Nina Griffith ran superbly to come 2nd out of 218 finishers in the fifth and final Start Fitness Metropolitan League cross country of the season at Trent Park, Cockfosters (8 February).
In brilliant sunshine but over a quite muddy cross country course, the winner was 2006 National Cross Country Champion Liz Janes (Hall) of Herts Phoenix in 28:34 with Nina Griffith 2nd in 29:59. As Southern Champions Highgate had a modest turn out of their ‘stars' - being without Hannah Viner and Molly Renfer - but still finished third on the day in Division One behind London Heathside and Victoria Park & Tower Hamlets and third overall in the League behind the same two clubs. Some other high places for Highgate were: 7, Vicky Walker 31:28; 13, Jess Anderson 31:55; 33, Rachel Baker 33:57; 45, Sabina Russell (V50) who did 34:57; and 47 Louise Faherty (V40) 35:04.
So now in the next couple of months are the National Cross Country, Southern Road Relay and the National Road Relay, where the club’s hopes are high with both the men and the women.
HIGHGATE HARRIERS’ BLAZE OF GLORY IN THE MUD
Highgate Harriers men had their eighth consecutive season of winning the Start Fitness Metropolitan League.
Out of the 32 clubs that took part Highgate Harriers 'A' team made no mistakes on Saturday (8 February) as they had all their 12 men to score team in the first 51 of the 457 finishers. Their 'B’ team topped Division 2 and will now join Highgate's ‘A’ team in the Premier Division next season.
The overall Men's League in Division One finished with Highgate Harriers 6,993; Victoria Park & Tower Hamlets 6,606; London Heathside 5,513; Woodford Green 5,306; Ealing, Southhall and Middlesex 4,156; Serpentine RC 4,019; Hillingdon 3,719; TVH 3,466; Shaftesbury Barnet 3,407; Trent Park RC 3,084; London City 2,866 and Barnet & District 1,646.
There was a gold lining for Shaftesbury, as they had the individual winner of the final three league races out of five and that was Dylan Evans - who won at Trent Park in 25:28; but in second place and leading the Highgate charge at Trent Park was Alex Lepretre. The Highgate team were: 2 Alex Lepretre 25:33; 5, Roger Poolman, 26:05; 8 Robel Bahelbi 26:23; 10, Chris Rainsford 26:30; 13, Rob Wilson 26:46; 16, Charlie Haywood 26:55; 18 Sean Renfer 27:05; 24, Pete Chambers 27:21; 39, Jon Laybourn 28:10; 42, Dominic Smith 28:13; 48, Ash Chambers 28:24; and 51 Alex Crossland 28:31.
16-Feb-2020 Alastair Aitken