Halifax Harriers were represented by eighteen young athletes at the Yorkshire Cross Country Championships at Lightwater Valley in Ripon on 7th January. In the under-13 girls' race Kitty Harrison Sargent won the bronze medal, and along with teammates Alesha and Lily Atkinson (who finished 14th and 22nd respectively), earned the girls a well-deserved silver team medal. The under-13 boys were awarded a team bronze, with Sam Keighley 10th, Joe Stone 11th and Beau Clark 24th. The under-13 boys B team of Tom Wright, Albert and Ralf Jones finished in 7th position.
In a tough field the under-15 boys' team finished 5th, Ben Slow 22nd, Chester Gately 23rd and Eli Cattermole 28th.
Montane Spine Sprint
A huge round of applause for Will Carver, who (for the second time) ran the Montane Spine Sprint race along the Pennine Way from Edale to Hebden Bridge, finishing just before midnight on Saturday in 11:55:59 (40 minutes faster than last year). That's 46 miles, 8,658 feet of climbing, clambering over Kinder Scout, Bleaklow, Black Hill and all the othe boggy, windswept uplands along the way ... and the second half run in the dark. Congratulations to Will who finished in 16th place.
Valencia 10k
Fantastic effort from three Harriers at the Valencia 10k in Spain on Sunday. Josh Hall-Brown was first home in 32:38. Liam Parkin (35:59) and Matthew Green (40:18) both recorded PBs.
Stanbury Splash
There was a good turnout and some awesome results for Harriers at the tough Stanbury Splash fell races on Sunday. It was great to see so many from our club enjoying the bogfest! In the junior races, Will Cattermole and Jayde McGregor both took their first fell race wins (under 17 boys and girls races). Both Will and Jayde have been working hard this year to improve their strength and endurance, so it's fantastic to see them rewarded. Will's gun to tape front running performance was highly impressive. Jayde's run with just one shoe was also quite an achievement! Casey George competed in the Under 11s race, finishing in 9:54.
In the 6.8 miles senior race (with 1,200' of ascent), Ned Hughes was second U21 in 12th overall in 55:21. Ned took maximum points in the latest, and penultimate, race in the club's Fell League for 2022/23. Lee Cattermole (1:04:36), James O'Rourke (1:06:26) and Martin Ellis (1:31:58) also scored points in the men's section.
Andrea Ackroyd took the full ten points in the women's section, finishing in 1:18:18. Jane Hobson was next in 1:23:28. Jane was hotly pursued by Stef Dickinson, who fnished just ten seconds behind on her fell racing debut.
Photo of Ned Highes at the Stanbury Splash.
Halifax Harriers had a good turnout, making up more than 20% of the field, at the Giant's Tooth Fell Race on 1st January to start 2023. The short course of just under three miles, with over 400' ascent, charges from the car park at Ogden down to the reservoir and up to the Giant's Tooth. Then across the bogs, dropping back down to the reservoir before the last climb to the finish. Short, fast and brutal with plenty of mud to contend with this year!
Ned Hughes was the first home of the 15 Harriers in third place overall in 19:36 closely followed by junior Will Cattermole in fifth place (19:52) whose slight navigation error towards the end cost him second place. Brother Eli was eighth in 20:20 just ahead of Fred Carver in ninth place in 20:38.
There was another tussle between Lee Cattermole in 19th place in 21:49 followed by Will Carver in 20th (21:56) with Tom Paget and James O'Rourke in 21st (22:28) and 22nd (22:53) respectively, both having completed the New Year's Day Parkrun earlier.
Simon Gelsthorpe took first MV60 in 23:49 with Phil Grimes second MV60 (24:10) and Mark Crabtree third MV60 in 24:30. Junior Jayde McGregor was next home in 24:54 and finished a very impressive sixth lady overall. Hazel Berrett was first FV60 in 27:44 just pipping Andrea Ackroyd who got first FV50 (28:04). Kirsty Carver finished in 35:46, a day after achieving her 100th Parkrun.