There was a rather chilly start to January with the Hampshire Cross-Country Championships, which saw Charlie, Les & Roger placing well in their age categories.

Stubbington 10km was very popular again this year, with 23 Harriers competing. The conditions were ideal for good times, and Les proved he was on top form by achieving 1^st Vet 55 in yet another race, as well as PBs for many of the runners.

And then came the first of the Harriers cross country series, which saw all runners (Juniors, Men & Women) all run the same 10km cross-country course for the first time, previously Juniors & Women have run shorter 6km & 8km courses. This year’s new course took all runners out towards Nunwell House, with a slightly smaller loop around the fields, and the satisfying feeling that you didn’t have to trudge around the football field again at the finish of the race this year. Hopefully there will be slightly less getting lost in the next two races in the series in the February.

This year the cross-country courses itself broke with Harriers tradition, in that the ground conditions were ‘firm’, whereas in previous years it is normally described as a ‘mudfest’.

Results for Hampshire Cross-Country Championships 5^th January

(Travel Sponsored by Wightlink)

Women’s 8.4km

Charlie Metcalfe               00:32:25 9th (1st Vet 40)

Samantha Fancourt         00:43:14 78th

Natalie Rose                       00:47:19 96th

Kate Couch                         00:54:23 110th

17th Team of 21

Men’s 12km

Dave Hunt                           00:45:43 47th

Jake Brougham                  00:45:54 52nd

Leslie Cupis                         00:47:30 77th (1st Vet 55)

Bryan Jones                        00:50:24 115th

Trevor McAlister               00:52:43 135th

Nigel Eldridge                    00:55:15 161st

Ken Beak                              00:57:20 171st

Sam Cleare                          00:58:18 172nd

Roger Merry                       01:01:33 180th (1st Vet 65)

18th Team of 22

13th Vet Team of 17

Results for SpyVelo XC 10km 6^th January

Caroline Dall-Whittall      01:09:25

Sasha Levrier                     01:19:55

Results for Stubbington 10km 13^th January

(Travel Sponsored by Wightlink)

Leslie Cupis                         00:37:35 (1st Vet 55)

Trevor McAlister               00:39:27

Richard Melville                00:39:39

Harry Furmidge                 00:42:24

Graham Gardner              00:43:05

Ken Beak                             00:45:47

Claire Grace                        00:46:14

Catherine Young               00:47:12

Keith Ruth                           00:48:00

Peter Jolliffe                       00:52:34 (4th Vet 70)

Peter White                        00:51:55

Natalie Rose                       00:53:40

Carolyn Ward                     00:55:40

Michael Dignan                 00:55:50

Brian Warren                     00:58:24

Sarah Probert                    01:00:01

Joanne Beak                       01:00:04

Pippa Sharp                        01:01:10

Craig White                        01:00:45

Louise Wilcock                   01:08:02

Angela Thornton              01:08:29

Beth Holloway                   01:14:16

Susan Clerkin                     01:16:47 (6th Vet 70)

Results for Dark Moors 10m 13^th January

Kath Levrier                        02:21:38 (3^rd Vet 60)

Simon Levrier                    02:21:39 (5^th Vet 60)

Results for Ryde Harriers XC Championship 20^th January

Well attended by 35 harriers and 49 guests.

Results for Chessell Chase XC Duathlon 10m 26^th January

Sasha Levrier                     01:27:58