Mid Sussex athletes rack up records and fine finishes

Haywards Heath Harriers at the Steepdown race

It’s been a fabulous few weeks for Haywards Heath Harriers – who have notched notable results in a wide range of races.

A winning spell for the vibrant club began at the Sussex Cross Country Relays at Goodwood, where they had a super set of results and came away with three team medals.

The Harriers’ veteran ladies scooped silver and bronze in the V45 age group and the men’s V60 team won silver. The women V35 team came in a super fourth place.

On the other side of Sussex, the Beachy Head marathon, 10k and 52k ultra race drew a number of HHH members.

In the marathon Oliver Farr finished his 86th marathon on a tough course which features of nearly 4000ft of elevation. In the ultra, Siobhan Amer finished alongside ex-Harrier Kat Barrett.

Meanwhile the Steepdown Challenge was the latest West Sussex Fun Run League fixture – an out-and-back hill race, starting and finishing at Lancing Manor Park.

Harriers had around a dozen taking part, headed across the line by Andy Hind,11th in 33:14.

He was followed by Julian Boyer 35:30; 87th James Smyth 40:31; 90th Phil Scott 40:41; 136th Carl Bicknell 44:41; 142nd Kath Buckeridge 45:10; 149th Richard Jobling 46:17; 164th Sarah Hamilton 47:45; 196th Caroline Gumm 52:57; 209th Richard Bates 55:17; 228th Carys Hind 58:15.

Back on the marathon scene, and a week after Beachy Head, Oli Farr ran in the Saturn 26-miler in Runnymede Park by the River Thames., his 87th marathon. He finished in 4hr 48min.

The 13th Hove Prom 10k saw HHH duo James Skinner and Will Herbert running. Skinner was second overall in 33.39 – a Harriers record by more than two minutes for an over-50. Herbert was 17th in 36:56.

At the Abingdon Marathon, Paul Cousins ran a new Harrier 60-plus club record of 3.03.31 and was first in the Vet 60 age group.

Ultra-runner Carl Bicknell completed the Vampire 100-mile race while fellow ultra specialist Kath Buckeridge ran the Downslink Ultra and was tenth lady home. Ultra ace Michael Burke also completed the Downslink race from Surrey to Shoreham.

Harriers results from recent events:

Sussex Cross Country Relays: U11 Girls, 6th Isla Cotton 8:35. U11 Boys, 28th Rohan Barnes 9:02. U13 Boys, HHH (uncomplete team): Henry Cotton 10:39 Jacob Harper 13:58. Women V35: HHH: 4th (Siobhan Amer 17:47; Gemma Morgan 20:38; Abigail Redd 17:24) 54:49. Women V45: HHH 2nd (Lindsey Blain 18:01; Jayne Brewer 19:06; Kath Buckeridge 19:26) 56:33; HHH 3rd (Sarah Hamilton 21:33; Emma Pryor 23:24; Jacqueline Barnes 20:28) 65:23. Men V60: HHH 2nd (Eric Hepburn 19:23; Carl Bicknell 19:22; Paul Cousins 15:25) 54:20.

Beachy Head Half Marathon, Marathon and 52km Ultra: Half: 18th James Bennett 1:41.50; 44th Greg Hilton 1:50.43 seconds; 52nd Pete Francis 1:52.06; 59th Tim Hicks 1:54.58 (1st V60); 86th Sam Atkin: 1:59.07; 87th Dave Harper 1:58.27 (chip time); 132nd Bryan Tiller: 2:05.06; 184th Sarah Banks 2:13.52 seconds; 484th Julie Essex 2:58.40. Marathon: Oli Farr 5 hours and 29 minutes and 27 seconds; 52 km Ultra: 71st Siobhan Amer 6.06.07.

BURGESS HILL RUNNERS

Burgess Hill Runners have been turning out for a wide variety of races.

At the Hove Promenade 10k. organised by Arena 80 AC, first for BHR was Leigh Smith in 42:46.

Leigh was followed by Natalie King (44:32), Phil Wallek (47:16), Kath Wallek (47:17), Kevin Cross (48:19), Yasmine Allfrey (50:04), Susan Wintle (50:24), Ella Stanbrook (52:04) and Naomi Walker (1:07:39).

Kirsty and Neil Phillpot sped round the Lancing 10k course in 40:47 and 43:36 respectively - with Kirsty first female.

Chris Page finished the Bedgebury Forest Half Marathon in 2:11:46, and Jamie Goodhead the Dublin Marathon in 3:18:39.

A West Sussex Fun Run League race was hosted by the Lancing Eagles. First home for BHR was Oliver Day in 34:12, followed by Kirsty Phillpot (35:58), Paul Prosser (36:09), Neil Phillpot (36:47), Rob Shalloe (37:05), Andrew Biggs (37:49), Andy Sayers (39:13), Gayle Tyler (40:07), Trevor Symes (43:05), Stuart Condie (43:22), Sally Symes (44:25), Sophie Abbott (46:04), Thomas Peel-Yates (46:55), Nicky Callus (48:30), Ruth Day (59:22), Hugh Stevenage (1:00:09) and Eileen Adlam (1:13:04).

The return of the popular Beachy Head events led to BHR having runners in both the marathon and half marathon.

First in for BHR was Andrew Bishop in 4:31:30, followed by Florence Wolfe (4:47:37), Errol Curling (5:52:32), Tlou Mati (6:42:16), Hugh Stevenage (8:00:50) and Helen Pratt (8:16:21).

In the Half Marathon, Chania Hemsley-Smith was first for BHR in 2:15:18, followed by Chris Page (2:15:30), Ella Stanbrook (2:19:13), Tracey Baines (2:25:35), Jayne Leaney (2:39:06), Dawn Fahy (2:52:23), Kevin Walker (3:02:50), Marie Carey (3:50:38) and John Carey (3:53:19).