Richmond and Zetland Harriers

Up against Hallamshire, Rotherham and New Marske, there were several performances of note including Shane Darby with a mention in the pages of AW for a hat-trick of wins in the long jump, 200m and high jump, Sophie Broadway with double sprint success including a PB 26.7 in the 200m, an A and B string double for Jo Adams and Katie Roberts in the discus, plus wins for Nick Outhwaite in the pole-vault and Simon Robson in his debut over the barriers in the 1500m steeplechase.

RZH results (alphabetically): Jo Adams U15G 800m 2:41.3, javelin 15m55 & discus 22m03; Rosie Adams U15G shot 5m70, javelin 8m71 & 1500m 5:38.4; Chris Andrade U17M javelin 21m29, 1500m 4:55.0 & discus 20m21; Chris Archer U17M 800m 2:26.5, 3000m 11:08.5 & 400m 63.2; Sophie Broadway U15G 100m 13.0, shot 5m69 & 200m 26.7; Marcus Clarke U17M 100m 12.3, 200m 27.5 & triple jump 9m42; Shane Darby U15B long jump 4m99 & 200m 25.2 & high jump 1m59; Ruth Hill U13G 75m 11.3 & 75m hurdles 14.8; Sean Osborn U17M 100m 11.9, 400m 55.0 & shot 7m26; Nick Outhwaite U15B pole-vault 2m10, shot 5m85 & discus 11m15; Douglas Roberts U15B 800m 2:22.9, javelin 7m63 & discus 13m84; Jessie Roberts U17W shot 5m65, 1500m 5:11.0 & discus 14m36; Katie Roberts U15G 800m 2:49.5, 85m hurdles 15.8 & discus 17m11; Simon Robson U17M 800m 2:12.4, discus 19m11 & 1500m steeplechase 5:24.0; Leanne Shaw U15G 100m 13.7 & 200m 29.3; Jane Thornton U15G 85m hurdles 15.6 & 1500m 5:58.6; Tom Walker U13B 800m 2:44.3, long jump 3m41 & 200m 31.8: Under 15 Girls' 4 x 100m relay 55.8 & Under 17 Men's 4 x 100m relay 51.6. The team finished 4th with 153 points.

Statistically, in each fixture, there are 68 individual events with A and B strings plus eight relays. Young athletes can compete in a maximum of four events if one is a relay. If a club has athletes in most events they can be competitive. If they can only muster 16 athletes in six gender/age groups with one each in the Under-13 Girls, Under-13 Boys and Under-17 Women then, even with winning performances, the outcome is a foregone conclusion. This is a double disappointment; firstly, to those athletes who give their time and energies in competition without the chance of a team result and secondly, to the Manager and Coaches who also give their time freely, both at training and in competition. RZH is a competitive Club; they say their aims are to develop an individual's athletic ability to enable competition on equal terms at local, County or national level.

On the same Sunday, Ian Fisher of Otley made the headlines at Thirsk, winning the annual 10 mile Road Race in 52:29, but he never harboured any serious thoughts about the £250 bonus for breaking 50 minutes, as it was so hot. The Harriers' Sarah Gregory finished 190th in 82:05 and commented "now have a vest mark burnt on my skin!" Sarah was 20th Lady overall and 11th Senior Lady, but it was Tracey Morris who won the ladies - "I can only wish I was that good!" In the accompanying 5K Fun Run, Philip Fitzpatrick won his age group and placed 2nd overall in 14:42, almost a minute down on the course record he set last year - "due to academic things, not the sun!"

On Wednesday 9, eight members journeyed to Otley for the third race in the H&D League, including the raceaholic Sarah Gregory. The course is testing one; an accurate 10K based on the traditional Otley 10 mile route, out and over Pool Bridge, back over Leathley Bridge and up the long climb to Farnley Top. There were only 28 runners broke the 40 minute mark. At the front it was the usual two, another win for Ian Fisher in the white and black of Otley and another second place for Jon Orange in his red and white Peacocks of Richmond vest. Further down the field there was an encouraging debut for Chris Lamb and a welcome return to road-racing after her track debut for Shirley Mathurin.

RZH results: 2nd (& 1st M40) Jon Orange 33:44, 28th (& 2nd M55) Mike Brooks 39:43, 29th Chris Lamb 40:02, 46th Taff Rogers 41:45, 97th Ian Hepworth 47:07, 105th Neil Piper 48:23, 114th Sarah Gregory 49:04 & 152nd Shirley Mathurin 55:37 from 182 finishers.

With a best-yet turnout of eight, the club made some progress in the team races, particularly the Vets who managed to field a full house of five and to increase the gap, marginally. But, with ten-to-score in the Open Race, it was a foregone conclusion again that RZH would continue to trail their home-town rivals in four out of the five race categories - Harrogate were the big team winners on the night, overtaking Otley in the Open and Ripon in the Vets. The cumulative results show the Harriers up one to ninth in the Open with 2608 points, 2551 behind the leaders; still 10th in the Ladies and Ladies Vets; still 5th in the Men's Vets with 696 points, a mere 381 behind Harrogate but 22 ahead of Swaledale and up two places to 4th in the Elite with 320:37, 32:43 behind Otley, but only 18 seconds out of 5th place.

The North Yorkshire Schools T&F Championships took place on Saturday 12 at Huntington Stadium, York. There were 20 Harriers (past and present) competing, they all performed very well and the club now has five County Champions - Jo Adams, Lindsey Johnston, James McCormack, Sean Osborn and Jessie Roberts.

Selected results: Senior Boys - James McCormack 100m & shot 7m75; Intermediate Boys - Chris Andrade 1500m 4:49.2, Chris Archer 3000m 10:36.1, James Bell long jump 5m78, Sean Osborn 400m 55.1 and Simon Robson 3000m 10:09.0; Junior Boys - Shane Darby triple jump 11m36, Josh Miers 1500m 4:54.2 and Douglas Roberts 2:26.0; Senior Girls - Mally Dolphin 1500m 5:49.3 & shot 6m04 and Lianne Broadfoot discus 16m40; Intermediate Girls - Amy Poulter triple jump 8m91, Becky Rennison high jump 1m35 and Jessie Roberts 1500m 5:03.0; Junior Girls Jo Adams 800m 2:26.3, Rosie Adams 800m 2:41.7, Sophie Broadway 200m 27.7 (27.4 in heat), Scarlett Gray 1500m 5:17.6, Lindsey Johnson javelin 25m80 and Katie Roberts discus 19m09.

On the same Saturday, the Co Durham Schools T&F Championships took place at Gateshead International Stadium. Four Harriers were in competition; Matt Prosser, Nick Zissler who placed 3rd in the SB 1500m, Georgina Zissler who placed 2nd in the IG 300m and Carl Outhwaite who won the Senior Boy's hammer.

The first Leyburn Leisure Club six mile Road Race and three mile Fun Run was on Sunday 13. Paul Scott finished 1st Veteran and fifth overall in the Road Race and at the other end of the scale, Jacob McRoberts was third Under 11 Boy in the Fun Run.

There are 12 events on the Harriers Summer Fixtures List over the next week but only the IAAF Grand Prix at Gateshead International Stadium on Sunday is out of competition reach. Saturday 26th: NSL T&F Knock-out Cup & Plate at Eastbourne Sports Complex, Darlington from noon; Yorkshire Vets Fell Race Championships at Wadsworth Village, Old Town near Hebden Bridge; BMAF T&F Championships (day 1) at Alexander Stadium, Birmingham and AAA U20/U23 T&F Championships (day 1) at Bedford Athletic Stadium. Sunday 27: day two of both BMAF T&F Champs and AAA U20/U23 T&F Champs; YAL #3 at Thornes Park Athletic Stadium, Wakefield from noon (coach from Richmond with pick-ups enroute) and Rainton 10K Road Race. Monday 28th: Jesmond Dene Handicap Road Race, approx 3 miles from Armstrong Bridge, Jesmond Dene at 7.30pm. Wednesday 30th: Otley 10 mile Road Race from the RUFC at 7.30 pm and the Whorlton Chase Fell Race, 7.2 miles & a few feet of climbing from The Blacksmiths Arms, Swainby at 7.15pm, enter on the night.

* www.rzh.org.u