Westbury Harriers Weekly News
Evening Westbury Harriers,
The festive season is upon us, loving the effort and dedication some of the local residents have gone into decorating their front gardens with inflatable santas, snowmen, and flashing lights. Makes my commute from work very cheerful. I’ve lost count how many mince pies I’ve eaten! Not enough that’s for sure. Time to get into the christmas spirit and impress us with your best outfit for tomorrow’s Brailford Lights session. If you haven’t been before, you will be dazzled by the light display. Plus, if you booked club supper after the run, then I will see some of you there for a merry glass of wine or two.
Now brace yourselves, we also have some epic reports from the Gwent League Blaise Castle XC. 100% worth the read! Don’t hang up your spikes just yet….we still have two more fixtures to go! So, enjoy the little break for now, because we’ll be back in full force embracing the mud.
In this week’s newsletter:
- Club notices
- Training this week
- Race reports / results
- Upcoming races
1. CLUB NOTICES
CHRISTMAS TRAINING SCHEDULE
There will no formal training in the weeks commencing 22nd and 29th December 2025.
BRAILSFORD LIGHTS RUN
Our last Monday session of the year on 15th December will be the annual Brailsford Lights run. We encourage runners to turn up in festive fancy dress. We will run in our groups as usual, but everyone will head to the Brailsford lights display in Brentry as part of the run. It really is a sight worth seeing and it is all in aid of a great charity, the Bristol Children’s Hospital Grand Appeal. You can make a donation in cash on the night, by credit card or online.
With a Club Supper afterwards for those that have booked a place, it promises to be an enjoyable evening!
Please book using Run Together in the usual way!
CLUB KIT
Membermojo store is now updated with new vest stock. Junior sizes now available.
Westbury Harriers at membermojo
2. TRAINING THIS WEEK
MONDAY – TEMPO:
Group runs from Coombe Dingle sports complex at 6.30pm. These are perfect sessions for a Tempo pace run. Equally there are plenty of groups available if you want a recovery or social run. Book via RunTogether.
TUESDAY – TRACK:
Track session at Yate 7pm – Seniors book on via RunTogether App.
WEDNESDAY – HILL SESSION:
Adults, all abilities. Meet every Wednesday at 12pm, corner of Saville Road by the Downs. Sign up on RunTogether App.
THURSDAY – INTERVAL:
Coombe Dingle Sports Complex, meet at 7pm.
Road Session with festive treats!
Location depending on numbers and leader availability
Please think of night running safety. Wear bright/reflective clothing and bring head torches etc.
3. RACE REPORTS/RESULTS
Gwent League, Blaise Castle 6th Dec 2025 – Senior & Masters Women’s Report
by Tamsin Chick
The night before this race we had committee meeting and I had congratulated the men’s team manager, Geraint, on getting the biggest men’s squad out I think ever. It had been neck and neck in the lead up with 41 team members a piece. With some late addition sign up for the men’s team and unfortunately a few withdrawals from the women’s team through illness, the men were ahead. The trophy was dutifully left on the table for the men’s team photo. However, in the end it was actually the women’s team taking the trophy again with 38 to 35 after a number of late withdrawals from the men’s team. Congratulations ladies. A really big well done to the men’s team too. Great that between us we had over 70 senior/master runners.
I was disappointed not to be on the start line due to injury but it did mean I got to watch the ladies in full action and they were simply fabulous. Blasie is a great spectators course as you can see runners multiple times. We were the only club to field an F, G and H team. Westbury were there from Rosies’ glorious second senior Gwent League win all the way through the field packing in tightly. I always say it, but Blaise is a deceivingly challenging course. The strong winds made the long run across the field extremely hard, the inclines and conditions underfoot were leg sapping. I struggled just walking to my marshalling point! Whilst many of the women’s faces running expressed it was tough and maybe they wished they chosen something else to do that morning, they simply dug deep and all ran superbly.
It was probably the most tightly packed in A team in many years. After Rosie’s 80 second lead, Hannah.L made the top 10 with a determined run. So glad to have Steph HJ finally join the club, talent certainly runs in this family. Steph had a fantastic debut for the club in 13th and 3rd U23. Katie.H her best position of the season, 3 places up on last year for 16th. The Westbury community is special, thank-you so much to Yvette for stepping in to support with childcare to enable Olivia to get to the race as she is having a fantastic season. Whilst maybe feeling like she had not had the best preparation that morning arrived, got her number and ran strongly to complete the A team, gaining a top 10% for the first time.
The B team were incredible packing in within 7 places of each other, that is good teamwork! Rachel.L having the run of lifetime. In our C team we welcomed Georgie, Emma.H and Elizabeth.W for their first Gwent League, fabulous running ladies, hope you enjoyed it. Monica showing how a year of consistent training with the club had benefitted her improving 41 places on last years position. The master’s at this event were brilliant. Evergreen Sandy heading up the D team and leading home the V65 field. A great photo shared with some teammate competition/support with Antonia and Kate. Kez improved on her debut run at Margam Park leading home the E team, with Helen.S always consistent making the top 20 V55s. Great to see Tracey having enjoyed Cardiff back for a second Gwent outing. Sandra again, an ever consistent Gwent runner bringing in the F team, with team captain sporting her captain’s armband Emma-Jane closely behind. Lovely to see Hannah.M back running with a smile after a break from racing. It was great to see G team Westbury runners Sophie.R, Suzi, Catherine and Kat all working together and supporting each other through the race. Anne.D first V75 runner home who as ever inspires us all that there is no retirement from XC for any of us anytime soon. Julia led the H team home with a 3rd over 70 placing.
A team (Rosie Hamilton-James U23 1st, Hannah Large V35 10th, Steph Hamilton-James U23 13th, Katie Hughes V45 16th, Olivia Zeltner SL 26th).
B team (Sophie Westmacott V45 53rd, Robyn Ellis V45 55th, Lucy Richens V45 56th, Elizabeth Spence SL 58th, Rachel Liston V35 60th).
C team (Georgie Pocock V35 79th, Emma Hart V35 84th Hannah Batchelor SL 86th, Elizabeth Wood V35 104th, Monica Warnock V55 107th).
D team (Sandy Masters V65 113th, Antonia Gooder V55 117th, Kate Hoffen V55 126th, Katie Ramsden U23 129th, Alison Rogers V45 133rd).
E team Keziah Sheppard SL 151st, Helen Sawyer V55 157th, Tracey Li V35 160th, Lucie McNair V35 165th Laurie Anderson V35 168th).
F team (Sandra Sforza V55 169th, Emma-Jane Orchard V45 189th, Eve Blackmore V25 209th, Anneke Bull V55 212th , Hannah Mcalpine V45 216th).
G team (Sophie Rimmell V45 218th , Suzi Marshall-Smith V25 221, Anne Dockery V75 236th, Catherine Flaguel V45 241st, Kat Darke V55 243rd).
H team (Julia Hoskins V65 255th, Carol Fee V45 259th Carolyn Dent V55 262nd) 277 finishers.
Current Age groups team standings
U23 – 3rd (staying the same)
V35 – 2nd (staying the same)
V45 – 1st (staying the same) (B team 8th)
V55 – 1st (moving up from 2nd)
V65 – 1st (Moving from joint 1st) (B team 9th)
Individual standings after 3 fixtures
Senior ladies joint 5th Hannah Large (2nd V35) & Katie Hughes (2nd V45), Olivia Zeltner 13th, V55 Monica Warnock 5th, U23 Rosie Hamilton-James 2nd.
Congratulations to Rosie, Steph, Hannah.L, Katie.H, Olivia, Sophie, Robyn, Lucy, Monica and Sandy, who were in top the 10% of their age groups (see the * next to your name in the results). Don’t forget to pick up your complimentary T-Shirt at the next Gwent, only 1 per season.
Last 2 fixtures Saturday 7th February 2026 Chepstow Race Course, Saturday 28th February Parc Bryn So make sure you have these dates down. The team needs you!
Gwent League – Blaise Castle, Saturday 6th December 2025 – Men’s team report
by Geraint Torrington
Well, last Saturday was a bit good to say the least! As well as the running there was the men v women trophy to play for and it was the closest one yet, but ultimately the men fell short again. The racing was fast and furious epitomised by our three Masters 65 runners, William Baker, Phil Brooks and Phil Hayward.
Each made the Blaise Castle course look easy with William leading the team home in 17th followed by Phil Brooks in 32nd and the smiling Phil Hayward in 45th. As a team they were 8th out of 39 teams on the day which is a fantastic achievement. The final race of the day was the senior men taking on three full laps of the course. We had a few withdrawals on the day, the most significant being our leading athlete this year in Greg Hayward who had picked up an injury. In recent years this would have been a big blow to the team, but we have much more strength and depth this year and the team ran their muddy socks off! Leading the men home in an incredible 2nd place was Ben Rawlins just 18 seconds behind the winner. Next home was Matthew Cant in 15th. Both Ben and Matt have been known to cycle stupid distances before races, just look what they can do when they just run 😊
Third home was the young Thomas Darton in 21st followed by Josh Morland in 29th and Oli Beale just behind in 32nd place. To have five men in the top 32 places is fantastic and this meant that the senior men’s team were fourth on the day and also moved up to fourth from sixth in division 1. The top teams are really close points wise and if we can carry on getting these fast men out for the rest of the season, we’ll be in a good place at the end. Our B team was led home by Tom Reed in 36th followed by Paul Gardiner in 52nd, Jack Derrick having a great run in 74th, Olly Shepperd in a sparkling new vest in 92nd and Josh Adler in 118th. The team were 3rd B team on the day and like the A team moved up to fourth overall from sixth. The C team was led home by David Tonkin in 155th, Alastair Blackwood in 164th having been kept busy by organising the volunteers, Thomas Peaston 176th, Jeremy Westwood enjoying a return to cross country in 216th and Jonathan Riley in 233rd. Tim Clothier powered his way to 244th to lead the D team home with Chris Trebble remembering his number this fixture and finished in 246th. Ian Gawinowski was next in 262nd followed by Paul Stuart in 268th and debutant Edward Thompson in 307th. The E team saw Martin Fielding in 310th, Alex Miller 316th, Paul Turner 340th, Rich Goodley 346th and George Pickering 353rd all make light work of the course. Our F team (yes a complete F team!) saw George Jamison make a rare appearance on the cross country in 356th, Dom Hurford enjoying swapping to mud from the roads in 358th, Patrice Flageul debuting in 363rd whilst Trevor Fitsall in 373rd had just enough juice in the tank to ward off new spike wearing Geraint Torrington in 374th. We didn’t have a complete G team but Martin Clayton celebrated his birthday but having a little run to finish in 383rd and Nigel Muntz bringing the team home in 396th. Within the senior’s race there are age group races and in the youngest old man category – Masters 35 – Oli Beale finished a fantastic 10th place and Paul Gardiner in 18th. Paul lies 9th overall in the category. The team finished 9th on the day and are 14th out of 80 overall.
Due to the way the Gwent League categories work, second in the Masters 45 was Oli Beale with David Tonkin in 28th. The team were 7th on the day and are 13th overall. The masters 55 category had Paul Stuart as our sole club representative and he claimed an impressive 17th place. The team are 7th overall, but we could do with a few more men in this category to maintain our position.
It’s so good seeing so many men turn out for the club and to have such great support on the course from the wonderful volunteers. At the far end of the field we had Tamsin shouting encouragement at the bottom of the hill and Sandra Sforza at the top. The noise as we came down the zigzags and onto the field was fantastic, so thank you to everyone who shouted encouragement.
We are such a great club and Saturday embodied all that’s good about the club. We run well, we organise well, we marshal well, we shout loudly and we also make great tea!
Gwent League – Blaise Castle, Saturday 6th December 2025 – Academy report
Brilliant running from everyone today! Those were some tough conditions (that headwind!) and it was certainly slippy underfoot – you are all absolute superstars for showing up and giving it your all!
Provisional individual results are now in – we don’t know the team standings in the series (or individual positions in the series) yet but will be sure to let you know when we do.
Girls
Sophie (5th out of 77 finishers), Inga (11th), Hannah (12th), Bibi (20th), Ellie (21st), Chloe (22nd), Autumn (32nd), Penny (39th), Grace (41st), Jessica (42nd), Erin (59th), Gaby (72nd).
Boys
Alex (11th out of 106 finishers), Max (16th), Rufus (22nd), Frederick (32nd), Faris (34th), Thomas (36th), Jack (39th), Jesse (55th), Heath (58th), Freddie (71st), Grayson (93rd), Joseph (94th), Tomos (96th), Tobin (102nd).
Also massive congratulations to our winners:
Elizabeth Huthcings – U15s
Lilia Beazley-Long – U17s
Elen Ruck – U20s
Rosie Hamilton-James U23s
The next fixtures are on Saturday 7th February in Chepstow, and then Saturday 28th February in Parc Bryn Bach, so please pop the dates in your diaries now – just two more fixtures to round off a fantastic season for both teams!
Congratulations again everyone – absolutely fab running!
Your super proud Run Leaders,
Catherine, Chris, Rachel and Nina
4. UPCOMING RACES / CLUB CHAMPS
A reminder that we have an events calendar on our website where you can keep track of dates for training, events and races.https://westburyharriers.co.uk/events/events-calendar/
And club champ races here: Club Championship – Westbury Harriers
See race listings at the bottom of the newsletter for a new Club championship race 🙂
REMINDER OF GWENT LEAGUE DATES
This is our main cross-country team event. Suitable for all club members, all ages, all abilities. Everyone scores for the team, individually and for their age group. We want FULL teams in each age group. Cost is £5 + admin fee per race, payable via RunTogether. Running can be quite an individual sport, but this is really where it comes together as a team and a club with a great atmosphere. Do come and give a Gwent League a go, whether you can do one race in the season, or all five, whatever your contribution, it really does help.
Saturday, February 7th 2026 Chepstow Race Course
Saturday, February 28th 2026 Parc Bryn Bach
South West Cross Country Championships
More suitable for those who run in groups 1-3.
Saturday 3rd January RNAS Merryfield, Ilton, Taunton.
** Please Note the early deadline and arrangements for coaches and spectators **
Teams : 6 Senior Men / 4 Senior Women (Under 20s run same race and count for Seniors)
Masters Categories : Men M40, M50, M60. Women : FM35, FM45, FM55
Teams : Senior Men – 5 to score Women – 4 to score.
Entry : Please enter yourself. South-West Cross-Country Championships** Deadline 14th December.
English National Cross Country Championships
Saturday 21st February 206 – East Park, Sedgefield, County Durham.
Suitable for all ages and abilities. It is a mass celebration of running – fantastic fun and always a true cross-country course (slightly challenging but totally doable!) The Club has in previous years organised coach transport for runners taking part but the distances involved means coach travel on the day is not a realistic option this time. This remains a prestigious National event and whilst recognising that the length of the journey and the lack of an organised travel option will put off some runners, we still hope that some of you will take part. The club will contribute towards the travel expenses of runners in accordance with our Expenses policy as set out on the Website.
Midland 6/12 Stage Spring Road Relays
28th March 2026, Nationals 11th April 2026
2026 British Masters Road Relay Championships
date not yet confirmed
Other local races;
Friday 26th December: Clevedon Boxing Day Races: https://clevedonac.co.uk/our-races/boxing-day-race/
Thursday 8th January: Rogue Runs night run at Piercefield Park, Chepstow: https://sites.google.com/site/roguerunsevents/home/our-events/night-runs
Sunday 18th January 2026: Riverbank Rollick (Club Champs race) – Thornbury Running Club: https://www.thornburyrunningclub.co.uk/trc-races/riverbank-rollick/
If there are any races or interesting events that you think should be added, please email: communication@westburyharriers.co.uk
Editor: Yvette Casallas
