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31st Oct, 2021, Alastair Aitken

On 16 October, Highgate Harriers finished their scoring first team of men in the first 35 of 372 finishers in the first Start Fitness Metropolitan League cross-country fixture at Claybury. The race for first place was intense and Woodfords' Thomas Frith just managed to get away from the Highgate 'Star' men on the third of the three-lap course. The Highgate team packed like sardines. It was 24:55 for Frith but behind him in order came the following Highgate runners: 2, Seyed Taha Ghafari, 25:11; 3, Jacob Allen, 25:27; 4, Robel Bahelbi, 25:42; 5, Alex Lepretre, 25:45; and 6, Pete Chambers 25:46. The others in the team were: 17, Charlie Haywood, 27:01; 19, Niki Faulkener, 27:04; 21, Rob Wilson, 27:20; 27, James Barber, 27:47; 28, Sean Renfer, 27:51; 34, Lewis Greaves 28.03; 35, Henry Murdoch 28:04. Also in the first 100 were: 37 Dave Shepherd 28:14; Andres Chau 40th in 28:20; 53, Jonathan Laybourn, 28:42; second over 45' was Ben Noad in 59th (28:59) and the first over 50 in the race Sion Perry (29.27) in 72nd; 74, Russell Ashford, 29.34 and 98th Alex Holly, 30.13. After one meet Highgate Harriers lead the men’s league with 1,545 points with Victoria Park & Tower Hamlets second on 1,266. Impressively, Highgate's 'B' team in the senior men's is in 6th place of the 12 clubs and first 'B' team. 

London Heathside lead the women’s league after the first fixture with 349 points with Victoria Park & Tower Hamlets second on 286 points and Highgate in third place with 280. Highgate's leading runners at Claybury were 8, Tara Page (31:32); 9, under 20 runner Ellen Donald (31:40); 31, Kate Russell (33:58); and 36, Emily Young (34:11) Beth Hawling of London Heathside was 1st in 29:05 out of 179 finishers. 

Jack Bailey ran well to finish 5th in the under 17 men’s race.