Highgate Harriers women surprised a lot of clubs with their first really good result this Winter season, with 3rd place in the South of England Women's cross-country Championships, in Beckenham Place Park on Saturday the 24th of January.
Aldershot & Farnham, who are always strong were 1st with 45 points, then came Belgrave Harriers with 106 and Highgate 3rd with 108 points but, ahead of such good Southern clubs such as Herne Hill Harriers, Kent AC, Blackheath & Bromley Harriers and London Heathside. Out of the 335 finishers five Highgate women finished well up the field in the race, round the lake up the hill, through the wood and finishing up a slightly hilly part of the course at the finish. The Highgate runners were 13 Hannah Viner 28:53; 20 Kaitlyn Johnson 28:24; 31 Karina Harris 30:23; 42 Ashley-Scott Wison 30:59; and 74 Karina Thornton 32:26. The race was won by Kate O'Neil (Metro) in 27:21.
Two who did particularly well for Highgate Harriers, in the younger age groups were Sonny Allen, who came 3rd in 'Under 17' age group and Leoni Delvendahl who came 4th in the Women Under 20's race.
THE MEN ONLY JUST MISSED OUT!
Highgate Harriers men were 4th in the South of England Men's Championship with 156 points just behind Kent AC, who obtained 150 points. The winning team were Hercules Wimbledon with 126 points with Aldershot Farnham and District on 139. Behind Highgate were Bedford & County AC, Victoria Park AC & Tower Hamlets Cc & Woodford Green.
Out of 603 athletes timed in, there were some high positions for Highgate Harriers behind the winner James Kingston of Kent AC who recorded a time of 44:37. Highgates Flurry Grierson was 4th in 46:29; 18th Terry Fawden 47:59
20th Sam Jinks 48:12, 30th Rob Wilson 48:45; 41st Sean Renfer 49:44; 43rd Charlie Haywood 49: 47 and in 47th place came Greg Grierson in 30:50.