Exmouth Harriers ladies are Devon County XC champions!!

There was an impressive showing for Exmouth Harriers on Sunday (2 December) at the Devon Cross Country Championships, which were incorporated in the winter’s third Westward League fixture at Eastern Fields, close to the Exeter Arena. The club had eight finishers in both the Men’s and Women’s races and the Women’s team of Cathy Newman, Ellie Sutcliffe and Hannah Bown were crowned County Champions! They also gained automatic selection for the Devon team at the National Inter-Counties Championships in the New Year. Sunday’s route was winding, hilly and, of course muddy, but did afford plenty of opportunities for spectators to nip between different vantage points and offer their support. Scoring for teams in Cross Country is a simple matter of adding up positions but with the aim being the lowest score possible. On that basis the Exmouth trio scored 13, well clear of home club Exeter Harriers, who dominated the event as a whole, with their total of 34. Individually Cathy was 3rd overall and County Champion in the Over 50 Women’s category in a time of 18:54 for around 5km. Just one position and 4 seconds back, and picking up County Bronze in the Senior Women’s section, was Ellie with Hannah 6th overall in 19:40. Next in for Exmouth was Emma Dupain, 18th in 21:40, then Carly Audrit in an encouraging time of 22:29. Lisa Hatchard clocked 23:40 and was first woman over 35. Dawn Teed (24:15) and Nicola Kelly (25:20) were 4th and 6th respectively in the Over 45s contest.

In the Men’s race work commitments left Exmouth without a runner who could have picked up the Top 20 position which would have seen them amongst the team Medals there as well. Adam Miller was 23rd in 33:49 over just short of 9km and was 3rd Over 35. Marc Cox, still finding his feet on the country, was 27th in 34:38. Jon Garrity was 36th overall but 5th in the Over 40 age group, his time 35:58. Richard Hawes is proving addition to the club with this willingness to test himself on all surfaces. He was 45th in 38:01 and 9th in the very competitive Over 45 group. Jon was followed, in quick succession, by Chris Dupain (47th in 38:07) and Jon Toomey (48th in 38:08). These first six finished 4th in the team competition, 25 points behind Tavistock. Having steadily worked his way through the back markers Dave Eveleigh clocked 42:23 in 60th and recorded Exmouth Harriers’ third 4th place of the day, in the Over 55 category. However Jim Wyatt did go one better, with Bronze in the Over 70 age group of the County Championships. Competing in the Westward League, but not entered for the Championships was Lee Russell who was pleased with a better performance than for some time thanks to a solid block of training recently.

As regards the overall standings in the Westward Legaue, Cathy Newman is currently sat pretty in 1st place in the FV50 section, just ahead of local rival and another seriously talented vet athlete, Karen Cook of SWRR. Lisa Hatchard is now lying in 3rd place in the female over 35 category and ladies team captain, Dawn Teed, is also lying in 3rd position in the female over 45 category with 3 out of 3 appearances counting so far. Moira Glen is 2 places behind her after having to sit out this latest round due to injury. The women's team as a whole have hauled themselves up from 9th to 4th following this latest round in Exeter. If we can get a good turn out from our ladies at the remaining 3 events then we could even podium by the end of the series! 

The men had a really solid score to put on the board this round with 8 of them racing, but due to the fact that Adam Miller took on the might of all the other South-west clubs single-handedly in the first round in Redruth, the men's team are some way down the overall pecking order.

Just a small smattering of photos below to wet your appetite! Visit the Harriers Flickr page to see the full set!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/90462825@N04/

Lisa Hatchard, running herself into 1st place in the FV35 race!

The victorious ladies' team: Devon County XC champions 2013!!

       

Adam Miller is prominent at the start of a very competitive men's race

Jon Garrity: the only Harrier to say afterwards that he enjoyed the race! And he raced the previous day at Otterton! We are impressed, you hear Jon, impressed!!