On the 11th of October, at Claybury, near Woodford, over the steep hilly course, Highgate men set out with 'Great Hopes' to win the League for the 14th consecutive time, this season.
Out of the 23 clubs in the first league match, Highgate Harriers were top with 1954 points followed by Victoria Park & Tower Hamlets 1854; London Heathside 1718; and Woodford & EL next. The race itself was intense up front for the first 2 laps, between Flurry Grierson (Highgate), Shaftesbury Barnet's Liam Dee and Roger Poolman from Highgate. In the final 3rd lap Dee went ahead to win in 24:23.27. Dee ran two sub-4 minute miles indoors in the USA in the last few years and so, he was able to use his speed in the final part of the race. However, Grierson who really likes cross-country, was noted for running 3rd in the National cross country this year, despite not having run a National cross at any age group before that. He felt it helped by doing his previous sport of orienteering, on the tough course and Poolman has a very fine record with the club anyway.
Highgate's 12 scorers in the field of 410 runners who completed, were all inside the first 45 places. 2 Flurry Grierson 24:41.89;3 Roger Poolman 24:46.42; 4 Alex Lapretree 24:57.95; 7 Pete Chambers 25:29.11; 9 Rob Wilson 25:53.61; 12 Sam Jinks 26.04.30; 20 Sean Renfer 26:18.36; 23 George Trotter 26:30.86.31; GarySebatian 26:56.52; 36 Leon Wheeler 27:06. 05; 44 Robel Bahelbi 27:32.08; 45 Jack Mcvann 27:32.74.
In the Women's race Victoria Park lead with 453. 2nd are London Heathside with 415 but in the Veteran table Highgate are 3rd. The outstanding feature was that the first Over 60 in the race was Sabina Russell of Highgate who was 40th of the 165 runners in 35:07.40 and the other well placed veteran were 59 Louise Faherty & 61 Natasha Cendrowicz.
Two good and clear winners were Sonny Allen in the 15-17 age group race and Arjuna Pflug. The latter won the 15-17 race of over 96 runners. Considering he had injuries, till three weeks before the race, it was very good and gave him the confidence to go into the London Youth Games on Hampstead Heath at the start of November. He won all his Under 15 races last year in the Met League and is coached by Chris Rainsford and Hannah Viner, which can not be a bad thing.