From the archives: English National XC Townmoor 1986

 NEWCASTLE NATIONAL IS MOOR TO THE LIKING FOR SNOWY VISITORS

by Bill McGuirk

 

I FOUND this race report from the English National Cross-Country Championships held on Town Moor on Saturday, March 1, 1986.

Make of the attempted Geordie dialect what you will!

THE ninety-ninth English Cross-Country Championships took place at Town Moor in Newcastle, this was the first time Newcastle had hosted the race, Provincial Insurance continued their support of the event. The programme contained a good Geordie welcome from the president M. Fraser of Darlington Harriers.

Us Geordie Hinnies want to say: ‘Howway aall ye lads, gan tappy lapy up the banks, but divvent cowp ya creels in the darts.’

Roughly translated means: ‘The local inhabitants would like to welcome all you chaps, to hope that you will not find the gradients excessive, and bid you take care lest you fall in the muddy ground.’

The course consisted of three laps of approximately three miles plus the start and finish straights and was nine miles in total.

The reigning champion, David Lewis (Rossendale) was a notable absentee, Tim Hutchings (Crawley) spent the week in Newcastle acclimatising and felt poised before the race saying: ‘I’m reasonably confident about Saturday, I’ve been very pleased with my three runs on the Continent and I really should have won in Paris. I feel I’m back to my best now.’

This was an ominous warning for the other leading contenders. Area champions were Bob Treadwell (Surrey Beagles), Southern titleholder; Nigel Gates (Bath and Percy), Midlands winner and Northern champion Geoff Turnbull (Gateshead) who was absent – Jon Richards (Cornwall) held the Inter-Counties title. Dave Clarke (Hercules Wimbledon) and Eamonn Martin (Basildon) were also planning to run. Tipton were hot favourites for the team title.

The course was challenging as it was covered with snow and ice undulating and there was also a cold wind blowing across the moor. After a mile when the initial stampede had begun to stretch out, the leading pack consisted of Mike McLeod (Elswick), Clarke, Hutchings, Tony Milovsorov (Tipton), Roger Hackney (Aldershot, Farnham and District) and Neil Tennant (Luton United).

The two main hills on each lap had an impact of the leading runners. Hutchings was coping with them admirably and when the runners started the second circuit Hutchings had a 40 metre advantage over Clarke with Tennant, McLeod and Steve Binns (Bingley), Hackney, Martin and Miovsorov in pursuit. Hutchings continued to dominate throughout the lap, and Clarke increased the gap on the chasing pack.

On the last lap Hutchings made the going look ease with a masterful execution of cross-country running, Clarke continued to chase and Martin overcame the challenge of McLeod, Binns and Tennant to move into third, Hutchings went onto to win by 34 seconds in 47:25, silver went to Clarke and bronze to Martin. McLeod won the battle fourth place.

Early leaders

Winner: Tim Huchings

In the team race Milovsorov led Tipton to victory with their six counters placing inside the top 79, this gave Tipton a 156-point win over Basildon with the Wolverhampton and Bilston team picking up the bronze medals.

The 26-year-old Hutchings said: ‘It wasn’t a traditional cross-country course. Had it been drier, it would have been a very, very fast, flat course, with just that one hill really. The second hill was negligible because you came down off the first one so fast, but it was a tough course because of the conditions and I can’t complain about that.’

Tim derived more satisfaction than his first win in 1983 saying: ‘I’m more aware of what’s going on now in the sport, especially after having such a bad year last year. Just about everybody was running apart from Dave Lewis.’

RESULT: 1 T Hutchings (Crawley) 47:25; 2 D Clarke (Hercules Wimbledon) 47:59; 3 E Martin (Basildon) 48:10; 4 M McLeod (Elswick) 48:33; 5 T Milovsorov (Tipton); 6 S Binns (Bingley) 48:43. Other notable NE finishers included: 15 B Rushworth (Sund) 49:19; 31 G Nagel (Gates) 50:24; 33 C Naisbitt (Walls) 50:27; 42 S Sutcliffe (Gates) 50:45;45 B Leddicoat (Gates) 50:52; 51 P Cuskin (J&H); 52 S Parr (Gates); 90 A Robinson (Gates); 121 A Johnson (Elsw); 128 D Hill (Sund); 149 M Coleby (Gates); 180 M Murphy (Gates); 187 R Cooke (NewAyk); 191 N Reeves (Morp); 204 A Wears (J&H); 220 K Lowther (J&H); 221 G Woods (Morp); 238 P Smith (Morp); 256 P O’Docherty (J&H); 274 A Dent (Blay); 277 P Merrison (Walls); 281 L Atkinson (Alnw); 283 C Abbott (NewAyc); 293 M Price (Derw); 296 A Jenkins (Morp). And, outside the top 300 at random, 301 G Hetherington (DurC); 323 I Brown (Morp); 345 J Marshall (DurC); 347 Moore (Gosf); 358 K Mackey (SthSh); 361 A Lamb (NSP); 365 B Jameson (Tyne); 397 W Gilroy (Gosf). Other prominent names include: 441 M Miles (heat); 461 A Gibson (Gosf);462 T Power (J&H); 463 D Speight (Morp); 467 G Robinson (Ch-le-St); 474 S Gaines (Morp); 488 D Lowther (J&H); 492 P Casey (Ch-le-St); 494 D Littlewood (Crook); 497 C Richardson (NSP); 507 K Freeman (Ch-le-St); 541 A Gallon (Heat); 542 J Morton (Elsw); 560 B Clark (Salt); 566 R Page (Hough); 578 I Archbold (Sund); 646 K Wesson (Ch-le-St); 672 J Alder  (Morp); 685 M Candlish (J&H); 691 D Appleby (Clare); 699 R Boak (Walls); 760 P McLeod (Elsw); 764 D Henderson (Alnw); 778 M Shirley (Heat); 816 T O’Gara (Walls); 817 J Watson (Wash); 841 J Ranson (Ch-le-St); 844 C White (NewAyc); 945 A Brown (Blyth); 957 S Pigford (Hough); 1,018 O McGarell (SthSh); 1,067 B Murray (Derw); 1,101 T Attey (Ch-le-St); 1,118 T Went (NSP); 1,312 C Brown (Heat); 1,382 K Bay (Bray?) (NthPol); 1,442 M Page (Hough); 1,593 R Laverick (Ch-le-St). There were 1,707 finishers with Tipton winning the team race from Basildon and Wolverhampton and Bilston with Gateshead finishing fourth. 23 Jarrow and Hebburn; 27 Morpeth; 46 Elswick; 59 Mandale; 75 Newton Aycliffe; 76 Wallsend; 86 Chester-le-Street; 93 Blaydon; 104 North Shields Poly; 109 Gosforth; 130 Crook; 131 Claremont; 136 Tynedale; 144 Derwentside; 146 Saltwell; 147 Houghton; 152 Washington; 153 Darlington; 157 South Shields.   

**THE 54th ladies National was held earlier on February 2 at Western Park, Leicester and was won by Carole Bradford (Clevedon) with Jane Shields (Sheffield) second and Julie Laughton (Derby Ladies).

The North East charge was led by Blaydon’s Jill Hunter who finished in 23^rd place. Christina Boxer, who later linked up with Gateshead, finished seventh.

Other notable NE finishers included: 34 C Naisby (Hough), 69 J Scott (Darl), 88 C Leroi (Darl),103 D Robinson (Darl), 109 L Souter (Darl), 152 M Dodsworth (Hough), 153 L Harding (Hough), 159 H Robinson (Ch-le-St), 164 S Raine (Darl), 231 J Dixon (Gates), 274 K Cornwall (NSP), 292 Z Humphreys (Blay), 303 R Smith (NSP). There were 566 finishers. In the team race, won by Sale, Darlington finished 10^th and Blaydon were 36^th.

From the archives 2001 Michael Openshaw National Winner

ON THIS DAY FEBRUARY 24, 2001 Michael Openshaw was crowned National Cross-Country champion roared on by huge local crowd at Maiden Castle, Durham City.

 

The superb victory by the Chester-le-Street-based athlete came out of the blue as pre-race media attention never gave him a mention possibly due to the fact that he was a doubtful starter plus the fact that he missed out on a place in the GB&NI team for the World Cross after finishing 10th in the Trials at the Inter-Counties at Wollaton Park, Nottingham three weeks earlier.

So, for us who were there that day, it came as a huge surprise to spot Openshaw an hour or so before the off warming up as the rest of the championship programme unfolded.

I managed to catch up with Michael earlier this week and after jogging his memory of this time 20 years ago he vividly remembered the day that turned out to be the springboard to the best year of his athletics career.

“Despite the National being held so close to home it wasn’t in my plans to run after the disappointment of not making the team for the World XC Championships,” confessed Openshaw.

“At Wollaton Park I could have opted to run the short course (4k) Trial but decided to take my chance over the longer distance which, unfortunately, didn’t quite work out the way I had hoped.

“In the early stages I was feeling really comfortable in the leading group but for some reason got into a verbal confrontation with another athlete which resulted in me shooting to the front and forcing the pace on.

“That rush of blood probably proved to be my downfall for in the end I slipped back down the field to finish 10^th just over a minute adrift of Glynn Tromans.”

By now Openshaw had left his home-town club and linked up with Midlands-based outfit Birchfield Harriers but at Nottingham, which was also the Inter-Counties Championships, he was a member of the winning North Eastern Counties team which was led home on that occasion by Dominic Bannister who had finished in third place.

On all accounts on returning home Openshaw’s cross-country campaign was over especially as fixtures in March were cancelled up and down the country due to the foot and mouth disease.

However, all things changed dramatically on February 24 when Openshaw made his intentions to contest his first-ever National as a senior.

“I didn’t have the motivation to do any serious training after the Trials as there didn’t seem any reason as I certainly had no plans of running the National at that point,” added Openshaw.

“However, on the morning of the race, literally four or so hours before it was due to start I rang Gordon (Surtees, his coach), who was on a train, and I said rather than go for that 10-mile training run which was what I had originally planned to do, I fancy giving the National a go and I think he said OK then so that was that and I started to gather my gear together before heading over to Durham.

“One thing certain I didn’t have any pre-race nerves and I just thought to myself go out and enjoy myself and that’s what I did.

“The race itself turned out to be what I had expected and surprisingly, despite the lack of training, I felt comfortable as the likes of Keith Cullen, who had finished second in the Trials, and Rob Denmark (formerly of Gateshead Harriers) pushed on at the head of affairs as I settled in the main group just behind.

“By half-way Cullen had opened up a slight lead as the bunch behind began to break up but I was still going along nicely at that point. With just over a lap to go I managed to reel Cullen in and ran with him for a short period then, for some unknown reason, he just stepped off the course, whether he felt he should save himself for the forthcoming World Championships or whatever left me bewildered.

“I certainly didn’t want to be left in the front with over a mile still to go it just wasn’t my way especially after what happened in the Trials. Luckily, Sam Haughian - who went on to win the National in 2002 but tragically died in a car crash in 2004 - managed to join me and we were stride-for-stride entering the closing stages.

“My confidence grew the closer we got to the finish for I sensed everyone lining the course was rooting for me and was banking on my track speed would to come into play and that’s the way it panned out as I went for home with around 200 metres to go and, thankfully, managed to get the gap before crossing the finish line.

“In a way I supposed I surprised myself but not as much as it did to my old friend Jim Colpitts who was officiating at the finish. He was manning the ropes that day and the sight of me charging down the home straight caught him out so much so that he managed to drop the rope just as I crossed the line!

“It was a great feeling going up to receive the trophy with many people staying behind for the presentation and giving me a huge cheer. Being a local it was possibly the loudest of the day.

“Looking at the names on the trophy certainly gave me a proud feeling especially five or so hours earlier I wasn’t even going to run!’’

After missing out on a place for the Sydney Olympics the year before Openshaw’s target for the rest of 2001 was gaining selection for the August IAAF World Championships which were scheduled for Edmonton, Canada.

However, for that to happen he had to run sub 13min 25sec 5,000m, a qualifying time over eight seconds quicker than his lifetime best of 13:33.26 which he recorded in Milan in June.

Openshaw was in a quandary, should he line up in the Trials in Birmingham or should he take a chance and go to Heusden, northern Belgium where a high-class field was assembled.

“It was a huge decision to make and extremely difficult. By missing the Trials would the selectors take it as a slant against them but on the other hand endurance races at the Trials are usually slow-run so even if I managed to have won there would be a good chance it wouldn’t be quick enough

“So, I made the decision to go to Belgium with the hope that I could get the time required and that no-one managed it at the Trials. In the end the Trials were won in 13:52.72 while I managed to just get under the figures required by running a huge personal best of 13:24.44 even though I could only finish 15^th in the race.

“It was a huge relief to know that I had made the right decision though I still had an anxious wait before the selectors got in touch to say I was in the team.

“Big decisions seemed to be the order of the day for me during 2001 but thankfully the one to run the National at the last moment and the one to go to Belgium instead of lining up in the Trials certainly were ones to be pleased with.’’

Unfortunately, for Openshaw, who was the only British male endurance athlete to make it to Canada, he couldn’t quite repeat his Belgium exploits in the World Championships where he was eliminated in the heats after clocking one of his slowest ever 5,000m times of 14:00:84.

by Bill McGuirk

From the archives: 1986

 From the archives of Bill McGuirk:  Article by Alan Dobison, 1986

Controversy again at Harrier League

Oh Dear! Do people never learn?

After the South Shields disqualifications you would have thought that clubs would have double-checked that their athletes were correctly packed.  But no!  Almost all of the spectators at Chester-le-Street knew that Alan Lamb, winner of the Cockermouth Marathon, should have been in the fast pack.  The inevitable happened, Alan was disqualified and his afternoon ruined.

No-one can blame the officials, John Keefe and his volunteers have enough to do and they manage magnificently without the added burden of such basic inefficiencies.

More to follow: Willie Watson, in second place, was also disqualified.  Willie, a former Elswick Harrier, recently moved to Washington and joined that club - therefore had not completed his nine month suspension.  However , one wonders why Willie should have to serve one at all since his move was over a considerable distance (first claim committees please note).

The eventual winner was an embarrassed John Renney, who thought he had finished 3rd.  John, like Ritchie Ogle at South Shields, has been around a fair time for an 18 year old.  Gateshead easily took the team honors.

More success for them followed in the colts event, where Cramlington-based Johnathan Dearing came home first.  Elswick took the team award.

Rob Draper from Chester-le-Street took the honors in the Boys race from an unknown Crook athlete, who wasn't registered.  The club officials disappeared before a name could be supplied.

Morpeth swept the board in the Youths' event.  Kirk Groundwater finished a winner with Stephen Priest the fastest, and the club took the team honors.

What a day for the Priest family! Tony was fastest in the Youths' event and sister Susan was second behind Karen Foster in the Girls' race.  Where does Mrs. Priest put all the trophies?

Lisa Reilly must frighten our intermediate Ladies to death.  Only six turned out at South Shields and even fewer - five - at Chester-le-Street.  Come on Girls!  You never know until you try!

Alan Dobison

Letter of thanks from George Patterson

 On behalf of Hudson Stoker’s immediate family, Sheila, and Jeff Lee, (Sister and Brother-in-Law), and his two nephew’s, Great Nieces and Great Nephew, and myself, I would personally wish to thank our many friends at Morpeth Harriers & AC, North East Counties AA, and Northern Athletics, and friends, for the many cards and kind wishes expressed at the time of our very sad loss.

We were all very much overwhelmed by the number of people wo showed their very kind concerns at a time when we very much needed you.

Hudson was, and still is a most wonderful friend, whom I will never be able to forget, and I will continue to treasure the memory of his wonderful friendship for the rest of my days.

I was very lucky in life to have met and known him, and our 52 years that we spent as friends, and close companion, will always be held most dearly to my heart.

He was very much a gentle, gentleman, something unique, who is thankfully now out of the pain that he very much bravely bore, without a grumble, and with the determined grace and dignity that was very much true to his character.

Neatness, and the need for everything in its place was very much Hudson’s forte, lessons I learnt from him throughout our lovely life together.

He will always be very sadly missed, God Bless.

Kind Regards

George Patterson

John Keefe & Hudson Stoker

 THE North East athletics family has been hit a double whammy with the news that long-serving officials John Keefe and Hudson Stoker passed away last weekend.

It’s a huge blow to everyone who knew the two superb servants who graced the field of athletics in a special style by going about their business in a quiet but exceptional way and with their passing the sport will be a lonely place without them.

The Harrier League in particular is hugely grateful and appreciative for the tireless work the pair put in over many years which, in a sense, helped make the NEHL the envy of other cross-country leagues throughout the country.

John Keefe

John started life as an athlete with his home-town club Jarrow Cycling and Athletics Club having notable successes giving the club a strong standing in the region. A move into the admin side with the likes of Tommy Power, Jimmy Hedley, Bob Charlton and Eric Huskisson after a name change to Jarrow and Hebburn Athletics Club, saw the South Tyneside outfit prosper even further especially when they had athletes of the calibre of Steve Cram and the largely unheralded David Sharpe, proud athletes who competed on the World stage in the famous gold with blue sash vest.

If his work at the club wasn’t enough – he filled all the major positions at one time or another – John took on the role as Harrier League secretary at a time when the organisation was struggling for funds. But he had the answer. He asked for volunteers on race days to go round with a bucket persuading competitors and their supporters to dig deep for the cause and it worked a treat so much so the league is now in a much healthier state now as the collecting bucket is no longer and in the archives of history!

Jonathan Gilroy presenting John Keefe with the Jarvis Award at Jarrow & Hebburn's 80th Anniversary

After passing over the league secretary position John continued to be a regular at Jarrow & Hebburn and local fixtures despite some atrocious weather working as an official at the finish line, a role he also enjoyed in warmer climes at track meetings throughout the region.

Hudson Stoker

Hudson, meanwhile, was, in comparison to John, a relatively late starter to the local athletics scene after linking up with the Northumbrians in 1986. However, he quickly made his mark after working alongside great friend George Patterson as members of Morpeth Harriers.

George & Hudson at the 2019 Northern's XC Champs

A gentle gentleman, Hudson proved an asset to the Northumberland outfit where he took on many tasks without question, a fact quickly recognised by the hierarchy which resulted in him being installed as a life-member.

Away from his club duties Hudson found a new niche when he took up announcing duties like a duck to water. While local events were the bread and butter, especially with the mic in one hand and his beloved camera around his neck ready for action before proclaiming in that immaculate voice of his: ‘Slow pack you have five minutes to the start’ at a HL fixture. His calm delivery quickly got him recognised where he was installed at Northern Athletics’ events as well as English Road Relay Championships.

RIP John and Hudson, our thoughts and prayers are with all your family and friends at this sad time.

*For further tributes to John and Hudson check the relative club websites

By Bill McGuirk

Aykley Heads Review

Aykley Heads Cross Country 2014-2019

 

As in previous years Harrier League fixtures in 2013/14 included a race just over the border in Gateshead but no running in County Durham. Venues which had previously been used in Consett and Chester-Le-Street were no longer viable. A suitable site needed a course and a large parking area. Three local clubs Elvet Striders, Durham City Harriers and Derwentside A.C. decided bringing a race back to Durham was a good idea and investigated a variety of sites settling on Aykley Heads. A suggestion was made at the 2014 Harrier League A.G.M. and we had a date of 22^nd November 2014 for the first race.

Pre-race Planning

Now the easy part was over. The event needed the course to be mowed, new gates to be added, 60 volunteers to be recruited and most importantly signed agreements with landowners to allow access. Throughout the events the core team stayed the same Geoff Davis (Elvet Striders) volunteer recruitment and course clearance, Geoff Watson (Durham City Harriers) course building and dismantling and Mark Davinson (Derwentside A.C.) leases, landowners and general organisation. We were also indebted to Andy Niven volunteer Countryside Ranger who mowed the grass each year and helped develop the course while protecting the nature reserve we ran through. The fixture couldn’t have become a reality without the support of our masses of volunteers mostly from Elvet Striders who ensured everyone was parked safely, didn’t get lost and events ran smoothly.

Photographs show car park and course marshals from 2014

2014 The Chair And Crazy Corner   

When the original route was designed it went all the way round the edge of the land. On Facebook after the race the most discussed course features were the hairpin bend at the end of the course, which we called crazy corner, and the 3ft step 100 metres before that, the Chair named after the jump on the Grand National. As a new course replacing Blaydon runners didn’t know what to expect but most posts described it as brutal, muddy fun and one of the hardest courses. It was a proper cross country course was the consensus which was exactly what the organisers were looking for. All three organisers were determined to copy Saltwell’s Keith Wood and run. A trend which would continue in future years.

Innovative dance move on crazy corner

Juniors in the haze

Women approach crazy corner with the very helpful tree in photograph

All three by Hippie Nixon

2015 Tweaking The Beast

A second fixture was agreed for 21^st November 2015. Any thoughts the course was too difficult were erased with approximately 40 extra runners in both the men’s and women’s races. In a couple of places where the paths had taken a battering new routes were cut through the grassland adding a different type of underfoot surface and a bit more elevation. Heavy rain leading up to the fixture made the top of the big hill very sticky with several shoes coming off.

 

Shoes in hand photograph by Darren Fairclough

Laura Weightman winning the women’s race

Men halfway up the big hill Paulo’s Running Pics

2016 NECAA Championships Adding Length

Aykley Heads was lucky enough to host the NECAA Championships on 10^th December 2016. A longer course was needed so a few new innovations were introduced including the woodland and removing the chair which were both retained for future events. The route through the sticky, deep mud to the right of the trees at the top of the bank wasn’t used and did not return. In the senior championship races Olympian Laura Weightman won the women’s race and GB cross country international Jonathan Taylor the men’s.

Chairman of Durham County Council Eddie Bell helps George Patterson start some of the championship races

For the last six years we have had the best maps in cross country beautifully illustrated by Juliet Percival

Footage from the men’s race at the NECAA Championships 2016 from Ian Twaddle

2017/18 Maintaining The Challenge

By 2017 the fixture was a regular fixture in the cross country calendar and hosting was by now maintaining the same blueprint which had been previously successful. Alterations from the NECAA Championships which had been popular were retained and the course reverted to its previous Harrier League length. In 2018 the course stayed the same. Both years were dry for November and numbers remained similar with a record of 416 finishers in the women’s race in 2018.

2017 A new way to watch the race by stationary train Dougie Nisbet

2017 A new way to watch the race by stationary train Dougie Nisbet

2018 women on the downhill John Jobson

2018 men near the start Stuart Whitman

2019 A Final Mudbath?

By 2019 Durham County Council had planning permission to develop a new headquarters and progressed plans to turn County Hall into an industrial estate. Northern Athletics had agreed to hold their 2021 Championships at Aykley Heads. With the new building expected in Spring 2021 the car park would be a building site by the Summer. Heavy rain throughout the Autumn had already led to postponements. In previous years thick, sticky mud had slowed runners down. In 2019 wet, slippy mud covered the course and made cornering difficult. Some runners hoped the crazy corner would be reinstated but the course remained the same as the previous year.

Club colours? Ben Heathcote

Juniors in the mist Stuart Whitman

2020 The Future

At the time of writing the Northern Championships has been postponed but may take place in March if restrictions permit. Building of the council HQ remains on schedule making it unlikely car parks will be available in November 2021. Thanks to all the volunteers, race officials, league officials and runners who helped make Aykley Heads cross county a great event. Durham County Council and Durham Police Authority have both been amazingly supportive of our cross country community ripping up their land. I hope you have enjoyed it as much as the organising team have.

Written by Mark Davinson.

2019 mudfest by Paul Dunlop

MESSAGE FROM THE COMMITTEE

MESSAGE FROM THE COMMITTEE

Hi, hope everyone is ok in what are strange days indeed. Just a few notices from discussions we've been having over the past months and a meeting held earlier this evening to make some decisions about 2020/21 season. An e-mail with reports and details will be going out to all clubs in due course, but just to summarise discussions so far:

1. Results from 2019/20 will stand (as at http://www.harrierleague.com/results/2019-20/). Micky has been meeting with our sponsors (Start Fitness) and we're looking to organise a presentation event, within the ever changing government COVID guidance and what will be acceptable to Start Fitness. Will obvioulsy keep you informed on that one.
The AGM which would normally have been held tomorrow (24/07/2020) will hopefully be held towards the end of the year. We will circulate reports (General Secretary's and Financial) direct to clubs in the meantime. To be honest at the moment we don't have anything to discuss regarding fixtures for 20/21 due to the changing guidance coming from government, UKA, and we would also need to consider all landowners that we work with whether local authorities or private landowners.
The plan for 20/21 season, and we'd draw your attention to details for road / trail events released by UKA / EA this week, is to tentatively look towards a restart in the New Year and hopefully get 3 or 4 events in across Feb - March, possibly January as well. Although as far as we are aware the North Easterns are still scheduled for December, a good marker will be whether the Northerns go ahead in January. As you'll be aware the nature of the Harrier League, numbers of people across the day, lapped courses etc means that at present we would be nowhere near meeting the current published requirements for events.

Will keep you all updated as and when anything develops. Keep training; hope to see us back in action in the not too distant future.

All the best

SFNEHL Committee