Derek Hebbes Memorial Schools Relays – Perivale Park – 19 Mar 2014

The inaugural Derek Hebbes Memorial Schools Relays at Perivale Park were a resounding success. Around 100 children took part from seven local schools – many of them ESM members of course! See how many you can spot in the photo of runners from Elthorne Park…

Each team of five legs comprised one runner from each of years 7, 8, 9 and 10, plus one from year 11 or above. Girls and boys ran together over the 1500m cross country course, but the girls competed for the Derek Hebbes Trophy, while the winning boys’ team was awarded the Mike Barratt Trophy.

The girls’ result was a close-run affair, with Elthorne Park beating Ellen Wilkinson by just nine seconds overall, and Drayton Manor in third. Ellen Wilkinson held the lead for the first three legs, with our own Feia Starkey running the fastest opening leg, followed by team-mates Maryam Hussain (also seen regularly this winter in the green and amber vest) and Charlotte Mathers. Sakhi Yelda put Drayton Manor in the lead on leg D, and Elthorne Park only came through to win on the last leg, courtesy of Gabby Bishop. Cara Murphy put in a blistering finish on behalf of Ellen Wilkinson, which was the fastest closing leg.

Special mention should also be given to ESM’s Nicola Ravenhill (Elthorne Park), who was the fastest girl of the day. Second fastest was another ESM stalwart: Laura Stewart also of Elthorne Park, and Feia was third. Would it be boasting to point out that Roisin Lynch of Drayton Manor was fourth fastest…?

For the boys, Cardinal Wiseman enjoyed a seventeen second win over Drayton Manor, with Elthorne Park in third. Kyle Wilson led off for Cardinal Wiseman with the fastest opening time, followed by team-mate John Creaton who ran the second fastest B leg. (Fastest B leg was by our own Maateo Vao!) Drayton Manor enjoyed a brief lead, thanks to the fastest C leg of the day from George Kerry, but Aaron Spink came back with a vengeance for Cardinal Wiseman, also clocking up a fastest leg, leaving Connor McPartlin to run the glory leg.

The fastest boy overall was Joe Gilbert of Twyford, the only one to dip under 5 minutes. Joe has just joined ESM, and he looks set to be a great asset. In fact, the next five fastest boys were also all from the club: Aaron Spink (Cardinal Wiseman), Mukhtar Farah (Northolt), then Rowan Board, Bradley Pinder and George Kerry, all of Drayton Manor.

Many of us will remember the much-loved Derek (Del) Hebbes, who was a member of ESM for many years. He was responsible for setting up the Ealing schools cross country league and made an outstanding contribution to the development of local young people in middle distance, road and cross country running over many years.

Mike Barratt was the ESM club chairman and cross country team manager for many years. An outstanding cross country runner himself, he competed at the highest level as a junior, senior and veteran, and was a role model for many aspiring young athletes.

Thanks are due to Tony Randall for leading this new initiative, and to all the officials and other volunteers for helping to make it happen.

Results summary