Herne Hill Harriers round-up: Junior success at latest Surrey Cross Country League fixture

Herne Hill Harriers U13 boys and U15 girls were winners in the third Surrey Cross Country League fixture of the season, writes Geoff Jerwood.

The U13 boys ran one lap of the main circuit which was a little less than three kilometres.

Herne Hill were led emphatically with an individual one-two from Caspian Holmes, who was just two seconds ahead of team-mate Jack McLennan.

Backed up by Edward Cunniffe (11th) and Lucas Heath (13th), the quartet claimed the team victory on the day. Others to finish prominently were Will Perry (25th), Alfie Bryan (27th) and Felix Joliot (29th).

The U15 girls were also led by the individual winner as Orla Carroll was the outright victor in a race which also included the U17 women but with the results scored separately.

Carroll was 20 seconds ahead of the next U15 girl. The remainder of the scoring four runners – Vivi Marshall (sixth), Eva O’Hanlon (seventh) and Grace O’Hanlon (eighth) – packed superbly.

The B team placed fifth overall – Rosalie Laban (13th), Martha Brennan (16th) and Anna Forster (17th) all provided excellent back up.

Herne Hill’s U13 girls came second, courtesy of Sophie Jack (fourth), Florence Mills (10th), Lily Kitto (11th) and Summer Mackay (21st).

Harriers placed fourth in a combined U15/U17 boys race. Fabien Whitelock was ninth overall, but third of the U15s, followed in by another U15 in Oak Buchan (14th). U17 David Aisa Miller was 25th with the team completed by Samuel Maloney (47th).

The senior women’s Division One race was the first of the day with Harriers’ A team coming seventh.

Sarah Grover had suffered from Covid over the Christmas period but led her team with a good run in 15th, her highest position in this league to date. Grace Leyland was 18th. Natasha Lodge re-emerged at last weekend’s Surrey Championship and raced well again to place 25th.

Suzanne Swaine (44th) and Martha Reynolds (85th) completed the A team. The B team comprised Monika Gajek (105th), Samantha Whiting (118th), Jennifer Nandi (121st), Jemima Hayward-Bhika (125th) and Mary Setyabule (134th).

The final race was the senior men’s Division One fixture with Herne Hill’s A team finishing sixth. They are seventh overall in the nine-team division. The B side were fifth among those teams.

Lewis Laylee was the first of the large contingent of red-and-black clad Harriers in 23rd.

After that came Brandon Dewar (33rd), Andrew Warburton (56th), Jeff Cunningham (58th) and M45 Andrew Perfect (60th), the first of the over-45s finishers. The scoring A team was completed by Jack Dickenson (63rd), Eoin Brady (67th), Andrew Grigg (69th), Simon Coombes (70th) and Daniel Shaw (72nd).

Leading the B team was Mike Cummings (75th), followed by George Withers (80th), Ross Brown (91st), Joe Elliott (96th), Billy Herklots (104th), Jonny Whittall (108th), Josh Pewter (126th), U20 Jacob Alley (145th), John Foxall (146th) and Keith Collins- Achong (150th) .

Bryn Reynolds placed fourth in the Tadworth 10 miles road race on Sunday morning in 58:10.

Jordan Foster was fifth female finisher at the Essar Four Villages Half Marathon, clocking 87:41.