New Helpston Harriers club are up and running

Steve Robinson and Ruth Jones earned their wings on Saturday as they became the first individual medallists in the brief history of fledgling athletic club Helpston Harriers.
Steve Robinson struck gold for Helpston Harriers.Steve Robinson struck gold for Helpston Harriers.
Steve Robinson struck gold for Helpston Harriers.

Robinson, a corporal in the RAF, won gold in the Kettering Charity Cup cross-country race at Kettering, flying round the 10k course in a time of 33.19 to win the race by over two minutes.

Jones collected bronze with a tenacious run on the muddy Wicksteed Park circuit, holding off a rival who’d been snapping at her heels all race to claim a well deserved third place. Jones clocked 24.14 on a course which measured just under 6k.

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Nene Valley Harrier Luke Myers finished 10th in the men’s race in a time of 37.51.

Ruth Jones.Ruth Jones.
Ruth Jones.

Helpston’s Jim Morris continued his incredibly consistent marathon form when clocking 2:47.19 in Malaga. Morris placed 54th, and has now run 17 marathons over the last five years, all within a 14-minute time range.

Former King’s School student Josh Lunn, who runs for Helpston second claim, finished 40th in the Telford 10k. The race is among the most competitive road races in the country and Lunn knocked over two minutes off his previous best time when clocking 30:37.

Bushfield’s Eric Winstone was the sixth Over 65 across the finish line in a time of 44:40. It was one of the sprightly 67 year-old’s quickest times in recent years and would have earned him the Over 65 prize in many races.

FROSTBITE LEAGUE

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Eye’s Ben Heron finished third in Sunday‘s Frostbite League race at Hinchingbrooke Park on what was an underwhelming day for many of the local running clubs.

The boggier sections of the course were to Heron’s liking, but the varied nature of the five mile multi-terrain circuit suited BRJ’s Dave Hudson, who strode clear to win in a time of 27:21. James Hall from Huntingdon AC followed 14 seconds later.

Crossing the line in 28:56 Heron ran a lonely last couple of miles with neither front runner in sight ahead of him and the fourth-placed athlete 17 seconds further back .

Ramsey’s Lisa Marriott was the first lady home with a 32.05 clocking and she received good backing from team-mate Michelle Brett, who finished fourth in 33:45.

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Toni Alcaraz of March AC came home sixth in 34:11 and PACTRAC’s Sarah Caskey ran well to take ninth place with a time of 34:52.

It was an off-day for Nene Valley Harriers who finished down in 13th position in the team stakes with Eye Community Runners the pick of the local bunch in fifth. Huntingdon AC were winners and lead the overall standings with Nene Valley third.

Nene Valley’s Sam Staines was pipped at the post in the junior race, finishing as runner-up just a couple of strides behind race winner Callum Molly of Cambridge and Coleridge.

PACTRAC’s Olivia Corner finished as third girl with Chelsie Bole of Nene Valley Harriers crossing the line fourth.

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Nene Valley were the top Peterborough team in fifth place. The Harriers sit second in the league table behind Hunts AC.

HARRIER LEAGUE

The December round of the Harrier League was won by Amanda Lopez from Thorney Runners in a time of 28.59.

Nene Valley’s Lee Hartill clocked a time of 17.12 and that was the fastest of the night.

Amanda Lopez leads the overall rankings ahead of Nene Valley’s Dylan Tomasselli.