Kent League Cross Country – Foots Cray Meadows
The new Kent League Cross Country season got underway at Foots Cray Meadows on Saturday, and apart from locating the club gazebo on the wrong side of the boggiest patch of the entire Meadows, it went quite well. (We thought the host club must know the best place to set-up camp, so went next to them. Turns out they didn’t.)
Before the new season got underway, a gleaming trophy was presented to Amelie Karlsson, who was third senior woman in the 2023/24 Kent League. Congratulations Amelie! There is not much ceremony at XC, no podium, let alone champagne, but this does not detract from Amelie’s brilliant season, and she could shelter from the rain shower and the swamp and celebrate with cake after the race. What more could you want?!
All results from the season opener are attached, but some highlights:
Super Vets
More congratulations, this time to Michele Bradshaw, who made a triumphant return to the Kent League after missing last season due to injury. Michelle was first W65, completing the 5k route in 26:12, and to offer some perspective, she was 6 mins 38 seconds ahead of the runner-up. Margaret Deighton also ran very well to finish 4th.
Senior Women
Running the 8k route, Blackheath & Bromley dominated, with a 1-2-3 finish, but Amelie was not far behind in 6th place (34:19). Great run Amelie! Women’s XC captain Jillian Holford also shone and was second Harrier home in 46th place, with Vicky Eames just behind in 51st. TWH finished seventh from 19 teams in the First-3-to-score competition.
Sonja King (54th), Alexandra Wolley (75th) and Rose Sawyer (76th) completed our 6-to-score line-up, in which we finished 7th from 11 qualifying teams.
Within the age categories, Vicky was 14th W35, Sonja was 16th W35, Jillian was 14th W45, and Diane Osborn was 8th W55, among a strong team effort.
Senior Men
Tonbridge AC smashed the Senior men’s race, with their top four runners finishing 1-2-3-6. That was the First-4-to-score wrapped up, and TWH finished 8th from 17 teams. Great running from our first four: Oliver Waymark (30th, 29:33), Ed Steele (51st), Keith Mitchell (71st) and Andy Eames (96th).
We finished 7th from 10 teams in the 12-to-score comp, with our top 12 completed by Alex Holmes (104th), James Sarre (106th), Josh Doyle (113th), Richard Carter (115th), George Haslam (132nd), Robin Barwick (136th), Mike King (139th), and Rob Winter (156th).
Well done Ed for finishing 7th M40, with Keith 16th M40; and Geoff Turner was 6th M60.
Overall, a successful opening foray. Well done to everyone who participated and particular thanks to Mark Taylor for marshalling. And thanks for all the home baking!
Looking ahead
The next XC fixture is Kent League Race 2 at Somerhill on October 26th. This is our local league race, on an excellent course, and so a strong turn-out would be great (and expected)!
We need to provide a couple marshals for the 26th, so if anyone is free to marshal please email me.
We also need volunteers (with larger than average car boot space) to collect the club gazebo from the clubhouse and take to Somerhill, and back. Please let me know if you can do this – it would be ideal to have the gazebo at every XC race, but for Harriers to take turns transporting it.
We now have 100 Harriers signed up to XC, but the more the merrier! If you have not yet registered for XC, you can still do so in time for Somerhill. There is a £10 registration fee and please complete the following google form by Monday, Oct 21:
Registration form: TWH XC sign-up 2024-25
When you have completed the form and paid the registration fee, please notify me by email.
Thanks, Robin