The sixteenth annual Tunbridge Wells Harriers Club Cross Country Championship took place on Saturday 21st March at 10am in Hargate Forest. Conditions were dry and cold, with enough mud and standing water to make the 3-lap 1.8 mile course a good challenge. Numbers were down on previous years due to clashes with other races in the calendar, but thirteen harriers turned up to compete.
Club Chairman Andy Howey again won this year’s race in a superb and unchallenged time of 34:59. There was a good race between 2nd and 3rd place, with Terry Everest taking an early lead but falling behind Kieran Fitzpatrick towards the end of the second lap, extending to a minute lead by the finish in a time of 39:19.
In the ladies race there were only two competitors, with regular cross-country runner F35 Carol Tsang finishing in a time of 50:10, followed by F55 Lucille Joannes in 55:19. The 2-lap M70 race was then between the duo of Eric Schofield, finishing in 43:25 and Bryon ‘Spud’ Taylor finishing in 57:48.
Thanks to all runners who came along despite other racing commitments, Andy Howey for setting up the course and to George Harris and Mark Taylor for helping clear up all the course markers. Thanks as always to the Woodland Trust for their support and allowing us to use the forest for the event.
| Place | Name | Gun Time | Chip Time | |
| 1 | Andy Howey | 34:59:00 | 34:59:00 | 1st M50 |
| 2 | Kieran Fitzpatrick | 39:19:00 | 39:19:00 | 1st Senior Male |
| 3 | Terry Everest | 40:25:00 | 40:25:00 | |
| 4 | Simon Howden | 40:55:00 | 40:55:00 | 1st M40 |
| 5 | Allan Collard | 41:49:00 | 41:49:00 | |
| 6 | Mark Taylor | 41:52:00 | 41:52:00 | 1st M60 |
| 7 | Mike Tull | 43:25:00 | 43:25:00 | |
| 8 | George Harris | 46:01:00 | 46:01:00 | |
| 9 | Derek Harrison | 47:42:00 | 47:42:00 | |
| 10 | Carol Tsang | 50:10:00 | 50:10:00 | 1st F35 |
| 11 | Lucille Joannes | 55:19:00 | 55:19:00 | 1st F55 |
| 1 | Eric Schofield | 43:25:00 | 43:25:00 | 1st M70 |
| 2 | Bryon ‘Spud’ Taylor | 57:48:00 | 57:48:00 |