Sat 12 October 2024, Witton Park, Blackburn
The first cross country race of the winter season saw a good turnout of Harriers at Witton Park, with some notable top 10 individual performances. Heading this was the Under 13 age group where Ellie Blackhurst (U13G) and Jack Taylor (U13B) both won their races. Other outstanding runs in the younger junior age group included 3rd Albert Yates (U13B), 5th Sophie Mitchell (U15G), 5th Jack Mawdsley (U15B). In the U17W race Sarah Yates finished 2nd with Molly Taylor in 3rd place.
More Photos at PH on Flickr
The weather continued fine for the Senior Women’s race where the women’s team of Emma McColm 2nd, Zara Darkin 7th (2nd U20W) and Sophie Pilkington 12th finished in 2nd place. Showing the current strength of our women, the B team of Katie Littlefair 15th, Charlotte Gregory 23rd and Jane Hodkinson 31st, finished 4th. Returning to Preston H., for ‘one last season of cross country’, an impressive Jane Hodkinson featured in the B team, WV35 team (2nd), WV45 team (1st) and WV55 team (2nd), after a close race with Cathy Flitcroft who was one second and one place behind.
By 2.15pm at the start of the men’s race the weather had changed, the wind increased and much of the race was run in heavy rain. This didn’t deter our senior men who placed 2nd overall, led by Chris Livesey 7th, Patrick Brown 10th, Luke Suffolk 27th, Billy Reid 28th, George Rainford 34th and Alistair Palmer 37th. Chris was also 1st MV40 and the MU20 team of Billy, George and Ibrahim Kantharia were 1st team in their age group.
Other excellent runs on the day came from 1st place team in the U13B – Jack Turner, Albert Yates and Harry Hopkinson; 1st for the MV60 team – Mark Lee, Michael O’Donnell and John Rainford; 1st for MV70 team – Alan Appleby and Mick McLoughlin; 1st team WV45 – Jane Hodkinson, Cathy Flitcroft and Liz Horne.