For the third West Yorkshire Cross Country League of the season (15 Nov) young athletes from the Harrogate Harriers junior training group traveled the short distance to Wetherby to compete. The Grange Park circuit was used for the first time and all credit to the organisers, Wetherby Runners, for setting out a quite testing course.

The weather was kind to the runners and conditions underfoot were exceptional considering all the rain in the week leading up to the event.

Once again there was an encouraging turnout of thirty three young Harriers running on the day and the results showed that Harrogate teams were listed in the main age groups (under 13’s, under 15’s and under 17’s) and not to be outdone the senior men and women both had full teams out.

In the under 11’s Lucy Ireland raced to a fine second place and leads the rankings with one meeting remaining. Madeleine Jackson improved on her finishing position from her first race for the club at Otley last month.

In the absence of Harriet Smail through illness Ciara Martin led the under 13 girls team across the finish line followed by Hannah Turner, Ellie Higgins and Camilla Baldrick. It was Dan Moulson, fresh from his excellent run for his school at Tadcaster the previous weekend where his position ensured his team qualified for the English Schools Cup finals at Loughborough in a fortnight’s time, who was the first Harrogate runner to finish in the under 13’s boys race with Will Havercroft, Lewis Bramley and Laurence Hargreaves the other counters. James Hancocks and Luke Harrison were the other finishers.

In a competitive under 15’s girls race Harriet Makin in ninth place and was supported in the team by Caroline Lambert, Ellie Macleod, Ellie Smith and Heather Jackson. The under 15’s boys team are guaranteed either silver or bronze medals at the final West Yorkshire League meeting at Wakefield on the 7th of December depending on whether they can beat Halifax Harriers. At Wetherby they placed second behind Leeds City with Matt Hipkin in fifth place overall leading the team of eight Harriers across the finish line. Tom Moulson (10th) showed that he is coming into form in readiness for the Area Schools’ Cross Country Championships at Skipton on the 29th November. Tom Warren, a couple of places behind, had a far better race than he had at Guiseley and along with Max Fairhurst were the four counters for Harrogate. Fraser Birtwistle, Jonathan Bell, George Hinchcliffe and Will Newton followed in close succession over the finish line.

All being well the under 17’s girls team should pick up team medals after the next meeting, the trio of Caroline Blane, Rebecca Turner and Katherine Coupland have got to remain positive at Wakefield and work together to ensure success. At Wetherby Carolina was first counter followed by Katherine and then one place behind, Rebecca, for third team. Illness and injury prevented the under 17 boys from having their strongest team out for the first time this season, however Dan Cheeseman (22nd), Adam Couldwell (27th) and Adam Auckland (28th) made sure that Harrogate finished sixth on the day, it is hoped that Duncan Birtwistle and Alex Rhodes will be fit for the Schools Championships as it is the first step on the way to the All England Schools Championships in March next year.

Jonathan Johnson finished higher up the field in the senior men’s race than he did at Guiseley and was fourth counter for the team.