ALEX’S NEWSPAPER REPORT FOR

WEEK ENDING – 8th March 2008

Wesham rounded off the cross country season in the final Mid Lancs League with a good all round performance to secure individual and team medals for the men and saw the women consolidate their overall position. Joanna Goorney was 20^th in the Women’s 5.5km 2-lap race, clocking 25:10 for 5^th W35 and Wesham’s ladies champion for 2007/8. Carmel Sullivan ran well and came in 24^th in 25:30 as 7^th W35. Julie Cruse made up the Wesham woman’s ‘A’ team, who finished 4^th in Division 2 but sealed their bronze medals overall. Kath Hoyer was first counter for the Wesham ‘B’ team, finishing 11^th W45 and 41^st with 27:48. Kerry Eccles was 52^nd in 29:34, completing her first cross country season in fine style, and Tracy Hulme came home 58^th in 30:55 to place the women 6^th in Division 3. Pauline Weller finished 65^th in 34:35 after a great cross country season. The Wesham W35 and W45 teams both finished 4^th, a commendable result.

In the Men’s race over 10.2km Charlie Pass had another great run to seal his position as Wesham’s men’s champion again for 2007/8, finishing 13^th today in 39:11 over the four-lap course. Behind him Gary Pendlebury and Alex Rowe battled out for the M50 honours, with Pendlebury the stronger finishing 33^rd with 41:31 and securing the gold. Rowe put in a final bid on the final climb up the notorious ‘saucer’ but was still 7 seconds adrift as he came in 35^th in 41:27 to take the M50 silver for the season. Wesham’s M50 men were to the fore, with Derek Buckley in 6^th and 64^th overall with 44:20 to secure the team victory for the day and for the whole season, and John Collier was 10^th M50 and 73^rd overall in 45:06. Alan Glasgow finished 11^th M50 and 78^th with 45:56. Russell Mabbett was Wesham’s next runner in 116^th position with 50:07; Graham Vickers was 145^th in 54:58; and John Sharples was 155^th in 57:25. The Wesham ‘A’ team finished 5^th in Division 1 with the ‘B’ team failing to score. The M40 team earned bronze medals for the season with a strong performance in Division 1.

Levon Bates finished 19^th in the U13 Fell End Clouds race in the Kendal Winter League fell series in a time of 8:54. His Dad Martin was 24^th in the senior men’s 5-mile race in 38:34 in howling winds over hard ground, finishing 4^th M50. The previous week in the Cautley Spout Race Martin had finished 39^th over a gruelling course in the Howgills, clocking 42:53 for 7^th M50. Levon ran 8:30 finishing 19^th in the U12 race.

Peter Waterman finished 4181 in the popular Reading Half Marathon in a time of 1:55:13 (1:47:31 chip time). Peter Waywell had an excellent run in the Barcelona Marathon in hot conditions, finishing 387^th in 3:03:35. Peter Cruse was 958^th in 3:16:02, and Simon Eaton was 4923^rd in 4:07:36.

Sarah Sherratt finished 8^th woman and 53^rd overall with a time of 60:19 in the Carding Mill Canter from Church Stretton in Shropshire on the Welsh borders, a 4-mile fell race with 1800’ ascent. There were 79 runners and the leading lady clocked 47:36.

There was a fair turnout of Wesham runners at the Haweswater Half Marathon on an out-and-back course from Brampton Village Hall up the side of the lake. Steve Myerscough was the first Wesham finisher, 17^th in 1:22:44. Dave Waywell was the leading M60 runner in 43^rd position overall with 1:27:08. Michaela Dempsey had a great run finishing 15^th woman and 5^th W40 in 1:39:43, with Nigel Shepherd 172^nd in 1:42:58. Kath Hoyer came in 24^th woman and 11^th W40 in 1:43:49, 181^st overall.

Lee Barlow had a great run in the Trimpell 20 on Sunday, running 2:02:36 to finish 10^th behind the wining tine of 1:52:15. George Kennedy ran well to come in 64^th and 5^th M50 in 2:19:56. Julie Cruse was 130^th in 2:34:34, 7^th W45, and Graham Vickers was 168^th with 2:43:00, both training for marathons. Mike Walsh was superlative in his 2:46:37 M75 victory, well on course for the London Marathon, finishing 177^th today. Jenny Salt was 208^th in 2:53:37; Yvonne Russell kicked off her preparations for this year’s GB Ironman with 229^th place and a clocking of 2:59:44, and Sue Fearon finished 275^th with a determined 3:29:15.

In the Catforth Canter 5k on Sunday, Gary de Banke was the leading Wesham runner, as he finished a fine 10^th in 18:47 for 2^nd M45. John Sharples made short work of the course after the previous days cross country, running 21:41 for 26^th place. Jonathan Lawson was 28^th in 22:04; Reg Chapman was 40^th in 24:02 for 3^rd M60; John Howorth was 44^th in 25:19 just ahead of Wesham’s first lady Pauline Weller who finished 45^th and 2^nd W50. John Whiteman was 4^th M60 and 54^th overall in 28:13.

Written by: Alex Rowe

Submitted: 6^th March 2008

Edited by: Brenda J Earnshaw WRR Editor