Northern Counties Relay Championships

Graves Park Sheffield – Saturday 17^th October 2015

The 2015 Northern Counties Cross Country Relay Championships were staged in Graves Park, Sheffield, on Saturday the 17^th of October. It is a team event and the age groups catered for runs from the under 11’s right up to seniors. Teams were entered from athletics clubs across the whole of Northern England and a total of 901 athletes competed at the championships.

A team of 28 athletes travelled from Costello to Sheffield, to represent Kingston upon Hull Athletic club at the championships. There were six youngsters in the team who were making their cross country debuts for the club. All of them made promising starts to their careers, which bodes well, both for their future prospects and the future of the club.

The only age categories without a Kingston representative running, were in the under 11 girls and the senior women’s events.

In the under 11 boy’s relay we fielded an incomplete team of two runners. The first leg was run by 9 year old Samuel Marsh, who has been with the club for only 3 months, and was making his cross country debut for Kingston. He finished in 7^th place, in a field of 19 runners, registering a time of 5:25s. It was a superb effort by the young debutant.

Not to be outdone by his team mate, 9 year old Finlay Southcoat, ran a magnificent leg two. He has only been training with the club for two months and he too was making his debut in the blue and gold Kingston vest. He took 3^rd place in a race which featured 18 competitors, and he recorded a time of 5:31s.

Kingston’s under13 boy’s team featured  an ‘A’ team and an incomplete ‘B’ team. The ‘A’ team comprised of the reigning Humberside County Cross Country Champion Finlay Pickering, together with two recent recruits, Adam Fox and Thomas Smales, who were both making their cross country debuts for the club.

Thomas ran the first leg , covering the course in 6:19s, and handing over the baton in 20^th place. Finlay took the baton and ran the second quickest leg of the entire race, a time of 5:23s, to hand over in first place.

Adam put in a strong run on the final leg, covering the distance in 6:07s, to bring the team home in 7^th place, in a combined time of 17:49s.

The under 13 boy’s ‘B’ team saw two more young athletes making their club debuts, 11 year old Harvey Southcoat and 12 year old Harry Drew.

Harvey ran in leg one and he finished the course in 25^th place, running a time of 6:42s, whilst Harry was placed 24^th in leg two in a recorded time of 7:16s.

The under13 girl’s team were Jodie Martin, Katy McCabe and Evie Watson.

Jodie ran the first leg, and handed over the baton in 15^th place, running a time of 6:21s. Katy took over on leg two and she covered the course in 6:48s, handing over the baton in 17^th place. On the final leg Evie Watson maintained the team’s 17^th place, with a run of 6:56s. The combined times for the girl’s was 20:05s.

The under 15 girl’s put out both an ‘A’ and a ‘B’ team. The ‘A’ team’s lead runner was Connie Mounsey who completed the course in 8:51s, handing over in 21^st place. Daisy Evans took over the baton and she handed it on in 18^th place, running a time of 9:06s. Abbie Haigh ran the 3^rd leg, recording a time of 9:17s. The team finished in 19^th place, with a combined time of 27:14s.

The under 15 girl’s ‘B’ team saw Rebecca Chivers on the first leg, she completed the course in 8:58s, handing over in 23^rd place. Katy Greenacre took over on the second leg and she ran the course in 9:36s, handing over in 23^rd place. The 3^rd leg was run by Lucy Savery and she crossed the finish line in 9:13s. The girl’s finished in 22^nd place with a combined time of 27:47s.

Matthew Elliott, Joseph Seed and Phillip May made up our under 15 boy’s team.

Matthew ran the first leg and handed over the baton in 26^th place with a run of 7:55s. Joseph took over for the second leg, which he ran in 8:14s, handing over in 20^th place. Phillip ran the final leg in 8:53s, crossing the line in 23^rd place. The combined time for the team was 25.02s.

Our under 17 women’s team were Natalie Bell, Martha Savage and Amy Greenacre.

Natalie ran the first leg and she handed over the baton in 15^th place, running a time of 9:10s. Martha took over for the second leg, and her run of 10:13s, pulled a place back to hand the baton over in 14^th place to Amy. She covered the leg in 10:03s, and crossed the finishing line in 13^th place. The girl’s combined time was 29:26s

The under 17 men’s team was an incomplete one, with just two runners.

Jack Brothwell ran in the first leg and he completed the course in 7:44s, for a 20^th place finish. Baldvin Magnusson finished 7^th in leg two, with a run of 7:33s.

The senior men’s team was made of two senior athletes, Oliver Newton and Gregan Clarkson and two of our youth team athletes, Joshua Taylor-Brown and Harry Powell.

Harry ran the first leg and he got the team off to a good start, handing over the baton in 10^th and running a time of 10:38s. Oliver Newton ran the second leg and he maintained the team’s position, running a time of 11.07s. Gregan Clarkson kept the momentum going , covering leg three in 11.06s. Josh ran the final leg in 11:23s, and the team finished in 10^th place, with a combined time  of 44:13s.