The annual Calderglen Harriers Chatelherault World Championships took place in spectacularly Summer conditions on Monday 25th May. An eager pack of 11 Harriers turned out for one of the final few races in the 2025-26 Grand Prix with overall positions still in the balance. We split into three packs based on anticipated finishing time and the packs were set off at 5 minute intervals to ensure a reasonably compact finishing order.
Despite the 5 to 10 minute start given, Robert Dewar caught and passed everyone in the first half and finished fastest overall in a time of 52:27. With several of the runners either not being very familiar with Chatelherault at all or not having been there this year, there was always a concern that someone would go off course and end up in Larkhall. Chris Thomson fell into that category but thankfully did not go off course and was next fastest in 56:48. The remainder of the fast pack finished pretty close together with Jason Grant (58:00), Andrew Higgins (58:21) and Stephen Phimister (58:53) all running very strongly and, in the case of all three of them, recovering from or carrying injuries.
In the middle "pack" there was another fine solo effort from Frances Ferguson, finishing in 64:15, although Frances' first (repeatable) words were "how could I used to do that in 56 minutes!". Richard Lawton completed that middle start group to finish in 68:41 and maximised Grand Prix points with a 2 joker strategy.
The first pack away mainly stuck together as a group due to unfamiliarity with the 7-mile route. However, leading the breakaway, Gordon McInally finished in 71:49, the common theme being that Gordon is also carrying an injury. Then Geo Ferguson (80:27) headed the sprint for the line from the final group, followed by Tarlochan Mothada (80:36) and Jacqueline Balmer (80:37).
Well done to all. I wish we could get conditions like that for all of this summer's Chatelherault sessions but somehow I doubt we will. Some photos from the finish line are here.
Alan
No comments:
Post a Comment