This winter's first NYSD Cross-Country League fixture was hosted by Hartlepool Burn Road Harriers at Summerhill Country Park on Sunday, October 26.

Despite the good weather, both on the day and over the previous week, leaving the course in as-good-a-shape as has been for some years, there was a noticeably small turnout with just 283 runners from 17 clubs plus several guests competing in the seven races. The Junior Male races had the smallest fields; 10 under 13s, 24 under 15s and 11 under 17s, mostly due to the increasing number of football matches being played on Sunday afternoons.

Richmond and Zetland Harriers were no exception to this downturn in numbers with 22 competitors on the day; five in each of the under 15 Girls and Women's races, eight in the Men's plus one finisher in each of the other four races.

Although the quantity was missing, there was quality throughout the day. Mike Willis, Senior Coach for Scarborough was first to celebrate as their runners won three of the first four races - Liam Johnson, under 13 Boys; Alex Wheatman, under 13 Girls and Ben Proctor, under 15 Boys before the Harriers' Jessie Roberts got the better of Abbie Johnson in the under 15 Girls race. Jessie also lead the under 15 Girls team to victory with four counters in 18 places despite several of the girls moving-up an age group and early season sniffles claiming a couple of victims.

The Women's race had nine Clubs and 51 runners in the results with first place going to Catherine Hare of Loftus, a member of Yorkshire's under 20 gold medal winning X-C team at the Inter-Counties but now better-known for her triathlon exploits. Loftus also won the Women's team race, ahead of an RZH team that included last year's individual winner, Louise Jackson, an under 20 team-mate of Catherine.

Loftus claimed a second double in the Men's race when Stephen Hepples took the individual honours and their Club were first team. Stephen's win was decisive, 1:40 ahead runner-up Rob Cole of Mandale, but the six-to-count team result was in doubt until the results were tallied - showing only 16 points separating Loftus from host Club Hartlepool who in turn were just four points ahead of Darlington in third place. There were 123 finishers representing 12 clubs and the Harriers, shorn of several key runners due to University, work and injury, fielded a completely Veteran octet. Jon Orange was best man for the Harriers, finishing in sixth place and second M40 with Mike Brooks, marking his debut as newly elected as President of the NYSD League, second home, finishing 49th overall and 3rd M50.

RZH results: under 13 Boys - 3rd Niall Scott; under 13 Girls - 6th Rosie Adams; under 15 Boys - 5th Chris Andrade; under 15 Girls - 1st Jessie Roberts, 6th Sophie Broadway, 8th Scarlett Gray & 18th Katie Roberts = 1st team; under 17 Boys, 5th Nick Zissler; Women - 6th Louise Jackson, 11th Fiona Hughes, 22nd Sarah Gregory, 24th (& 6th U17) Leah Jackson & 45th Jenny Fenwick = 2nd team; Men - 6th (& 2nd M40) Jon Orange, 49th (& 3rd M50) Mike Brooks, 65th Shane Gray, 83rd Colin Sewell, 92nd Paul Scott, 93rd Paul Zissler, 101st Ian Hepworth & 115th Neil Piper = 9th team (& 4th Vet team).

This Saturday, several Harriers will compete for Allertonshire School in the Regional Final of the English Schools X-C Cup at Bydales School, Marske.

* www.rzh.org.uk