ISSY INSPIRES
UNDER-13S SEAL ATHLETICS TITLE
Nine club members competed in the sixth and final round of the North Yorkshire Cross Country League, which was held at Richmond’s Old Racecourse. In the Under-13 girls race, Issy Nicholls led from the start and was 35 seconds ahead of the field at the tape.
Her win sealed the league title, which was achieved after moving up from the Under-11 group this season.
It was also her second league title as she was the Under-11 winner last season.
This was notably the first win by a club member in this age group for five years.
The team had a hard battle with New Marske Harriers, who were the joint team leaders with Scarborough after the penultimate meeting.
But thanks to members of the team who were competing in their first league season, the team secured a notable victory after Georgia Wood finished in eighth and Ella Buttery in ninth.
Laura Dove provided a good back-up in 12th place.
This was the club’s first overall team win for four years and the first by a girls Under-13 team for six years.
In the opening race of the meeting, two more newcomers in the league had good runs in the boys and girls Under-11 race.
Charlie Hepples was 18th boy and Anya Potter-Firth finished 14th girl.
Anna Kolos, who was the only club member in the senior women’s race, finished up in 36th overall of 94 and was the eighth in the open category.
In the concluding senior men’s race, ever-presents Dale Hepples and Paul Chapman, who have competed in the most cross country races in both of the leagues that the club competes in, finished in 78th and 119th respectively out of a top-class field of 143 entrants.