From Luke Watkeys…
Starting the weekend’s racing off, on Saturday 24 October two Harriers celebrated top honours at the Punk Panther Nidderdale Way Weekender. This epic trail event takes runners past iconic Yorkshire landmarks including Ripley Castle, Brimham Rocks, Scar House Reservoir, and How Stean Gorge, offering four distances ranging from a half marathon to the full 55-mile (88.5 km) loop. In the 32-mile (51.5 km) ultra-marathon, Holly Digne-Malcolm joined 71 other contenders and put in a commanding display to claim first female and 13th place overall in 6:23:39. Not to be outdone, Kathryn Hamilton lined up alongside 32 others in the 20-mile (32.2 km) race, crossing the line as first female and an impressive fifth overall in 3:29:32.
Moving to Sunday, flying the flag on the international stage on Sunday 25 October, Sam Bentham and Edward Hobbs were selected to represent the England Under-23 team at the prestigious Trofeo Vanoni international mountain relay race. Taking on a competitive field of 169 teams, Sam took charge of the opening leg and delivered a superb performance to bring the team home in sixth place (first in the U23 category) in 30:39. Edward then took over for the second leg, storming around the course to record the second-fastest split of his leg (first in the U23 category) in a blistering 30:28. Alongside their England teammate on the anchor leg, the trio secured a fantastic fourth place overall with a combined time of 1:34:36.
Back home on the roads on Sunday, Dan McKeown travelled to North Yorkshire for the Whixley 10k near York. In a field of 102 runners, Dan delivered a rapid performance to claim second place overall, and second in the M40 category, crossing the line in a swift 38:03, just 23 seconds behind the race winner.
Turning to Saturday’s parkrun circuit, Harriers were out in force across several different courses at home and abroad, celebrating three outright victories and a string of podium and top ten finishes. Leading the victory charge was Samesh Chotai, who continued his winning streak by taking first place out of 266 runners at Wythenshawe in a blistering 16:19. Oscar Stapleton claimed top spot out of 459 participants at South Manchester in a rapid 17:21. Completing the trio of first-place finishes, Sam Angus crossed the line first out of 109 runners at Myrtle in 19:35, where Maddie Morris also shone to finish third female in 23:24 and Louise Nash placed fourth female in 26:59.
At the home fixture on East Holmes Field, 12 Harriers joined a field of 180 participants. Robert Cunningham was tenth in 21:01 and Jacqui Foster was the first female Harrier across the line, placing 18th female in 28:05. Elsewhere in Yorkshire and across the UK, there were plenty of standout displays. At Roberts Park, Finn Maxwell secured eighth in 19:31, Thomas Bailey finished 12th in 19:49, and Emma Moore placed eighth female in 24:13. Over at Chevin Forest, Harry Brook-Dobson took a strong second place in 19:52, and Helen Thurston finished third female in 25:21. At Horton Park, Milena Morgan secured second in 21:30, whilst at Humber Bridge, Daniel Paterson claimed seventh overall in 22:41 and Sarah Marsden finished fifth female in 27:32. Stephen Coy recorded a top-ten finish at Sewerby, taking eighth out of 311 runners in 19:56. Jaysson Sawyer clocked a rapid 18:35 for 12th out of 511 runners at Fountains Abbey. Over in Wales at Conwy, Rachel Carter finished eighth female in 21:18, closely followed by Julian Carter in 36th.
