FROM THE ARCHIVES - DURHAM
PINE, NORTH EASTERN HARRIER LEAGUE, PRUDHOE, MARCH 26, 2000
WHILE there is no ‘live’
athletics activity at the moment – plenty of virtual running though thanks to
Vicki - here is a brief report from the Durham Pine Harrier League fixture of 20 years ago.
It was the first season of the coming together of the men and women as
previously the women would more often than not hold their fixtures on the
Sunday, following on from the men’s event at the same venue the previous day.
Even though I was in attendance at Prudhoe that day – can someone enlighten me
why it was on a Sunday - please excuse the fact that in some cases I don’t know
the Christian names of some of the athletes! – feel free to add them if you
can.
IT’S only right to kick off
with the senior women’s race for it was won by the promoting club’s – Tynedale
Harriers - Karen Robertson, and even though there was no pack system at the
time, managed to win by over a minute with Scottish Commonwealth Games marathon
representative Lynn Harding (now Cooper and the NECAA cross-country team
manager) finishing in second place ahead of Jarrow and Hebburn’s Clare
Smallwood (now Simpson). Compared to the huge women’s fields now witnessed at
harrier league fixtures on this occasion, I don’t know how many dropped out
because of the severity of the course, but the results state that only 21
managed to finish.
On a pleasing note however, it’s good to see that the
leading three athletes home are still involved in the sport we all love.
The under-17/20 women’s race
attracted just 11 competitors and was won by Gateshead’s Claire Taylor
(formerly North Shields Poly). L Davies of the Poly finished runner-up while
Tynedale’s L Wallace completed the one-two-three. Only one under-20 athlete was
involved with Angela Hunter (now McGurk) of Jarrow & Hebburn, finishing in
fourth place.
The under-15 girls contest,
which had 15 competitors, was won by Tynedale’s H Pearson with Blaydon’s N
Batey in second position and Danielle Watts (Morpeth) finishing in third place.
A young Danielle Hodgkinson (Wallsend) finished half-way down the field over a
minute adrift of the winner.
The under-13 girls event had
31 finishers with representatives from 12 of the region’s clubs. First across
the line was Julia Orr (Quakers) who had four seconds in hand over
second-placed Emma Nesbitt of Morpeth with Birtley’s A Barter holding off
Gosforth’s Joy Fenwick for third place.
The senior men’s course must
have been short of 10km on this occasion for first home in a time of 30min
53sec was Crook’s Kevin Archer who crossed the line over a minute-and-a-half
clear of Morpeth’s Stephen Munday who, like third-placed J Bent (Blaydon) ran
from the medium pack. First fast-pack runner home and quickest on the course,
was Jarrow and Hebburn’s Kevin Corr who, from a five-minute handicap, worked
his way through the field to finish in 11th place.
There were 201
finishers and, as he has done on many occasions since, George Routledge
(Heaton) was last man home! Also amongst the finishers that day were Blaydon’s
Bill Courtney in 79th place and following him across the line was
the current Start Fitness Harrier League sponsor’s owner, Tony Wallett of North
Shields Poly.
Only 13 competitors lined up
in the under-17 men’s event with victory going to A Hudson of Durham City who
crossed the finish line 20 seconds ahead of second-placed fast-pack runner R
Smee (Elswick,) with Quakers’ C Bedford, also from the fast pack, 13 seconds
further adrift in third spot. Despite the small field, two clubs managed to
close in a three-to-score team with North Shields Poly totaling 23 points to
Quakers’ 24!
The under-15 boys’ race with
24 competitors, was won by Blaydon’s Matthew Armstrong who held off the
challenge of fast-pack runner Marc Elliott of Gateshead by 15 seconds. Also
running from the fast-pack was third-placed S McCarthy (North Shields Poly) who
crossed the line just five seconds behind Elliott. Gosforth won the team race
led home by Drew Graham in fourth place.
The under-13 boys’ event
attracted 43 competitors and it was the only triumph for a fast-pack runner
with Nathan Shrubb (Wallsend) managing to cross the line five seconds clear of
his rivals. Elswick’s Jonny Pearson finished runner-up while Nick Swinburn,
then of Blaydon, claimed third place ahead of Gosforth’s Lewis Timmins. Pearson
and Swinburn ran from the slow pack while Timmins was a fast-pack entry.
The harrier league has come on
leaps and bounds since that day thanks to the leadership of a series of
hard-working committees and while the sport is in limbo at the moment with the
present team at the helm it is sure to move up another notch as soon as they
get the ok.
Roll on next season – bring on the mud!
Bill McGuirk
NEHL Reporter
NEHL Reporter
Full Results:
Senior men
Senior men
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