Well, what an interesting finish to the 2025-26 cross country season at Mote Park in Maidstone!
A bit sad in one way, as this was the replacement for our lost Blean Wood venue, which we had traditionally hosted for the Kent Fitness League for over 25 years. But a change of policy by the RSPB, who own that part of the woods, meant we were no longer welcome!
You have to be a seriously old campaigner to remember the last time Mote Park was used for a KFL match, way back in February 2003 (although it was used for a non-league end of season relay event the following year). So for most participants this was a ‘new’ venue and it got off to an inauspicious start when a marshalling error had us back at the start/finish area after about 1.8 miles! The course was reduced from the original 6 to just under 5 miles and the race eventually restarted and this time came to a successful conclusion. As far as I am aware, that is the first time this has ever happened, but I think most of us found it an ‘interesting’ course, with some challenging sections. So, many thanks to Maidstone Harriers for all their hard work in coming to the rescue with this replacement venue (hopefully they will dispense with the ‘warm up’ next season!!).
The season as a whole was another good one for the club and its participating members with some success in both team and individual awards not only in the KFL but also the KCAA Veteran Championships contest in November. We had 69 (23 female, 46 male) club members putting in 314 appearances for the club in various cross country events, mostly but not all, in the ever popular Sunday Kent Fitness League. This was a record season’s turn out for the club.
The only appearance by a Harrier in the Kent Saturday League was Ben Parmar in the last match at Norman Park, Bromley in December. Commiserations to Charlie Simpson who signed up for the four events in this league but unfortunately broke his ankle beforehand. Good to see he has recovered well, taking part in the Canterbury 10 mile.
We had a good turnout for the Kent Vets Championships at Central Park, Dartford on 22nd November, with thirteen members competing and twelve finishers. Congratulations to Barbara Wenman who won the gold medal in the Women’s FV65+ category and also, along with Liz Batty and Tina Jones won the gold medals in the FV65+ Team category. Karen Hoult was our only other female runner, on her own in the FV55 category. For the men, we managed to get a team out in the MV60 category, led home by Adam Cowper-Smith, and a team out in the MV70+ category, led home by Joe Hicks. Phil Deery was alone in the MV50 category. Well done all for giving the club some representation in this event.
We had also had representation at one other cross-country event this season, the SEAA Championships, held again at Beckenham Place Park. We have often had several club members do this event but this year our soul representative was Kelvin Thursby. Congratulations on a good run on this long 9 plus mile course.
Our turnout in the KFL was the highest attendance we have recorded in a season and we also had a record turnout of 50 at Betteshanger. Not only did we have great participation we also had some impressive individual and team success. But first of all, commiserations to Leigha Hodgson who, on her very first appearance in XC for the club at Oxleas was carried off the course with a badly sprained ankle.
A strong finish by the men in the Male League helped us finish in the top third of that table in 6th position. Also, together with the women, gaining results in the last three matches of the season, of 3rd & runners up twice, put us in a very respectable 5th place in the main Combined League.
But the stars of the show, once again, are the women who, for the fourth consecutive season, were Female League Champions. They won five of their seven matches and were runners up in the other two, never losing their place at the top of the table throughout the season, despite a strong challenge from Sevenoaks. Going one better than our ladies winning three consecutive seasons from 2006/7 to 2008/9. We have by far the most successful ladies’ team in the history of the Kent Fitness League.
Individually, congratulations to Lucie Parker, winning both the 3rd Overall Female and FV35 category trophies and Faye Roberts winning the FV40 category trophy. Other notable results were:
Faye Roberts and Emily Seling’s 4th & 5th Overall finishes respectively, Sarah Newman was 2nd in the FV40 category and Nicky Leatherbarrow was 4th in the FV55 category. Also congratulations to Mel Stinton, Jen Harding, Daisy Shaw and Lima Nance who all made their XC debuts for the club this season.
For the men, Kelvin Thursby was 2nd in the MV40 category and congratulations to Alastair Borthwick, Steve Couzens, Patrick Shannon, Kelvin Thursby and Richard Magro, also making their XC debuts for the club.
Well done also to the 26 male and 12 female members who were awarded the completed season certificate for doing five or more of the seven matches.
Our own club cross-country awards this season went to:
Lucie Parker – Club Female Champion
Kelvin Thursby – Club Male Champion
Jean Roffe – Club’s Most Improved Female
Steve Clark – Club’s Most Improved Male [who he? – Ed].
Congratulations to you all.
Finally, well done to the 31 members who get the exclusive club XC kit for this season, gratis, having represented the club in at least six events. If you did any of the XCs but didn’t reach the magic six you are more than welcome to purchase the exclusive kit at cost price. Details about this will follow shortly.
I would like to mention and say thank you to Brian Forbes-Turner for his continuous support and help at most of our KFL matches and Phil Wyard for taking on the responsibility for looking after our tent this season and his hard work in getting it cleaned up now the season is over. Also Bob Davison for arranging our post-race buffets at the Elephant in Faversham.
I really do feel privileged to ‘manage’ our cross country team as we have a great esprit de corps in the club, long may it continue! Don’t forget to note in your diaries the Presentation Evening at St. Stephens Hall on April 27th, the Monday after the London Marathon when the XC awards will be presented (along with the Club 10 mile Championship awards). But it is also a major club social occasion with a sumptuous banquet provided! So do come along, all club members are welcome.
If you are thinking of doing cross country next season, you will be warmly welcomed, whatever your standard, it’s the taking part that counts. And lifts are usually available to a lot of these events, especially the KFL matches; you don’t have to get to them on your own.
The stats showing who did what, where, when and how (but not why!), please see
This was a guest post by Steve Clark, the club’s cross-country team manager
