ACTION
RESUMES DOWN ON THE FARM
AFTER two cancellations last
season at Thornley Hall Farm the Start Fitness North East Harrier League
returned to action at the County Durham venue for the opening fixture of the
2024-25 campaign.
After heavy rain prior to the
weekend the weather could not have been kinder with bright sunshine the order
of the day. Thanks to landowner Jon Taylor the car parking facilities were
deemed fine with the £3 charge once again going to a local charity.
The course, laid out by Stewy
Bell and his team the previous day was in excellent condition though it had
been tinkered with due to a huge lake appearing at the lowest part of the start
and finish field. Stewy was more than happy that the day’s proceedings went
well though he was not so overjoyed at losing his car keys somewhere round the
2-mile circuit! However, the passionate Toon supporter and season ticket holder
– as is the NEHL treasurer Alan Elders who also missed the game due to officiating
duties – loss of his keys wasn’t the be-all-and-end-all as his beloved
Newcastle’s well-earned point against champions Manchester City eased the
disappointment somewhat! With a number of weary athletes taking advantage of
the on-site bar facilities – the only income for the landowner – it certainly is
a date to pencil into the diary for next season.
SENIOR/UNDER-20 WOMEN
IT WAS a delight to see Birtley’s
Lydia Turner back to something like her old self as she eased into an early
lead from the off taking full advantage of a 2min 20sec start over the medium
pack and a 5-minute advantage over the fast pack. Tracking the former GB&NI
international were under-20 athletes – taking part in senior action for the
first time – Houghton’s Charlotte Dillon and Blaydon’s Ellie Fellows. Turner
kept on cutting out a lone furrow at the head of affairs over the two testing
circuits to eventually cross the line in 23mim 03secs - a time which proved to
be the fastest overall figures of the day - and 23 seconds clear of Dillon (2nd
Fastest overall) with Fellows completing the one-two-three over a minute
further adrift.
A beaming Turner said after
receiving her award: “Naturally I’m delighted with my run for I didn’t know
what to expect as it was my first cross-country race for six-years. Now I can’t
wait for the next one to come around!”
Wallsend’s Jenny Berry was
quickest from the fast pack and third overall quickest after a race-long tussle
with Morpeth’s Jane Hodgson while Sunderland’s Grace Carroll was the best from
the mediums after working her way to finish in 10th position.
With five fixtures to go North
Shields Poly are the early leaders of Division One followed by Sunderland and
Elvet Striders; Washington head Division Two closely followed by Tynedale with
Wallsend in third place; Birtley lead Division Three closely followed by
Newcastle University with Gosforth in third spot.
MEN OVER-65
Ten competitors lined up contesting
two circuits and it was Ponteland’s Mick Meaney who claimed the bragging rights
followed by Robert Hewitson (Durham City) with Crook’s Mark Standbridge next
fastest ahead of former Olympian Ray Smedley (Ponteland).
SENIOR MEN/UNDER-20 MEN
ENTRIES were down on previous
years possibly due to Newcastle’s early kick-off, however, it turned out to be
stroll in the park for Morpeth’s Josh Fiddaman who led
throughout the contest.
The former Blyth athlete and
former NE County champion at under-13 level, not only won handsomely from
Birtley’s Alex Below and first under-20 Rory Hart (Crook) but his winning time
of 30min 16secs was the fastest overall time of the day.
Second quickest was Tyne Bridge’s
Jarlath McKenna who worked his way through to 20th place from a
five-minute penalty to cross the line with an actual time of 30:46.
Third quickest on the course was
Newcastle University’s Monte Watson who finished one place behind McKenna, also
running from the fast pack. In the team section, prolific champions Morpeth,
got off to a good start with victory in Division One followed by Durham City
and North Shields Poly while Newcastle University top Division Two by two
points from Wallsend with Crook back in third. In Division Three Blyth lead the
way followed by South Shields and Wearside Tri.
UNDER-17 WOMEN
THIS season this age group ran on
their own rather than with the under-20s and it was a convincing win for Jarrow
and Hebburn’s Emily Boot whose time of 20:15 was the second quickest overall,
the fastest being Chester-Le-Street’s Lucy Buckle who recorded 19:05 working
her way through into second place from a 1:15 handicap. Durham City’s Grace
Carter crossed the line in third place while Elswick’s Erin Bright, running
from the fast pack, was third quickest on the course. Durham City topped the
league placings followed by Tynedale and Elswick.
UNDER-17 MEN
GATESHEAD’S in-form Alfie Cook
led throughout to win in 15:51 which proved to be the quickest overall time of
the day. Tynedale’s Arthur Di Lullo finished in second place in 16:04 which was
the joint second fastest, the other being Alnwick’s Liam McDonough who worked
his way through into 13th place running from a 2:30 handicap. Third
across the line was Durham City’s William Jardine. Durham City topped the
league placings followed by Tyne Bridge and Sunderland.
UNDER-15 GIRLS
BIRTLEY’S Kitty Graham led the
45-strong field home crossing the line in 12:49, 13 seconds clear of Morpeth’s
Faye Heatley with Tynedale’s Emelia Stobbart completing the medal places.
Fastest on the course was Houghton’s Holly Robison who finished in fourth place
from a 1:40 handicap. Second quickest was Darlington’s Matilda Owens followed by
sister Charlotte with the sisters leading Darlington to team victory ahead of
Houghton and Gateshead.
UNDER-15 BOYS
WALLSEND’S Kasper Pearson
comfortably won from Tynedale’s Wilfred Pugh with Dominic Lee
(Durham City) finishing in third place.Pearson was second quickest
(10:52) on the course behind Darlington’s Rowan Steel (10:47) after
working his way through into 15th place from a 1:40 handicap. With 11:00
Heaton’s Alex Smith was third quickest. Blyth, led home by eighth-placed Dexter
Heatley topped the team placings ahead of Elswick and Low Fell.
UNDER-13 GIRLS
MORPETH’S Heidi Wilkinson held on
to win (13:27) by just three seconds to claim victory over Prudhoe Plodders’
Martha Carr (13:30) with Sedgefield’s Jess Davis four-seconds adrift in third
place. Birtley’s Izzy Hall was fastest on the course (12:30), working her way
through the field from a 1:20 handicap to finish in seventh place. Elswick’s
Ayla Bright was second quickest (12:44) followed by Wilkinson. North Shields
Poly came out on top in the team stakes followed by Elswick and Wallsend.
UNDER-13 BOYS
MORPETH’S Mason Gaylor proved a
comfortable winner crossing the line in 11:41, 26 seconds clear of Gosforth’s
Jack McManus with Low Fell’s William McClean just two seconds further adrift in
third place. Fastest on the course was Durham City’s Henry Engleheart who
posted an actual time of 11:31 on his way to finishing in 14th place
from a 1:20 handicap. Second fastest was Gaylor and third quickest McManus. An
excellent team victory by Low Fell followed in second place Gosforth with
Elswick third.
UNDER-11 GIRLS and BOYS
A TOTAL of 131 youngsters toed
the line in the “Try Cross-Country” and the enthusiasm and enjoyment was to the
fore all supported heartedly by parents and grand-parents whether their child
was at the sharp end, mid-field or at the rear, of course, that’s the way our
sport is noted for.
In the boys’ section, in which there were 75 finishers,
first home was North Shields Poly’s Matthias Gheorghiu (6.00) closely followed
by Jarrow and Hebburn’s Jacob Hopper just one second adrift with Aycliffe’s
Will Allison completing the one-two-three.
In the girls contest over the same
one-mile course, Ada Penfold made it a double for the Poly club crossing the
line in 5:23. Gosforth’s Ruby Colins (Gosforth) came home in second place
followed by Penfold’s team-mate Ellie Nelson. Thanks go to the tail runners for
making sure the contest went off smoothly.
**THANKS go to NEHL league
sponsors Start Fitness, to landowner
Jon Taylor, to all the technical
officials, course builders and marshalls, to the first aid team, the new chip timing
squad Timing Up North and to the chuck waggon personnel, who unfortunately ran
out of food as the day progressed. After contesting the most southerly fixture
on the calendar harrier League action continues with a trip up the
Northumberland coast on Sunday, October 13th to Druridge Bay
followed a week later when Lambton Estate is the venue.
By Bill McGuirk
Photos - Stuart Whitman Photography
