Mansfield Harriers winter season starts well
Mansfield Harriers junior athletes made the short journey to Retford for the first Nottinghamshire Mini League Cross Country fixture of the winter.
After finishing second in the league last winter the team manger was hoping to go one better this season.
A tremendous team performance from Mansfield saw the team come away with a clear victory by 70 match points with Newark AC second. The team were exceptionally strong in the girls races; however, a lack of numbers saw only one complete team in the boys.
An exceptional performance in the Under 15 girls race saw the Mansfield athletes finish in the first five places. Charley Whysall continues her outstanding 2025 as she came home a clear winner with Isla Milnes 2nd, Myanie Westwood 3rd, Lucy Beardsmore 4th and Maisie Lowe 5th. The Under 15 boys had the fast improving Harry Tonks first home in 3rd place closely followed by Teddy Macintyre in 4th and Xander Arbon in 9th.
The Under 13 girls were impressive as a team, making her club debut Scarlett Brumfitt came home 2nd, chased all the way by Esme Evans 3rd and Catherine Rivis 4th, with strong runs from Lauren Pate 8th and Evelyn Wheat 9th. The club only had one Under 13 boy but Jack Whysall put in a gutsy race to come home a terrific 2nd place.
Another making her Mansfield debut was Lucy Pate who had a marvellous run in the Under 11 age group coming home in 2nd place with Isla Huntington also having a great race coming in 3rd. Everly Chijioke came in 7th with Junia Freeman 10th and Erin Huntington 17th. The Under 11 boys had a pleasing run from both Logan Payne in 6th and Leo Adams in 7th place.
The BDL Cross Country League held it’s first race of the winter at Shipley Park, Heanor. Team manager Andy Walker worked hard to put in strong teams in both the men and women coming away with victories in both and the combined team.
Dave Cass ran strongly for 2nd place closely followed by junior Ollie McClemens 3rd, Dan Nugent 8th and Charlie Taylor 9th, a position which would have been higher but for going the wrong way during the race. Following in Simon Kelley placed 15th, Oliver Buglass18th, Teddy Macintyre 28th, Ben McClemens 44th, Dave Savage 49th, Phil Shaw 53rd, Jamie Macintyre 60th, Geoff Bottomore 66th, Andy Granville 68th, Neil Halstead 72nd, Andy Walker 74th, Xander Arbon 134th, Mark Burr 138th and Dave Robertson 140th.
Hannah Wragg continues her terrific return to racing as she placed 4th in the ladies race with Katrina Prior 9th, Cristina Dinescu 12th and Myanie Westwood 16th also placing in the top 20. Hannah Colton placed 25th, Amelia Arbon 39th, Sharon Armitage 44th, Penny Westwood 74th, Jemma Arbon 76th and Sue Lomas 86th.