In-form Nicholls books place in inter-county event
Scarborough athletes seal 10th place at tough cross country championships
Following the late withdrawal of three senior club members, it was left to eight of the club’s youngest members to represent the club at the Yorkshire Cross Country Championships, at the Lightwater Valley.
Issy Nicholls led the under13s team after finishing in a close-up fourth and after successfully holding off a chasing group of five, who were aiming for selection to represent Yorkshire in the Inter-County Championship at Loughborough in March.
Her finish position resulted in immediate selection for the championship.
Nicholls was followed by Anya Potter-Firth, who was making a championship debut, in 43rd place.
Georgia Wood completed the scoring team in 48th and Laura Dove backed up the team in 77th, and both greatly improved their position of their previous championship.
The team finished 10th overall of the county’s top 18 teams, which included Seb Coe’s club Hallamshire Harriers, who were the clear winners with the first two finishers.
In the Boys race, 11-yearold Ben Cross, who only qualified age wise this season, made his debut and competed against mostly older Under-13 Boys.
After a steady start, Cross started to overhaul runners and finished in 73rd.
Christian Mummert who moved up an age group when competing in the Men’s Under-17 Championship, was just behind the leaders in the opening stages, and then battled hard to finish up in 22nd.
In the Women’s race Sacha Butterworth was 31st, and her younger brother Harry Butterworth who has been very successful at cycling and triathlon over the past year finished 57th in the boy’s Under-15 race.
Juliette Pilgrim competed in the latest event in the Hardmoors series, which consisted of a circular 15-mile route which started and finished at Robin Hood’s Bay, and encompassed the Whitby area.
Pilgrim improved her previous time for this event by 20 minutes when she finished seventh female overall in 2 hours 37 minutes
Three club members competed in the Captain Cook’s New Year’s Day fell race at Great Ayton.
The traditional senior race incorporated 900 feet of climb over 5.3 miles, and passed by the Captain Cook monument on the North Yorkshire Moors.
Nick Harper was fifth overall of a record field of 328. Neil Scruton followed in 164th and was also first Over-70 again.
Serena Partridge was up in 54th female overall.
Two club members competed in the annual Filey
Flyer races, and opted for the long course of 23 miles over the East Wolds.
Ian Beaver finished seventh overall of 130 starters in 3 hours 26 minutes.
Newcomer Andy Southwick, competing for the club for only the second time, was 41st in 4 hours 37 minutes
Five club members participated in the latest Sewerby Parkrun.
Alan Keenan was first home for the club in 51st male overall and once again the first Over-70.
Patricia Keenan who was the club’s sole female representative this week, was also first in her Over-65 group again and 47th overall.
Alan was followed by Brian Rutt 60th, Andrew Gill 69th and Roger Gough 95th.