Wells City Harriers

Senior Men gain great victory in Port Talbot at Gwent League XC

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Written by Paul Chadwick

Created: 14 February 2023

Last Updated: 14 February 2023

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Jon James reports:

“The fourth fixture of the Gwent cross-country league was held last Saturday in Margam Park near Port Talbot. A new venue for most of us and what a great course it was – hilly, boggy, but still quite runnable, and some great views of the industrial sprawl of Port Talbot from the top of the hill!

This might well have been the best performance by a Wells senior men team in the Gwent League since the halcyon days of 2011 when we won division 1. On Saturday, we won the team competition outright and now lead division 2 from the University of Swansea, albeit by just one point(7127 to 7126!).

It is packing runners that is key to success to this and finishing our scoring 5 in 23 always meant that we were likely to win (in a race that had 341 finishers). That said, we had two top ten finishers with Dan Maydew coming 4^th, in a time of 30.12 for the 8.5K course, and Chris Green 5^th in the same time (he was also first M35 runner), but losing in a sprint finish at the end. Zak Hurrell, despite still being afflicted by a cold, had his highest ever finish coming 19^th (31.23), as did Alex Coombs, close behind in 22^nd (31.30).

Matt Lusby ran well to come 23^rd (also running 31.30) and he closed the scoring 5. Mark Duffet had his first race for the club, and despite nursing injuries, ran strongly in coming 26^th (31.49), followed by Jon James in 31^st (31.56), who narrowly won the M45 age group, as well as the M55 age group.

Such was our strength and depth that we unusually finished a B team (2^nd B team overall), made up of Mark, Jon and then solid runs from Henry Sage (127^th in a time of 36.04), Adam Sutton (128^th in 36.05), and Andrew Deamer (141^st in 36.34, and 6^th M55 runner). Graham Goldsmid finished in 231^st (41.04, 7^th M60 runner) and this importantly meant that we also won the M55 team competition with Jon, Andrew and Graham the scoring 3.

Final fixture is at Pontypool on March 4^th, hopefully we can repeat the performance. “

Read on for Other News about races coming up and update on Yeovil Spring Open

Read more: Senior Men gain great victory in Port Talbot at Gwent League XC

Another fine night of racing at Street! 196th edition of the 5k

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Written by Paul Chadwick

Created: 09 February 2023

Last Updated: 13 February 2023

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The 196^th edition of the Street 5k races took place last night (8th Feb) and there was the usual great effort shown by all competitors. This time out there were 74 finishers in the main 5k race and another good turn out by the 16 juniors in the accompanying 1k and 2k races (photo of start above)

Top billing in the 5k goes to the race winners – the Harrier’s Alexander Coombs (15.58) and Running For Time’s Gill Pearson (18.51) but there was also another age group record when u15 Tom Webb finished 2^nd in 15.59. In the accompanying 1k race the winners were Charlie Franchomme and Florence Perkins; and in the 2k race Oskar Beck and Maya Bufton. Well done all.

Read on for link to the results and the Series standings as we come to the final race of this Series next month on 8^th March. All that have completed 5 races in the 5k Series or 4 races in the accompanying 1k & 2k races will be in line to pick up their badged Sports towel next time with overall category prizes too.

This web report also includes some news on other local road or multi-terrain races coming up in the area in the coming months (note Babcary race is full); an update on the Harriers next venture to compete at cross-country; and early notice that entries are open for the first of the Track & Field opportunities at our partner Club, Yeovil Olympiads.

(Below: 1st junior, Tom Webb, and 1st overall Alexander Coombs with their Street 5k rewards-  photo by Paul)

Read more: Another fine night of racing at Street! 196th edition of the 5k

Sophie & Dan compete in Belgium. Excellent running at Somerset Schools XC Championships

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Written by Paul Chadwick

Created: 24 January 2023

Last Updated: 24 January 2023

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Another good weekend of running by Harriers. Two of the Junior Harriers were away over in Belgium competing in one of the tough Cross-Country invitational meetings, whilst 30 or so Harriers toed the start lines at the Somerset Schools Championships closer to home.

Many of the junior Harriers are now selected for the Somerset Schools team to compete in the SW Schools Championships coming up, and maybe a stepping stone to the English Schools Championships on the 18^th March. A number are also in the frame to be selected for the joint Avon & Somerset County team to compete in the Inter-Counties fixture the week before (11^th March). It could be a busy period for some of them!

Lotto Cross Cup de Hannut Belgium - Sunday 22nd January 2023

Simon Prior reports:

“U20 Dan Maydew for Team England and u17 Sophie Nicholls for South of England both had great runs here.

Sophie, running for the south, as a u20 had the run of her season so far with 3rd place. Great running as she is still a u17.

Dan Maydew returning to form also running in the u20 age group race for England junior men came home 12th in the strong international race.

Well done both - great running”

(photo above shows Sophie on the right of the podium – beaten only by athletes competing for Team England - Innes Fitzgerald (Exeter) & Rebecca Flaherty (Bingley).)

Read on for more detail on the Somerset Schools XC Championships; the English National XC Championships; and sad news of David Franklin RIP.

Read more: Sophie & Dan compete in Belgium. Excellent running at Somerset Schools XC Championships

Sophie races in Perth. Personal bests overseas and Street Series standings so far

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Written by Paul Chadwick

Created: 17 January 2023

Last Updated: 18 January 2023

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U17 Sophie Nicholls (above) had a good run in the latest round of the British Cross Challenge Series at the weekend in Perth, Scotland. She finished 11^th, 4^th u17, in a high quality race combined with the u20 women where many ahead of her were competing for a place in the u20 TeamGB to go to the World XC Championships.

Sophie & u20 Dan Maydew have now been selected for the Lotto Cross de Hannut race over in Belgium this coming weekend (22^nd January) Sophie will represent the South of England whilst Dan races again for Team England at this prestigious international cross-country event.

Closer to home, a good number of the junior Harriers will be lining up at the Somerset Schools Cross Country Championships this coming Saturday (21^st January) and we wish them well as they seek to get into the Somerset Schools team to race in the SW School Championships.

This posting also includes a report from overseas where a number of pbs have been set, and the current standings in the Street races after 4 of the 6 races with the Harrier’s Alexander Coombs leading for the men and Running For Times Gill Pearson for the women.

(Below: last week's Street 5k winner Christian Green - photo by Graham)

Read more: Sophie races in Perth. Personal bests overseas and Street Series standings so far