North of England Gold for Ladies
Sun 29 Jan 12	212
RH Junior ladies overcame the tough course on Pontefract Racecourse to take a majestic gold medal on Saturday. Excellent packing by Steph Burns, Natasha Hatswell, Rebecca Middleton and Robyn Lanceley ensured success though complete teams looked scarce. In the senior event, Jade Allen placed 6th which Nigel Brookes (manager) says is a best ever for this competition. Further results and comment awaited for update.
Club History Again With Yorkshire Silver
Sun 08 Jan 12	211
Huge result again for our senior women, 13 of whom competed in todays Yorkshire XC Championships at Wakefield. Making Club history we finished 2nd team (Allen, Burns, Grady, Johnson) with our B team placing 6th (Hatswell, Spence, Lanceley, Hindley). Completing our superb day at the races was the C team in 16th position (Raynor, Hague, Taylor, Neal) with new signing Rebecca Middleton who has rejoined the club and ran a fantastic race today. Thanks to all the supporters who helped make this a great team performance, especial respect for the work of manager Nigel Brookes, and looking forward to the Northerns (Jan 28th)
Sheffield Open XC Races, 31st dec 2011
Sun 01 Jan 12	210
The last event for 2011 attracted a high standard of competitors from all over the North of England. Luke Cotter had a confidence boosting victory in the U17 mens race, beating Andrew Smith from West Yorkshires Pudsey & Bramley club. Andrew finished 3rd in last years Yorkshire Championships (where Luke was 10th), so the win should give Luke some confidence going into this years county champs next Saturday 7th Jan at Wakefield. Jess Freeman finished second behind Chloe Loredo from the North East club, New Marske. A good run considering Chloe was 5th in last years Northern Cross Country Champs at Sunderland. Emma Dutton started positively but had to pull out due to a recurrence of the breathing problem she has been experiencing of late. Ryan Beale (2nd) Devon Stead (3rd) and new member Daniel Bradford (pictured) won the U15 boys team prize, beating Hallamshire 18 points to 24. Philippa James picked up the 2nd O45 prize.
Xmas Cracker for Kerry
Tue 27 Dec 11	209
Club stalwart Kerry Booth took the Christmas Day Handicap run with a typical determined effort, coming back after long injury problems which have seen him much subdued this year. Excellent handicapping from Pete Shaw- scratch man Elliott Smales caught up to Booth in the final hundred meters or so but the effort was just too much. Picture: finishing straight. Awards: Challenge Trophy (for the race winner): Kerry Booth Bill Burns Trophy (for the runner up): Elliott Smales Fastest Men’s Time Award: Elliot Smales Fastest Woman’s Time Award: Paula Fisher
Improved RH Performance in Local KMRT Series
Tue 27 Dec 11	208
The last race of the 2011 series, Braithwell Boxing Day Race saw a fine turn-out of RH runners, many of whom have not been seen for some time. The series results, awarded soon after the race awards (posting later) saw seven RH category winners: Junior Man Connor Ryan, Junior Lady Emma Dutton, Male Vet 45 John Comrie, Male Vet 50 Terry Eastwood, Male Vet 55 Kevin Thomas, Male Vet 65 Pete Humphries, Lady Vet 50 Sharon Burton. Congratulations to all winners and supporters of the club in the series. Pictured is Connor Ryan, who also holds best time for the new Clifton Park course.
South Yorkshire Cross Country 3
Tue 29 Nov 11	207
Thanks to all the club athletes and supporters for braving the winds at Mount St Mary's College. We had 49 athletes turn out (an increase over the same fixture last year when 40 ran). Congratulations to Jade Allen for her senior womens race win - the club strength in this race continues with Jade , Steph and Natasha filling the first 3 places. Congratulations too to Kane Smith for his U13 boys win, and Devon Stead for his second place in the U15 boys race
Congratulations on GB Selection
Tue 29 Nov 11	205
Ben Shields is the latest club athlete to join that elite group of athletes chosen to join the GB team squad. Ben and his coach Peter Moore have been invited to join the U20 GB realys squad sessions this winter. We wish Ben (pictured at the 2011 SY schools championships) every success, and hope he secures a team place in the 2012 sprint relay squad.
Harriers Youngsters Among Relay Medals
Tue 04 Oct 11	204
The Northern Cross Country relays were held at Graves Park on Saturday, in weather that was definitely not expected for a cross country event. The event was also the South Yorkshire cross country and Yorkshire Veterans championship, and Rotherham teams performed well in all the championships. Indeed it is heartening to see that the club teams and individual athletes can hold their own against the best in the North (clubs whose catchment population is 4 or 5 times that of Rotherhams 240 thousand or so). The U13 boys team came home in 12th place, and there were medals for the u11 girls A team, who finished 2nd, and 1st SY ( Annabel Johnson, Mia Harris, Olivia Boulton), pictured the Lord Mayor of Sheffield (Cllr Dr Sylvia Dunkley) presents the boys U11 with their 3rd place medals Northern medals and 1st pace SY medals (from L Harrison Kitson, Kaya Walker (3rd fastest time overall) and Darnell Joseph.) The junior/senior womens A team home in 4th place, just ahead of local rivals Hallamshire Harriers.
Senior Women Best Ever
Wed 09 Nov 11	203
Rotherhams senior women’s team were 13th, recording their best ever position in this event since placing 26th in 2007. The target this year was a top 15 finish and hopes were high with all 3 girls announcing themselves fit and ready. Natalie Grant made her return to team action on the fast and furious first leg in what were now becoming very difficult conditions. With the rain pouring down and the course well and truly cut up it was now about battling the elements. Grant did this and put the team in contention completing the 3k course in 11:16 and handing over to Jade Allen in 27th place. Allen has been the team’s fastest runner in the last three relays and set off in a determined manner and quickly cut through the field bringing the team up to 13th place. With plenty of vocal support around the course from her mum Allen crossed the line in 11:13 to once again record the teams fastest time of the day. The last leg was left to newcomer Samantha Johnson who despite being troubled by a cough in the build up to the race was keen to grasp her chance in the first team and that she did in fine style. The Leeds Uni student picked up three places to put Rotherham in 10th place and held on superbly to clock a time of 11:20. Once again the club was grateful for the back up and team spirit of the B team who placed 81st out of the 104 teams who competed. Nina Hague (13:47) Gillian Taylor (14:23) and Natalie Raynor (14:06)
Junior Women excel at National XC Relays
Wed 09 Nov 11	202
Rotherhams Junior women’s team competed in the first event of the day and set the tone for what was a very successful Championship for the Harriers. Steph Burns got stuck in on the all important first leg and once again proved what a good team runner she is. Burns battled all the way putting in a truly gutsy performance and recording the team’s fastest leg in a time of 9:22 for the 2.5k course and handing over in 11th place. On leg 2 was Natasha Hatswell who despite struggling early on in the week with a cold once again showed her value to the team. Hatswell stormed through the field to clock an impressive 9:35 and in doing so put Rotherham into 5th place. It was left to Robyn Lanceley to hang onto this position and battle through the extremely wet and muddy conditions. Lanceley did the business clocking the exact same time as her team mate Natasha and holding onto 5th place. Later the Aldershot team were to be disqualified which moved Rotherham up to 4th place and once again proved that they can mix it with the best.
South Yorkshire XC League; 1st event Clifton Park
Wed 26 Oct 11	201
Thanks to all the runners and supporters for the excellent turn out and performances! Full results are now on the SYCAA web site (Cross Country news) We had 34 female athletes turn out (The most since I started keeping records in 2006!) and 24 male. Remember wherever you finish, you score points for the club for the winning club award. So let's get another big turn out with hopefully even more athletes at the next event: at Wentworth Castle, Barnsley on 13th November. You need to be aware that there is a car parking charge at Wentworth Castle. This is paid on departure, and I am advised that if you show your number when leaving you get a reduced rate of £2. I would like to thank Kevin Thomas, Jackie Hutchinson, Mick Hague and Alan Bryden for their help in setting out and marshaling the course
Another good club performance at Birchwood
Sun 25 Sep 11	199
Northern Athletics Road Relays Having won the Yorkshire Championships earlier in the month Rotherham were looking to continue their good form as they took on the best clubs in the North of England. New team manager Nigel Brookes was forced to make three changes from the line up that clinched the Yorkshire title with Robyn Lanceley the sole survivor. Jade Allen got the team off to a cracking start recording the teams fastest time of the day covering the 4.9k course in 17:53 and handing over to Annabelle Grady. The second leg is Annabelles favourite and she once again produced the goods by storming through the field with a time of 17:57 and sending reliable Robyn Lanceley on her way. Robyn has recently started to look more like her old self and once again this was a solid performance (18:47) on what can be a very pressurised leg. As Robyn crossed the line it was left to the youngest member of the team Natasha Hatswell to hold onto what looked like being the best finishing position in years. Despite dropping a couple of places midway through the race Natasha spurred on by her team mates produced a fantastic finish to claw those places back. As she crossed the line in 9th place (19:05) the team began to celebrate what was to be Rotherhams highest finish in this event for 10 years. Every good team needs good back up and Rotherham received that from Janet Hindley (19:31) and Nina Hague (21:56) who went as travelling reserves and competed in an incomplete B team and also gave the girls good vocal support during the day. Team manager Nigel Brookes said afterwards "To get the best out of yourself you have to compete against the best and today we more than held our own. We now look forward to sending out two strong teams for the National Championships in Birmingham on Oct 15th. We have 12 girls all battling for only 8 available places and this can only be good for both the Club and the athletes themselves" The senior ladies team finished 9th - the best finishing position for 10 years - a tribute to the good work done by Nigel Brookes in his new role as women's team manager. The senior mens team finished 21st (their best position for the last 4 years) easily qualifying for the national event at Sutton Park on the 15th October, and for the first time for many years we had a complete B team. In the Young Athletes races, we also had many good performances. The U15 boys finished 9th, The U15 girls 22nd (Charlotte Dodds running the 20th fastest time). The U17 men finished 19th, and the U17 women 9th (Jess Freeman the 18th fastest time, Jess Mangham the 19th fastest). U13 was disappointing. Thanks to Pete Shaw, Nigel and Robert Bentham for their help with the club tent, and to Jim Brogan for helping organise the teams.
Women Take Yorkshire Relay Title
Sun 11 Sep 11	198
Yorkshire Road Relays, 10th Sep Thanks to all the athletes, supporters and helpers from the club for their efforts yesterday. The clubs athletes and teams had some great results! The U15 boys team, under 17 womens team and Jun/ Senior womens team all won, with Jess Mangham recording the 3rd fastest time in the U17 race and Jenny Blizard recording a very impressive fastest time - which was some 50 seconds faster than the next athlete. The U17 men & senior mens teams finished 4th. We were disappointingly short of U13 athletes, and will be trying to resolve this over the next few weeks, in the hope that we get teams out in the forthcoming relay events. Full results are on the Northern Athletics web site; see video display (right) for footage