the under 15 boys team of Ben & Jacob Harrison & Joe Roberts placed sixth with the B team of Jacob Taylor, Harvey Kande and David Aisa Miller eighth
There was also a Herne Hill contingent racing overseas at the Frankfurt Marathon on Sunday. Second claim man Ryan Burling, who competes for Harriers in National League track and Surrey League cross country made a hugely impressive debut with a stunning time of 2.20.10 in 29th place overall, with an equally stunning sub 70 second half.
The first man across the finish line wearing Herne Hill’s red and black colours was – as is so often the case – M50 athlete Jonathan Ratcliffe, whose excellent 2.44.46 clocking sees him consolidate his sixth ranking in the UK in his age group for 2018. Ratcliffe was followed in by M40 Matt Munro in 2.58.13, Eriç Dol only just outside 3 hours in 3.00.20 and Patrik Ewe with 3.02.49 then followed, both of the latter recording PB times.