men take bronze at inter counties

The annual CAU Inter Counties Cross Country Championship were held at Nottingham’s Wollaton Park on Saturday.
Several Morpeth Harriers were amongst the North East representation at the 13-race event.
The best North East team result came from the very last event of the day, when the Senior Men finished as Bronze medallists, behind winners Yorkshire, and second placed Surrey, and they were to be the only regional team medallists on a day of significant efforts.
Morpeth Harrier Carl Avery emerged as the North East’s leading counter, having come through steadily to finish in an excellent 17th place.
Fellow Morpeth Harrier Ellis Hetherington also came through well to finish in 54th place, and was fourth home from the region.
One success from this event, was the fact that they also emerged as the best squad in the nine to score category, something aside from the main competition.
Next best North East performers were the Senior Women, who managed to finish as fourth team behind winners Surrey, second placed Northern Ireland, and third placed Yorkshire.
No less than three Morpeth Harriers were amongst the scoring counters, with Catriona MacDonald finishing 51st as third scorer, Holly Lawrence finishing 76th as fourth scorer, and Lizzie Rank finishing 86th to close the scoring six.
The North East Under 20 Men finished in seventh team position, Morpeth’s Ollie Tomlinson being just outside the scorers in 88th place.
Morpeth’s North East Under 17 Women’s Champion Molly Roche, finished in 81st place in her event, as second counter for a twentieth placed regional team.
The North East Under 15 Boys finished in twenty first team place, with Mason Gaylor picking himself up after an unfortunate tumble, to finish in 132nd place, as fourth team scorer.
No doubt, had he not fallen, he would have finished further up the field.
The best North East individual performance of the day, undoubtedly was Under 15 Girl Gabriele Pinder, of New Marske Harriers, who added the Inter Counties title to that of the National and North East.
Pinder, after carefully working her way in about third or fourth position on her first of two laps, eventually went to the front to take a handsome victory by a nine second margin over Surrey’s Isabella Buchanan.
The North East Under 15 Girls took great inspiration from Pinder’s leadership, to finish an excellent sixth team.
Other North East Team results were as follows, Under 13 Girls (6th), Under 13 Boys (19th), Under 17 Men (14th), and Under 20 Women (10th).