Canterbury Harriers hosted the sixth race in the 2022-23 Kent Fitness League at Blean Woods on 5th February. Unfortunately the women could not repeat their victories at Minnis Bay and Betteshanger Park, coming third behind Petts Wood Runners and Sevenoaks AC. The scoring runners were Emily Collins (our leading female runner in all six races so far), Joanne Norrington (V35), Nicky Leatherbarrow (V55) and Barbara Wenman (V45).
That result leaves the club tied with Sevenoaks AC on best five race total, total across all six races and head-to-head score but Sevenoaks are ahead on total places (394 against 409 for the Harriers). So the championship will be decided next week at Allhallows. Emily Collins is in with a chance of taking third place in the league being not far behind Emily Hale of Medway and Maidstone AC who is currently in third. Emily Collins is guaranteed to finish no lower than fourth in the women’s championship.
In the combined event the club was fourth with the men’s team coming fifth. Peter Hogben had another excellent run, coming second again, and remains second in the men’s individual championship. Yiannis Christodoulou had another top ten finish, coming ninth, and the other male scorers were Jamie Stokes, Roddy McLachlan, Fiouse Corbeil, Colin Kent, Chris Morrison and Greg Norman. James Pullen, Ben Parmar, Matt Slark and Paul Thompson all finished before our last scoring runner but did not score themselves due to the age category requirements.
The club stands fourth in the combined team championship and sixth in the men’s.
As well as Emily Collins and Peter Hogben, the club has a number of other potential KFL prize winners. Greg Norman currently stands first in the M60-64 category and Steve Clark is in the lead for the most improved man award. Congratulations go to Joanne Norrington and Barbara Wenman who are already assured of winning the F35-39 and F60-64 categories, respectively. Nicky Leatherbarrow is first in the F55-59 category and Emma Garcia-Solley is in the lead for the most improved lady prize.
Many thanks to all the members, and their friends and family, who helped with organising and marshalling the race.
There is a video of the start of the race courtesy of Aleisha Robinson and there are photos in the gallery.
40 Canterbury Harriers finished
| Ov Pos | Lg Pos | Runner | Age | Time | Score | Rtg | # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 2 | Peter Hogben | 30 | 29:02 | M1 | 99.63 | 22 |
| 9 | 9 | Yiannis Christodoulou | 39 | 30:41 | M2 | 97.05 | 39 |
| 29 | 29 | Jamie Stokes | 37 | 32:52 | M3 | 89.67 | 4 |
| 47 | 44 | Roddy McLachlan | 44 | 33:49 | V40:1 | 84.13 | 10 |
| 62 | 5 | Emily Collins | 28 | 34:50 | F1 | 97.24 | 10 |
| 65 | 60 | James Pullen | 21 | 34:57 | NSBLS | 78.23 | 2 |
| 66 | 61 | Ben Parmar | 28 | 35:02 | NSBLS | 77.86 | 6 |
| 80 | 73 | Matt Slark | 34 | 35:46 | NSBLS | 73.43 | 16 |
| 87 | 79 | Fiouse Corbeil | 50 | 36:32 | V50:1 | 71.22 | 24 |
| 124 | 20 | Joanne Norrington | 39 | 38:18 | V35 | 86.90 | 57 |
| 134 | 110 | Colin Kent | 57 | 39:11 | V50:2 | 59.78 | 66 |
| 139 | 115 | Chris Morrison | 47 | 39:25 | V40:2 | 57.93 | 3 |
| 144 | 25 | Nicky Leatherbarrow | 56 | 39:44 | V55 | 83.45 | 5 |
| 151 | 123 | Paul Thompson | 48 | 39:57 | NSBLS | 54.98 | 5 |
| 154 | 30 | Barbara Wenman | 64 | 40:02 | V45 | 80.00 | 102 |
| 165 | 36 | Claire Pluckrose | 54 | 40:16 | NS | 75.86 | 22 |
| 191 | 147 | Greg Norman | 62 | 42:05 | V60 | 46.13 | 10 |
| 213 | 159 | Mark Wenman | 68 | 43:04 | NS | 41.70 | 97 |
| 216 | 161 | Adam Cowper-Smith | 64 | 43:12 | NS | 40.96 | 37 |
| 224 | 167 | Nathaniel Wells | 29 | 43:30 | NS | 38.75 | 7 |
| 233 | 174 | John Cooper | 63 | 43:51 | NS | 36.16 | 33 |
| 242 | 182 | Andy Phillips | 60 | 44:26 | NS | 33.21 | 40 |
| 254 | 65 | Mandy Poulter | 51 | 44:50 | NS | 55.86 | 16 |
| 255 | 66 | Hannah Wilding | 29 | 44:52 | NS | 55.17 | 13 |
| 259 | 191 | Gary Robertson | 61 | 44:58 | NS | 29.89 | 6 |
| 268 | 196 | Steve Clark | 69 | 45:37 | NS | 28.04 | 131 |
| 273 | 199 | Bob Davison | 68 | 45:59 | NS | 26.94 | 84 |
| 276 | 200 | Matthew Northover | 54 | 46:03 | NS | 26.57 | 28 |
| 291 | 209 | Peter Yarlett | 70 | 47:14 | NS | 23.25 | 61 |
| 293 | 84 | Beth Pateman | 29 | 47:16 | NS | 42.76 | 4 |
| 309 | 92 | Deb Parris | 54 | 48:17 | NS | 37.24 | 28 |
| 310 | 218 | Jon Vann | 67 | 48:19 | NS | 19.93 | 37 |
| 311 | 219 | Daren Parris | 54 | 48:20 | NS | 19.56 | 23 |
| 324 | 224 | Joe Hicks | 69 | 49:01 | NS | 17.71 | 72 |
| 334 | 230 | Richard Hudson | 66 | 49:24 | NS | 15.50 | 27 |
| 335 | 231 | Tony Savage | 68 | 49:31 | NS | 15.13 | 53 |
| 343 | 236 | Steve Reynolds | 64 | 50:18 | NS | 13.28 | 103 |
| 370 | 121 | Shirley Pullen | 58 | 52:30 | NS | 17.24 | 36 |
| 399 | 262 | Roy Gooderson | 65 | 57:21 | NS | 3.69 | 80 |
| 416 | 145 | Karen Hoult | 58 | 1:18:12 | NS | 0.69 | 29 |
Full results are on the KFL site.
Robin Bell has produced a video of the race:
