After competing in a lot of races in the recent heatwave, it could have been time for some rest and recovery but with two top-notch local races within four days Exmouth Harriers rose to the occasion yet again.
A total of 38 Harriers travelled en masse to Ivybridge with over a dozen supporters for one of the club’s favourite events - The Erme Valley Relays. The course for each stage of the relay is only 2.4 miles but it is very challenging due to some severe undulations.
Harriers entered 10 teams of 4 runners (with some runners racing in two stages for different teams) and exceeded expectations by winning six of the team prizes and one individual prize.
1st team overall in 51.18 - Exmouth Harriers “A” (Rob Ellis, Simon Minting, Sam Kelly & Tom Merson). 3rd team overall in 55.14 - Exmouth Harriers “B” (James Kelly, Tristan Kelsall-Spurr, Oli White & Berihu Hedera).
1st M40 team in 57.03 - Exmouth Harriers M40 “A” (Scott Jamieson, Anthony Hatchard, Dave Tomlin & Mike Musgrove). 3rd M40 team in 64.26 - Exmouth Harriers M40 “B” (Tom Packer, Craig Butler, Jos Jones & Anthony Hatchard). 15th Senior Men’s team in 65.17 - (Aidan Bown, David Snook, Andrew Place & Scott Jamieson). 6th M40 team in 68.44 - (Jon Mill, Jon Garrity, Scott Jordan & Des White).
1st M60 team in 69.41 - Exmouth Harriers M60 (Des White, Steve Morgan, Jimmy Joy & Hugh Marsden). 1st W35 team in 69.42 - Exmouth Harriers W35 “A” (Emma White, Cathy Newman, Paula Hawkins & Hannah Bown). 2nd W35 team in 76.28 - Exmouth Harriers W35 “B” (Nicola Kelly, Holly Clements, Lucy Davies & Jenny Reay). 1st F55 team in 83.41 - Exmouth Harriers (Jenny Reay, Joan Mason, Sarah Baldwin & Alison White)
Tom Merson won the award for the fastest male with his incredible time of 12.22.
The relay at Ivybridge followed nine Harriers racing at Exwick in the Run Exe 5km. It was the 2nd of the four races in the City Runs 2021 Summer 5km Series.
Results: 4th Oli White 16.41 (1st M35); 35th Des White 19.30 (1st M65); 42nd Craig Butler 19.58 (2nd M50); 57th Jos Jones 21.13 (7th M40); 59th Brian Sansom 21.18 (3rd M55); 60th Andrew Johnson 22.04 (4th M55); 61st Chris Sharp 22.13 (8th M40); 62nd Jenny Reay 22.27 (2nd W60); 92nd Alison White 26.28 (1st W65).
The next races for Harriers are the Totnes 10km on Sunday, August 1 and the Run Exe Relays at Exwick on Friday, August 6.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here