Victory gives Anya a lot to Crow about
A RECORD field of 79 faced the starter in the under-13 girls’ race at the second fixture of the Start Fitness North Eastern Harrier League at Druridge Bay, writes BILL McGUIRK.
The occasion was marked by Gateshead’s Anya Crowder who won the two-mile contest in 14min 12secs - finishing 10 seconds clear of Freya Gibson (Durham City) with North Shields Poly’s Ellie van Der Merve a close-up third.
Fastest on the course for the second successive week - having posted the quickest time at Wrekenton - was Alnwick’s Lauren Brown, who worked her way through from a 1min 40sec handicap to finish in seventh place.
Second fastest was Birtley’s Katie Francis with Brown’s Alnwick team-mate Millie Breeze third.
The under-15 girls’ race contested the same two-mile course and first home was Houghton’s Amy Leonard with a 13-second cushion over Crook duo Beth Wilson and Bethany Iveson.
Gateshead’s Ines Curran, who was just outside the medals in fourth place, was quickest ahead of Holly Peck (Morpeth) and Chesterle-Street’s Emily Chong.
Newcastle University student Shona Haston won the combined under-17/20 women’s race ahead of Birtley’s Sophie Burnett and Jarrow and Hebburn’s Sophie Robson.
Haston led throughout to win by 19 seconds - Burnett had given the winner a start of two and a half minutes but still managed to finish in second place.
Fastest under-17 athlete was Gosforth’s Rhian Purves.
Gateshead’s Noah Curran, younger brother of Ines, made it a family double when he took the under-13 boys’ two-mile race.
Just two seconds was the advantage at the finish over Tynedale’s Marcus Laws, Christopher Perkins (Birtley) working his way through the field from a 1min 40sec handicap to be third.
Second quickest on the course was Tom Slane, followed by his Blackhill Bounders’ team-mate Leo White.
Durham City’s Peter Cook led the field home in the under-15 boys’ contest eight seconds clear of Charlie Daley (Tynedale) - Gosforth’s Kieron Mutch completing the onetwo-three.
Fastest for the second successive week was Houghton’s Henry Johnson followed by team-mate Will Bellamy and the previous weekend’s winner at Wrekenton, Jarrow and Hebburn’s Jamie Barnshaw.
The biggest win of the day came in the under-17 men’s race with Wallsend’s Sam Charlton crossing the line more than two minutes clear of second-placed Adam Pinkney (Tynedale) with Blaydon’s Daniel Buffham a close-up third.
Charlton not only won the contest but was the quickest overall ahead of Gosforth’s Patrick Donald and Birtley’s Lewis McConnell.
In the ‘Try Cross-Country’ events for nine-11-year-olds, Elswick’s Poppy Old was first home in the girls’ contest with Ella Jones (Chester-le-Street) second and Derwentside AC’s Isla Fishwick third.
The boys’ contest was won by North Shields Poly’s Zac Brannon with Joseph McGinley (Houghton) second and Brannon’s team-mate John Peacock third.