The Harriers have stormed away at the top of the NESS cross country league after another big victory at Newhall Farm, Ramsey.  The Harriers seniors now hold a four point advantage over Ipswich JAFFA going into the second half of the season. The Juniors, although run close by local rivals Colchester and Tendring, also had another victory to again lead by a big margin at half way. Thomas Palmer and Milly Presland were again the overall race winners.

Seniors

The Harriers ladies were in top form winning with 18 points, the four scorers all coming home in the top six, with fine performances from Aiko Hennington 3rd, Andrea James 4th, Helen Taczynski 5th and Margaret Deasy, competing for the Harriers for the first time, in 6th place, capping a fine win.  The winning team was backed up by Debbie Cattermole 10th, Kate Gibson 16th, Jordi Moat 18th, Alexandra Hennessy 21st, Melissa Dowell 29th, Jo Marks 30th, Jenny Richardson 43rd and Fay Smalls 71st.

The Pool A ladies team scores were 1. Colchester Harriers 18 pts, 2. Ipswich JAFFA 30 pts, 3. Witham 125 pts, 4. Great Bentley 131 pts, 5. Harwich 143 pts and 6. Springfield Striders 146 pts

The men also were victors by a distance with young Ermeas Aferwerki leading the green vests home in 2nd place, Nate Filer was 6th.  The other six scoring men were Oscar Dawson 14th, Allen Smalls 16th, Richard Heath 17th, Chris Sellens 19th, Danny Millward 22nd and Gavin Scanlon 31st.  Other Harreirs men to finish were Jason Gunn 34th, Alex Sales 35th, Dominc Nicjewski 37th, Colin Ridley 38th, Paul Preston 43th, Doug McGillivray 44th, John Fryer 48th, Robert Smith 50th, Craig Mitchell 51st, Richard Flutter 54th, Kevin Higgins 69th, Dan Mark 73th, Joseph Boden 79th, Russell Goodridge 81st, Simon Ford 83rd, David Wright 90th, Richard Millward 91st, Charlie Holohan 99th, Tim Holden 107th, Kevin MacAlinden 108th, Nick Crikha 114th, Dan Wilkinson 116th, Andy Taczynski 124th, Martin Claydon 144th, Martin Blackwell 149th, James Plant 152th, and Keiron Callaghan 166th.

The Pool A men’s team scores were 1. Colchester Harriers 127 pts, 2. Springfield Striders 246 pts 3. Ipswich JAFFA 247 pts, 4. Harwich 276 pts 5. Witham 496 pts and 6. Great Bentley 524 pts.

At the halfway point in the season the league standings are:

1. Colchester Harriers 17 pts,

2. Ipswich JAFFA 13 pts,

3. Springfield Striders 12 pts.

4. Witham 11 pts,

5. Great Bentley 6 pts

6. Harwich 4 pts.

Juniors

The junior finishers for the girls were  1. Milly Presland, 3. Madeleine Claydon, 13. Grace Gardiner, 14. Emily Swan, 15. Alice Begg, 17. Missy Buxton, 18. Jess Longstaff, 20. Daisy Rickwood, 25. Emily Longstaff, 29. Gabriella Goldsmith, 34. Jennifer Palmer, 45. Madison Filer, 49. Mia Ghignoni and 50 Nancy Filer.  The girls top the league with 3 pts ahead of Ipswich JAFFA on 7 pts and Colchester and Tendring 9 pts.

And for the boys the finishers were 1. Thomas Palmer, 3. Victor Steinward, 4. Samuel Shippey, 16. Tom Colsell, 23. Charlie Parmenter, 25. Theo Gardiner, 33. Finlay Greenleaf, 42. Myles Martell and 47 Joseph Filer.  The boys also top the league with 3 pts ahead of Colchester and Tendring on 6 pts and Ipswich JAFFA 8 pts.

After three races the top of the junior league table reads

1. Colchester Harriers 6 pts,

2. Ipswich JAFFA 15 pts,

2. Colchester and Tendring 15 pts

4..Springfield Striders 32 pts

Park run roundup

At Colchester Castle Park run Harriers athletes finished in a pack behind the leader, filling places 2 to 6 were Fergus Crouch 18m 12s, Ian Haw 18m 22s, Jon Nears 18m 27s, Angus Holford 18m 40s and Alex Sales 18m 53s.

Cudmore Grove, Mersea celebrated its 100th Park run with Gavin Scanlon leading a 1 – 2 – 3 – 4, for the Harriers with Jerry Walder (and dog) 19m 12s, Craig Mitchell 19m 20s and Dan Beard 20m 02s.

Wayne Cook was 3rd overall at a windy Harwich seafront Park run in 18m 45s.