Essex Vets and Junior XC Champs
Harriers double team gold spectacular
Colchester harriers has a spectacular run of results at the Veteran XC championships held at Writtle College winning gold team in both veteran men 40 and 50 Championships and bronze team in the Veteran ladies event. The day got off to a flier with the up and coming star Milly Presland taking 3rd place and the Essex bronze in the under 15 Championships booking her place in the Essex Southern inter counties cross country team.
The veterans then took to the stage with the ladies shaking off the loss with injury of star Sarah Stradling and other top veterans to sweep to bronze medals thanks to a terrific run by Laura Shewbridge who came home 5th in a high class field and was well backed up by the ever young Denise Morley 13th, Debbie Cattermole 18th and Annette Oakman 26th. Also finishing for the lady Veterans was Ellie Cumner 30th, Jenny Richardson 47th, Kate Sandercock 52nd, Louise Yates 85th and Rachel Rodgers 103rd.
Result first 3 teams 1. Saffron Striders 40, 2. Springfield 56, 3. Colchester Harriers 62. Also 13th Col Harriers (B). Bonus medal was Denise Morleys bronze in the over 45 ladies individual Category.
The over 50 men were on fire producing gold medals in a tight contest where 1pt and 1 second separated them from Springfield Striders. As normal Colin Ridley led the team home in 3rd place to take the individual bronze, with Paul Spowage 6th, Pete West 15th and Richard Flutter winning his first county medal in 17th. Simon Smith just missed out on the team in 22nd, then came Richard Boden 44th and Simon Morgan 47th.
First 3 teams Col Harriers 41, 2. Springfield Striders 42, 3. Billericay 78.
The over 40 veterans then went to the start line hoping to have success even though top rated veteran Adrian Mussett was missing injured. Amazingly they pulled off a 6pt victory over Orion Harriers thanks to good pacing and a strong finish which saw all 4 scorers home in the first 18. Gold medallists were Allen Smalls 7th ( in his last year before he joins the over 50 ranks), Richard Heath 8th, Paul Rodgers 15th and Jon Nears 18th. Backing up the team were Ged McMillan 25th, Keith Marley 30th, Kevin Higgens 37th, James Waterson 48th, Craig Mitchell 50th and Ian Rattray 75th.
First 3 teams were 1. Col Harriers 48, 2. Orion Harriers 54, 3. Havering Mayesbrook 70. Also 8th Col Harriers (B) 140
Other Results
Chris Manby ran 40:30 in the Olympic Stadium 10km,Becky Cooke clocked 42:10 and Dan Wilkinson 43.45.
At the Colchester Castle Park run Andrea James was first lady, with Ffion Harris runner up, Nathan Filer 17:32 was 2nd man, with Danny Millward 17:40 3rd, Ian Haw 18:44 5th and Andy Raynor 8th. The Mersea island park run saw Ed Mitchell storm to victory in 17:34, with Fergus Crouch 3rd. Helen Thurlow was 1st lady at the Clacton seafront run.