ALEX ROWE NEWSPAPER REPORT

Northern Athletics Cross Country Championships

Saturday, 26^th January 2008

The Northern Athletics Cross Country Championships were held in a wind-swept Roundhay Park in Leeds last Saturday; so strong was the wind that the organisers had called off all their arrangements for marquees to provide amenities and would not even allow club tents. It was bleak and a blessing it was not wet as the runners huddled together in the open with no shelter. They were compensated in some way however as the park provides the best cross country running and so it was on this occasion. The Senior Women were off at 12:25 and the Wesham ladies all ran well with a medium and a large lap totalling 8km with two ascents of the notorious ‘Hill 60’. Joanna Goorney was to the fore, navigating the course in 33:24 for 96^th place. Carmel Sullivan was the next in for Wesham, running 35:39 for 155^th position. Julie Cruse put on an extra layer before the start but it didn’t hold her back and she came in 164^th in a time of 36:12, and Kath Hoyer closed the team in 23^rd place with 37:07 for 191^st position. There were 290 runners and Hallamshire won the team competition.

Charlie Pass set off like a rocket at 14:00 for Wesham and was on the front line in the initial charge uphill away from the start on the Military Field. With three large laps totalling 12km with an ascent of “Hill 60” on each circuit and taking in the far side of the park along the shores of the Waterloo Lake this was booth a scenic and challenging course with tight uphill climbs but very good ground underfoot. Charlie Pass finished in the top 100, a very creditable performance with a time of 42:55. Alex Rowe just held off the relentless challenge of in-form Gary Pendlebury, with the M50 pair finishing 155^th and 162^nd with 45:13 and 45:21. Les Cornwall had a good run, pacing himself well to come in 214^th with 46:50, and Derek Buckley, suffering with a cold, managed a good run for 294^th place in 48:57. Trevor Rayner served the club well by binging the Wesham men’s team home 18^th with 49:29 in 315^th place. John Collier felt he was a little below par and was disappointed to finish 329^th in 49:43, and John Bertenshaw made his first outing at cross country this year worthwhile with 50:11 in 351^st place. Alan Glasgow overcame the tough conditions and finished 357^th in 50:16, while Dave Waywell took an easy pace and ran 51:26 for 400^th position. Mark Midgley did himself well with 56:12 in 536^th place; John Sharples battled against the cold with a creditable performance placing 631^st in 62:17; and Mike Walsh came in 652^nd with 66:44. There were 665 runners and Leeds City won the men’s team on home ground with an impressive 71 points.

The Stanbury Splash is a 7-mile race through the Penistone Hill Country Park with a 1200’ climb over Ponden Kirk, and Dave Waywell finished 2^nd M60 and 99^th running 59:49, still a little tender after recent injury and some way behind record-breaking Dave Tait who clocked a blazing 54:07 to win the age group. Kath Hoyer was 35^th woman and 247^th overall with a time of 74:06.

In the Chernobyl 10k from Bamber Bridge on Sunday, Wesham had a subdued entry after the Northern Cross Country the previous day. In good conditions Alan Hudson was the first Wesham finisher and 1^st M55 runner in 16^th place with a good performance of 37:52 on the undulating course through Avenham Park along the banks of the Ribble. Michaela Dempsey was the next Wesham finisher in 87^th position, 9^th woman and 2^nd W40 with a great 42:44. Stephen Wilkinson came in 5^th M50 and 131^st with 45:23, and Chris Moss was 165^th in 47:05. Stephen Hindle was 171^st in 47:19; Fiona Bledge 30^th woman and 214^th overall with 49:15; Paul Carter improved again on his 10k time with 50:25 for 237^th place; and Bernie Krawczyk was 281^st in 51:59. There were 490 runners in total and the winner was Matt Moorhouse in 33:12.

In the Meltham 10k near Huddersfield on Sunday, Peter Cruse ran 42:00 in windy conditions and on a hilly course to place 28^th.

Richard Davies took on a more sedate pace in the 23 mile “That’s Lyth” walk arranged by the Long Distance Walkers Association from Kendal and around the Lyth Valley. With 3,200 feet of climb Richard completed the course in 4 hrs 20 min. Nigel Shepherd had an enjoyable run in very windy conditions in the White Holme Circular from Summit near Littleborough. He finished the course in a very creditable 62^nd in a time of 1:53:54.

Martin Bates was 29^th and 3^rd M50 in the Fourth Kendal Winter League fell race at Birkrigg Common in Ulverston on Sunday, recording 23:10 for the course (distance and ascent not defined).

Levon Bates was 18^th in the U12s race, (time not given), breaking in his new Walshes.

Written by: Alex Rowe

Submitted: 31^st January 2008

Edited by: Brenda J Earnshaw WRR Editor