Essex 20 Championships – Langham

Harriers teams in brilliant form

The first inter counties 20 mile race since 1990 was staged by Colchester Harriers within the Essex 20 mile road Championships held over a tough 3 lap course at Langham and Boxted.

Colchester Ladies team were yet again County Champions with Marie Shirley producing the goods and winning a hat trick of County medals. Shirley 2:19:22,  was 2nd Essex home and so took the senior silver, the veteran over 35 gold, and the team gold along with Amanda Henry 2:22:35, and Andrea James 2:34:17. Amanda Henry also took the over 35 silver medal.

The men had some great times but the loss early on with the injury of Chris Sellens was a major blow, but the green vests surged on to silver medals with 4th placed Carwyn Jones in a personal best 1:53:01, 11th Daz Farrugia 2:01:16,  and 15th Jon Nears 2:10:16. Angus Holford, Harriers second claim runner, was 3rd to take the Essex bronze in a superb time of 1:52:36. Colin Ridley took the Silver over 50 medal in 2:03:12. The Harriers B team were unlucky not to sneak bronze medals but had to settle for 4th behind Springfield Striders, Colchester Harriers A, and Ilford AC. The B team consisted of Allen Smalls 16th 2:02:47,  Ged McMillan 17th 2:03:01, and Colin Ridley 18th 2:03:12. Other Harriers to complete the course were 21th Mark Harrod 2:05:18, 26th Paul Rodgers 2:07:32, Richard Heath 2:29:23, Dan Wilkinson 2:41:54, Steph Horner 2:50:00, Clive Thomas 2:50:00, Fay Smalls 3:30:25.

The inter Counties race saw 6 counties compete, Essex were the mens champions with race winner Paul Whittaker, and second placed Paul Moleneaux, backed up by Harriers Carwyn Jones, to win form Kent and Cambridge. Suffolk were 4th and Hertfordshire 5th, Bedfordshire were 6th and last.

The Essex Ladies were 2nd team behind Kent with Amanda Henry and Marie Shirley the first two county scorers for the team. Hertfordshire were third and Suffolk fourth.

Runners line up for the start of the race

The chasing group behind the two leaders - Carwyn Jones in red vest of Essex

Carwyn Jones was 4th overall in 1:53:01 and led the green vests to team silvers and the Essex team to inter counties victory

Daz Farrugia, Allen Smalls and Colin Ridley

Clive Thomas and Steph Horner

Dan Wilkinson

Paul Rodgers

Mark Harrod

Winner Paul Whitaker (left) and Harriers trained Angus Holdford (third) receiving their medals from Lance Williams

Left Jon Nears and Carwyn Jones (team silver) and right Andrea James and Amanda Henry (team gold) receiving their medals from Lance Williams

Amanda Henry receives her V35 silver medal from Lance Williams

Dan Wilkinson, Andrea James and Amanda Henry

Mark Harrod, Paul Rodgers, Ged McMillan and Daz Farrugia