BAY OF PLENTY AT DRURIDGE
ONCE again a huge turnout was the
order of the day for the second fixture of the campaign of the Start Fitness
North Eastern Harrier League hosted by Blyth Running Club at the scenic
Druridge Bay.
Just like the opening fixture at
Wrekenton two weeks previously over 1,300 competitors took their chance on
another brick-hard course made as safe as possible by the quick-thinking
officials due to parts of the terrain being badly churned up due to the grazing
cattle.
For the majority, however, it was
a case of another outing in freak cross country conditions with temperatures
hitting the high teens at times.
With increased entries in both the senior events from Wrekenton it was victory for harrier league debutants Lewis Roberts and Ellen Powell, both new signings for their respective clubs Heaton and Elvet Striders.
SENIOR MEN
 |
| Heaton Harrier Lewis Roberts |
The senior men faced three
two-mile circuits and it was Morpeth’s Joseph Anderson who took up the running
from the gun. At the completion of the first lap Anderson had a 20-metre
advantage over Roberts who was followed by Tom Sursham (Wallsend), Newcastle
University’s Sean Barry and Tyne Bridge duo Craig Jones and William Bowers.
Meanwhile, making a forward move from the medium pack were Morpeth’s Andy
Lawrence and Houghton teenager
Chris Coulson. After giving the
slow pack a five-minute start leading the charge from the fast pack was
Houghton’s Luke Pickering who was being shadowed by Sunderland’s Liam Taylor
with Tom Charlton (Tyne Bridge) also negotiating his way through the packed
field (500+) 15 metres or so adrift.
Entering the penultimate lap,
Roberts eased past the leader while Jones and Barry moved into third and fourth
place pushing Sursham back into fifth. All the while Lawrence and Coulson
continued to cut back the deficit and as the start of the final lap approached
had moved through to 12th and 14th place respectively
while Taylor just held a sight advantage over both Pickering and Charlton.
 |
| Sunderland Harrier Liam Taylor chases from the fast pack |
As the final lap unfolded, Roberts continued to lead and,
with a huge round of support in the home straight, came home victorious with a
26-seconds cushion over Anderson while Jones completed the one-two-three ahead
of Barry. Coulson managed to outsprint Lawrence to finish in fifth place while
Taylor, with the fastest overall time of the day, held off Charlton by two
seconds, the pair finishing in 14th and 15th place respectively
with Pickering crossing the line in 19th spot.
In the team sections, Tyne Bridge
won on the day in Division One and move into second place behind Morpeth with
title-holders Sunderland in third. Elswick head Division two after victory on
the day after reversing the Wrekenton positions with North Shields Poly with
South Shields now in third spot. Sedgefield, with victory for the second time,
head division Three ahead of Houghton and Tynedale.
SENIOR WOMEN
Former Cambridge University Hare
and Hounds athlete Ellen Powell was never headed throughout the four-mile
contest and was followed throughout by Birtley’s Tracy Millmore and Laura
Chapman (Jesmond Joggers). The leading positions remained the same as the final
circuit unfolded as Powell came home in 26min 55sec which equated to the sixth
fastest time overall and 41 seconds clear of Millmore with Chapman closing up
on the runner-up all the way to the line a further two seconds behind.
Elswick’s Katarina Bonner proved the quickest from the medium pack working her
way through to eighth place while Morpeth’s Jane Hodgson, just as she did at
Wrekenton, was the fastest once again as she came home in 11th
position.
 |
| Elvet Striders Ellen Powell |
In the team stakes North Shields
Poly came out on top ahead of Elswick and
Heaton in Division One with the
Poly going top of the table ahead of the two Newcastle outfits while in
Division Two victory went to Washington who move into third place in the table
behind Tynedale and Sunderland. Ponteland now head Division Three after winning
on the day with Low Fell now in second place ahead of Blyth.
UNDER-17/20 WOMEN
Alnwick’s Ellie Price took the
honours in the combined age group holding off the challenge of medium pack
runner Holly Waugh (North Shields Poly) by 10 seconds after receiving a start
of 1min 15secs. Morpeth’s Abigail Leiper completed the medal awards after
holding off team-mate Millie Breese. Waugh was rewarded with the fastest time
of the day with Breese second quickest and Houghton’s Anna Pigford third best.
 |
| Alnwick Harrier Ellie Price |
Morpeth won the team section
ahead of Northumberland rivals Alnwick with Gosforth in third place.
UNDER-17 MEN
Fresh from a superb third place
in the Mini London Marathon Birtley’s Chris Perkins took full advantage of a
start of 2min 30secs to claim a comfortable victory ahead of Tom Slane
(Blackhill Bounders) and Gosforth’s Silas Christie. Perkins was fastest overall
with Morpeth’s Bertie Marr second quickest after working his way through the
field from his handicap to finish 19th.
 |
| Birtley's Chris Perkins |
Morpeth once again headed the
team section with Blaydon finishing second ahead of Durham City.
UNDER-15 GIRLS
Gateshead’s Aoife Bell had a
10-second cushion at the line over Gosforth pair Annie Hutchinson and Hannah
Wightman, Bell being rewarded with the second fastest time of the day. The quickest
on the course was Durham City’s Charlotte Dillon who, from a 1min 40secs
handicap, weaved her way up to 11th at the line. Gateshead came out
on top ahead of Elswick and Gosforth in the team stakes.
 |
| Gateshead Harrier Aoife Bell |
UNDER-15 BOYS
South Shields are noticeable
building up a strong young athletes’ section and it was pleasing to see Matthew
Atkinson lead the field home as he held off the challenge of Blaydon duo James
Gray and Maximus Murray by seven seconds.
Fastest on the course was
Morpeth’s Oliver Calvert who, from a handicap of 1:40, worked his way through
to an excellent 10th place. Blaydon were comfortable winners in the
team section finishing ahead of Morpeth and Birtley.
 |
| South Shields Harrier Matthew Atkinson |
UNDER-13 GIRLS
Gosforth’s Millie Moat held on by
just six seconds to take the gold medal as North Shields Poly’s Katy Otterson-
fastest overall - defied a 1:40 handicap to finish in second place ahead of
Heaton’s Mary Parkin. Second fastest on the course was Birtley’s Niamh
Phillipson with Grace Carter (Durham City) next fastest. North Shields Poly
claimed team success ahead of Durham City and Gosforth.
 |
| Millie Moat, Gosforth Harriers |
UNDER-13 BOYS
It was a Birtley one-two with
victory going to Noah Williamson who finished well clear of team-mate Callum
Bailey with Blaydon’s Finn Graham completing the medallists. Fastest on the
course was North Shields Poly’s Oscar Makepeace who, from a 1:40 handicap,
worked his way through the field to finish in 11th place. Williamson
was second quickest overall with Aaron Jobson third fastest. Birtley, with
Gabriel Curtis backing up Williamson and Bailey, won the team section ahead of
Blaydon and North Shields Poly.
 |
| Noah Williamson, Birtley AC |
UNDER-11 GIRLS
Just as they did at Wrekenton
Birtley twins Nell and Kitty Graham, led the enthusiastic field home, Nell
getting the better of her sister by 13 seconds as Alnwick’s Emilia Waugh
finished a close-up third.
 |
| Nell Graham, Birtley AC |
UNDER-11 BOYS
This proved to be the tightest finish
of the day with just one second separating the medallists. Victory went to
Birtley’s Ed Moon in 5min 55sec. Alnwick’s Andrew Bailey received the judge’s
verdict for second place ahead of Elswick’s Nicholas Surtees-Brown, the winner
at Wrekenton, with both athletes recording 5:56.
 |
| A tight race in the U11 boys |
**A huge vote of thanks goes to
Blyth Running Club for hosting a great day’s sport; to all the excellent
marshals and to all the officials and the first aid team who had a number of
minor casualties to deal with.
The harrier league bandwagon now
moves onto to Lambton Estate on October 30 when, possibly, there will be a
semblance of mud to contend with!
Bill McGuirk
FULL RESULTS HERE
Photos Thanks to Ian Harman & Stuart Whitman
