Harriers quartet are cross country relay champions

The Harriers boosted a very strong turn out at the first cross country event of the season, the Essex relays held at Writtle College over a 5km course in windy conditions.

It was a great day for the Harriers against top class opposition as the mixed team of four stormed home to take county gold. The Quartet were led off by Heidi Steele who has shot up the Essex rankings and is back to her best of a few years ago. Steele 18m 58s, built the foundations for Ramadam Osman 15m 15s to gain control of the race and give Jennifer Lovelock 19m 28s, a good lead which she extended before passing onto anchor man and legendary Essex runner Adrian Mussett 15m 06s to fly round the course and give Harriers a fine start to the season.

The Harriers mens A and B teams had an almighty tussle before the quartet of Dan Widdowson 16m 43s, James Wright 17m 20s, Nate Filer 17m 16s and Chris Sellens 16m 37s pipped the young B team who’s average age was 17 in a close run race. They were Ermeaus Aferwerki 16m 27s, Danny Millward 16m 45s, Tom Palmer 17m 13s and Victor Steinward 17m 27s. The teams finished eighth and ninth overall.

The ladies team were also well to the front of the race with Aiko Hennington 18m 47s, Becky Cooke 20m 50s and Sarah Stradling  19m 24s, finishing a very good sixth.

Full results for Harrier teams were

Mixed relay A team: Heidi Steele, Ramadam Osman, Jennifer Lovelock, Adrian Mussett 1st. B team: Jordi Moat, Jon Nears, Denise Morley, Paul Rodgers 4th.

Mens relay A team: Dan Widdowson, James Wright, Nate Filer, Chris Sellens – 8th, B team: Danny Millward  Ermeaus Aferwerki, Tom Palmer, Victor Steinward – 9th. C team: Pete West, Keith Marley, Kevin Higgins, Robbie Smith – 22nd. D team: Dan Summergill, Russell Goodridge, Craig Mitchell, Jerry Walder – 27th. E team: Richard Flutter, Lee Holihan, Richard Millward, Ian Rattray – 32nd. F team: Simon Morgan, Andy Taczynski, Kieron Bettany, Dan Cook – 38th. G team: Pat Marsh, Martin Claydon, Kieron Callaghan, Stefan Hogan 51st.

Ladies relay A team: Aiko Hennington, Becky Cooke, Sarah Stradling – 4th.  B team: Rachel Dale, Debbie Cattermole, Alexandra Hennessy – 7th. C team: Kate Sandercock, Ellie Cumner, Jo Marks – 18t. D team – Fran Norris, Louise Yates, Kate Gibson – 26th. E team: Rachel Rodgers, Anita Mussett, Helen Taczynski – 30th.

Junior relay Under 17 women: Madeline Claydon, Imogen Lowden and Milly Presland – 6th. Under 15 girls: Alexandra Bell-Cobbald, Emily Henderson and Emily Swan – 9th. B team: Daisy Bell and Rachel Sale. Under 13 girls: Lyla Belshaw, Alice Begg and Emily McGill 8th. Under 13 boys: A team: William Long, Henry Rutland and Harrison Leek – 13th. B team: Finley Greenleaf, Caleb Preston and Harry Gillon – 20th.

The Maldon Half marathon saw a fine run by Heidi Steele who shook off her achievements the day previous in taking gold at the Essex Relays, to win the 13.1 mile race in 1h 26m 04s from second claim Harrier Nikki Brockbank. Good runs in the mens came from Kieran Callaghan, Stefan Hogan, Simon Miller and Andrew Conway.

Laura Shewbridge ran the fastest ever time by a female at the Highwoods .Park run clocking 19m 50s and finishing an incredible third overall, No other lady has beaten 20 minutes here. Simon Ford was fifth in 20m 04s.  Colchester Castle saw 349 runners take to the line. Jason Gunn ran 17m 22s for third place, Ian Haw 18m 41s, Rob Cronshaw 19m 36s and Ian Jeffries 19m 37s were all in the top 10. Ellie Mayne was first lady 22m 08s,

Jennifer, Heidi, Ram and Adrian take gold at the Essex cross country relays