Highgate Harriers had been top of the Men's Metropolitan league, out of 23 clubs, for 12 years but on Saturday at Woodford, they slipped into 2nd position with1721 behind Victoria Park & Tower Hamlets AC who have 1945 points. Victoria Park also were the leaders in t he Women' Division..
There is no doubt if Highgate put their strongest team out, they could easily bounce back, but Victoria Park have the bit between their teeth! Bren Rushman of Herts Phoenix beat the nearly 400runners in 24:37.21. Highgate's first twelve home were 7 Flurry Grierson 26:01.58; 8 Pete Chambers 26:06.61; 11 Nicolas Jones 26:22.99; 19 Sean Renfer 27:08;80; Lewis Greaves 27:35.27; 33 George Gurney 27:36.21; 43 James Barber 27:45.45; 52 Charlie Haywood 28:12.27; 57 Sean Hartnett 28:38.92; 59 Jon Laybourn 29:44.27; 61 Ben Noad (3rd M45) 28;51.12 and 77 Liam Bailey (U20) 29;36.30. It was interesting to see the older Highgate runners doing well, over the very hilly course. 205 Duncan Burbidge;(55); 206 Alex Davidson (61) and 207 Chriss Beecham (55).
In the Women's race the outstanding run by a Highgate runner was Natasha Cendrowicz (An Over 50} who was first over 50 from all the clubs with well over 100 finishers. in her race.
In The Under 17 youths race and under 15's was run as one event, so over 70 ran and Under 17 winner was track star Luke Dunham of Herts Phoenix who won in 12:24. The first Under 15 was Highgate's Arjuna Pflug in 13:44, a very good result.