Wells City Harriers

There was some excellent running at the South West Cross Country Championships held on Sunday on a flat and fast circuit at Exeter racecourse. This was a Championships where athletes competed for the individual regional title, their Club team and also, if selected for their County team. Many of the Harriers were selected for the Somerset County AA team. Conditions were good underfoot on the circuit and there was no lack of effort and endeavour by the best athletes from across the region. (Toby Watson with his medals)

The best performance on the day by the Harrier girls was that by Skye Fisher who won the u11 girls race over 1.6km in 5.04. The best boy’s performance of the day was by u13 boy Toby Watson who was 2^nd, just one second behind the winner, over a 2.8km course in a time of 7.38. Toby ended up with three medals in all: silver for his individual effort; gold for being part of the Somerset County team in the combined inter-counties match; and gold for leading home the Harriers u13 boy’s team to their 1^st place in the Club teams.

Team medals for a number of the age groups are still to be confirmed.

In the senior men’s race over 8.55km, first home for the Harriers was u20 Sam Somerville, back from University, who finished 10^th (2^nd u20) in a time of 28.45. Next in was Luke Prior (3^rd u20) in 14^th, 29.00. Other Harriers in the senior men were Oliver Dickinson, 20^th 29.42; Jack Bancroft 22^nd in 29.43; Pete Grist 31^st in 30.24; Tom Dukes 90^th in 34.35.

In the u17 men’s race over 5.7km, Dylan Dukes was 27^th in 21.01. In the u15 boys race over 4.4km Archie Tyler led the Harriers home in 30^th in 14.53 with matthew Quaterman not far behind with in 34^th in 15.00. Oliver Chatting was next in 48^th with 15.45; William Carr was 54^th in 16.12 and Bernard Mealing just behind in 55^th with 16.22.

After Toby Watson’s 2^nd place in the u13 boys race, next for the Harriers was Fred Fisher, 4^th in 7.42, and his brother Jake Fisher, 9^th in 7.49. Bradley Glover was 27^th in 8.17; then came Ollie Bishop 59^th in 9.22. Finlay Downes and Lucas Earthy were the Harrier representatives in the u11 boys race over and were 4^th and 25^th respectively in 4.48 and 5.19. (Bradley, Ollie & Toby below in their Somerset vests)

In the senior women’s 5.7km race, u20 Amy D’Arcy was 50^th in 25.41. In the u17 women’s 4.4km race Elise Thorner was 11^th in 15.31; Caitlin Carnegie 15^th in 15.43; and Lucy Pittard 39^th in 18.12. In the u15 girls 3.2km race Holly Bigger was 6^th in 10.06, just 10 seconds behind the winner. Abbie White was 15^th in 10.32; and Jessica Hudson 45^th in 11.20.

In the u13 girls race over 2.8km, Darcy Dryden was first Harrier home in 23^rd, 8.51; with Hannah Blundy 25^th in 8.51;Kai Snell 30th in 9.03; Olivia Earthy 35^th in 9.12. In the u11 girl’s race, behind the winning run of Skye Fisher, team-mate Holly White was 19^th in 5.43.

Good luck to all junior Harriers in the forthcoming Somerset Schools XC Championships to take place on Saturday 21st January.