Jo Harvey was not only the pride of Devon, but the South West as well following her superb second place at the Saucony South of England Cross-Country Championships at Bicton on Saturday.
Devon's highly successful staging of this prestigious event for the second time since 2003 clearly demonstrated once again that this championship can be successfully staged outside London - despite some negative comments about the event failing to attract the same numbers it would in London.
The scenic course was challenging - car parking, refreshments and changing facilities readily available and the atmosphere warm and welcoming. Some home counties clubs made a weekend of it and Blackheath and Bromley Harriers alone booked a total of 100 beds in two hotels, bringing a welcome boost to the local economy.
It was thanks to many unpaid officials and helpers representing the Devon County AA who had planned the event for the past 18 months that it was agian a success, with numbers up on three years ago.
Jo Harvey relished having these championships on home soil, as she is having to travel a lot this winter as her incredible season, in which she has received two international call-ups, gets better and better.
On Saturday, in the Under-17 ladies' race, she got herself into a breakaway group of four, led by favourite Steph Twell from Aldershot, Farnham and District - already pre-selected for the World Cross Championships in Japan in March. Twell was the eventual winner in 18mins 44secs, but such is the ability of the leading duo, that they led home the Under-20 women who were running in the same race.
Having moved up to second place at the halfway mark of the 5,000m course, Harvey started to close on Twell, who managed to up the pace again, eventually winning by seven seconds. In the same race, another Exeter Harrier, Chloe Anderson, finished a creditable 34th (22mins 29secs) out of the 96 finishers.
The South West looked impressive in the Under-17 men's race, with Patrick Hambly (Torbay AC) taking gold and Phil Norman (North Devon AC) bronze.
First local man home in the senior men's race of 15,000m was Exeter's Mike Feighan in 90th place. And with 550 finishers, he was not disappointed with his position.
"It was a brilliant course," he said afterwards. "Tough underfoot and challenging. There were at least three hills on each lap. "And the meeting was well organised. Competing against such tough opposition gives you a real reality check," he added. "You see the high standard of cross country running. Taking part was a real treat."
Other results, Under 15 girls: 33rd E Weeks (Exeter Harriers); 50th H Bayley (Harriers). There were 125 finishers.
Senior women: 151st E Aston (Teignbridge Trotters), 156th Hilary Collins (Harriers) , 164th P Hayes (SWRR) , 176th C Gillard (Newton Abbot), 194th D Pressley (SWRR), 201 E Taylor (Teinbridge) 220th P Warner (SWRR).
Senior men: 109th D Cameron (SWRR), 133rd N Woollett (Harriers), 137th D Tomlin (Teignbridge), 140th A Stubbs (Harriers), 145th M Cowan (Harriers), 150th M Barclay (SWRR), 201st P Thomas (SWRR), 207th M Hicks (Teignbridge), 222nd M Rice (SWRR), 243rd M Hole (SWRR), 253rd S Parkin (SWRR), 271st I Langler (Teignbridge), 280th A Jones (SWRR), 286th R Hayles (Teignbridge), 290th E Walton (Teignbridge), 295th K Partridge (SWRR), 321st L Salter (Harriers), 326th M Hill (Teignbridge), 357th W Taylor (Teignbridge), 366th G Caunter (Teignbridge), 377th G Watson (Teignbridge), 381st D Phillips (SWRR), 426th R Millward (SWRR), 440th N Lawson (SWRR), 495th J Donovan (Teignbridge), 515th P Saywood (SWRR), 522nd G Baker (Teignbridge)
Express and Echo
30-Jan-06
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