2008 British & Irish Masters Cross-Country Championships

Singleton Park, Swansea

Saturday 15th November 2008

TIM HARTLEY produced a superb performance to secure his first national title by winning the British & Irish Masters Cross-Country championship held at Swansea's Singleton Park.

Over the 8km course that was used for the British Universities championships early in the year Hartley, the reigning adidas London Half Marathon champion who competes nationally for Notts AC and at local level in Leicestershire races for Barrow Runners, in his first year as a Master Vet40 produced a strong hard fought and competitive performance over a tough course to take his inaugural victory.

His fine success also guided Team England to gold in the M40 category, whilst, Huncote's European and World Masters half marathon title-holder Nicki Nealon also continued her impressive run of success as a veteran claiming individual silver over the three-lap 6km race as Team England F40 women also won gold.

In the Men's race Hartley moved clear of the field with defending title-holder, Kilbarchan Harrier Robert Quinn, representing Scotland and Justin Chaston of Wales - who completed for Team GB at the 2004 Athens Olympics in the Steeplechase - on the second of four laps for company.

Hartley maintained his advantage to cross the line in a time of 28mins 04secs to take victory ahead of runner-up Quinn, the 2007 champion in Belfast, finished 14 seconds adrift as Chaston - who had flown in especially from his American home in Colorado Springs to race the event, this having only turned 40 on November 4th to qualify for the meeting - taking third in 28:46.

The Women's race held over three-laps of Singleton Park witnessed Nealon moving through from sixth to second place on the final lap.

However, with around 200 metres to go, she fell due to the heavy muddy conditions, losing valuable seconds, and was subsequently passed by Donna Mahon (F35) representing the Republic of Ireland.

However, despite her fall Nealon recovered to claim F40 silver behind England F40 team-mate Debbie Walters, who won her category in 23:41 as Mahon clocked 24:09 with Nealon taking second F40 in 24:12.

In other age-group races, Leicester Coritanian Rob Sheen was 14th representing Wales in the M45 category in 32:20 as the host nation claimed team bronze.

In the M55 race Des Martin from the Owls finished in 15th place in 34:44 for Northern Ireland.

Full results are available on the following link: www.onlineraceresults.co.uk/main1.htm

Editors Comment:

Interesting fact - World marathon record-holder Paula Radcliffe and Leicestershire's Tara Krzywicki, a former British record-holder in the Steeplechase, will both qualify for this event next year as they turn 35 over the next few months.

There has been talk in the sport over recent years - especially now in the 21st century with athletes looking after themselves physically with better training programmes - on whether the Vet 35 category for women should be scrapped and fall in line with the men who qualify at aged 40.

This opinion is based on the fact that many top athletes at both international and domestic level now fall into that age-group and are just simply too good to be called Masters - this is perfectly underlined when you consider that the Beijing Olympic Women's Marathon gold medallist, Constantina Dita-Tomescu of Romania, is 38.

2008/09 Derby Runner Cross Country League

Bosworth Country Park, Hinckley, Leicestershire

BRITISH Masters international Kate Ramsey representing Barrow and Jason Williams of the Owls were the major winners at the opening round of the 2008/09 Derby Runner Cross Country League campaign held at the Bosworth Country Park situated on the outskirts of Hinckley.

In the absence of reigning champion Gemma Steel - preferring to run at the Matthew Walker 10km in Heanor where the Hermitage Harrier triumphed in the race - the vastly experienced Kate Ramsey running in the red vest of Barrow prevailed in the women’s race, which for the first time this year was held as a separate event beginning 15 minutes ahead of the men’s field designed to reduce the congestion at the start.

Having completed the opening lap of the 5.6 mile course with Beaumont’s former champion Zoe Fleming for company Ramsey began to show her class pulling away to take a fine victory in a time of 37mins 02secs and on this the 40-year-old former winner of the high profile North Midlands League, will prove tough opposition for title-holder Gemma Steel when she returns to league action later in the season.

Ramsey summed up her fine performance commenting: “I loved it – real cross country running.” Which is an appropriate tag-line that bests describes this extremely popular league.

In the Men’s race Jason Williams representing the Owls ran a fine controlled race to repeat his victory from last year in Hinckley, tracking Hermitage Harrier Alistair Watson - the reigning Leicestershire road league individual champion - over the opening miles before making a final push for victory to come home 200 metres clear of the pack in 32:40.

Williams came into this race having showed solid form in the opening two North Midlands League at Derby and Corby where the Owls head the team standings at the half-way point of the season.

Full individual results are available on the following link: www.derbyrunnerleague.co.uk/XC01.html

Team Results:
Men
1 Hinckley 305; 2 Shepshed 365; 3 Hatton 425; 4 Barrow 444; 5 Wreake 544; 6 S Derby 546; 7 Birstall 555; 8 Harborough 592; 9 Owls 653; 10 West End 653; 11 Desford 684; 12 Ivanhoe 715; 13 Hermitage 743; 14 Roadhoggs 805; 15 Beaumont 870; 16 Shelton 918; 17 Huncote 1157
Women
1 Hatton 73; 2 Desford 78; 3 West End 91; 4 Shepshed 96; 5 Barrow 103; 6 Hinckley 111; 7 Birstall 113; 8 Ivanhoe 139; 9 Shelton 147; 10 Wreake 169; 11 Huncote 172; 12 Beaumont 222; 13 S Derby 362
Combined
1 Hinckley 299; 2 Shepshed 318; 3 Barrow 360; 4 Hatton 372; 5 Birstall 465; 6 Wreake 535; 7 West End 586; 8 Desford 590; 9 Ivanhoe 661; 10 Harborough 674; 11 Hermitage 675; 12 S Derby 687; 13 Shelton 780; 14 Beaumont 834; 15 Huncote 1076

The next race takes place at Sinai Park, Burton-upon-Trent on Sunday 30th November.

McCain UK Cross Challenge 2008/09

Gateshead International Races

Riverside Bowl, Gateshead

Saturday 15th November 2008

EUROPEAN junior cross country champion Steph Twell held off a strong domestic challenge of Loughborough graduates Louise Damen and Laura Kenney combined with the experienced campaigner Hayley Yelling to win the Gateshead International - the opening round of the 2008/09 McCain UK Cross Challenge Series - held in the sunny and windy conditions of the North East.

In the Women’s Senior event Louise Damen set the pace over the opening laps, however, by the third of the five circuits, the 2008 world junior 1500m gold medallist Steph Twell used her impressive track speed to break clear of the pack and never looked back as the 19-year-old powered ahead to claim victory in a time of 26mins 46secs, proving the Aldershot athlete is in top form as she chases a hat-trick of European junior titles in Brussels next month,

"I really enjoyed it," said Twell following her victory. "I thought it was a really good race. I judged it well when I moved through the field. I worked the hills and I'm really pleased."

Damen, the 26-year-old Loughborough graduate from the Winchester & District club finished runner-up just four seconds adrift of Twell as the former European cross country champion Hayley Yelling secured third in 27:08.

The 2007 European Under-23 5,000m track gold medallist and reigning national Inter-Counties cross country champion, Loughborough-based Laura Kenny, finished fourth as fellow Scottish international Freya Murray ahead of her Team GB debut at next weekend’s Chiba Ekiden Relays in Japan claimed fifth place.

Twin sisters Juliet Doyle and Jane Potter representing the national cross country relays champions Charnwood AC finished in 11th and 13th places respectively with times of 28:05 and 28:15.

World University 800m bronze medallist, Loughborough-based Charlotte Best, claimed a top twenty place in 29:29 with Leicestershire’s Helen Rollins (Kettering Harriers) one place adrift given the same time.

The Senior Men’s race was won by the impressive Michel Butter of the Netherlands in a time of 28mins 18secs, the Dutch national champion and European Under-23 10,000m silver medallist having celebrated his 23rd birthday on Bonfire night finished clear of Kenyan runner-up Jean Ndayisenga representing Birchfield Harriers.

They were followed over the line by a whole host of domestic athletes filling the minor places headed by Andy Vernon, Steve Vernon, Frank Tickner, Keith Gerrard and Mike Skinner respectively.

Loughborough-based Nick McCormick and Ryan Mcleod clocked 29:43 and 30:04 to secure top twenty places finishing in 15th and 20th positions respectively.

In the Senior Men’s one lap race, Cheltenham’s James Brewer won in a tight finish from the New Marske Harrier Ricky Stevenson and the Irish international and Loughborough graduate Gareth Turnbull.

Loughborough’s Lewis Moses and Chris Warburton finished 7th and 8th in 4:55 and 4:56 respectively, as the defending champion and fellow Loughborough graduate Chris Parr representing the hosts Gateshead Harriers returning from knee surgery clocked 5:05 to secure 17th place.

The Junior Men’s race was won by the hugely talented David Forrester representing St Helens Sutton, whilst, the Junior Women’s race was won by Emma Pallant, team mate of Steph Twell at Aldershot, with current Loughborough student Emily Pidgeon third.

Leicestershire’s Bessie Rollins (Kettering Harriers) and Amber-Sian Magee (Charnwood) also made the epic 400 mile round trip from the Midlands to Gateshead finishing in 17th and 32nd places respectively.

Highlights of the event will be shown on Sky Sports Xtra on Wednesday 19th November at 9.00pm.

Fort Collins, Colorado, USA

Saturday 15th November 2008

ON a near perfect day for the New Mexico Men's and Women's cross country teams at the NCAA Mountain Region Championships held on Saturday 15th November in Fort Collins, Colorado.

The UNM women finished second to earn an automatic bid to the NCAA Championship meeting - their first NCAA berth since 1985. The surprising Lobo men finished fourth.

Both the Men's and Women's teams turned in record-setting performances at the Collindale Golf Course. The Lobo women put a school record six runners on the all-region team en route to a 70-point score - their lowest at the regional or district meeting since 1981. The men, meanwhile, had four all-region honourees - doubling their previous best at the Mountain Region meeting - and finished with a score of 93 - their lowest ever at the regional or district meeting.

The UNM women finished just 28 points behind Texas Tech and 22 points ahead of Northern Arizona. BYU was fifth with a score of 152.

After their narrow loss to the Air Force at the Mountain West Conference Championships the men's team trounced the fifth place Falcons by 80 points and were less than 30 points behind BYU and Northern Arizona. Unranked Colorado was a surprising winner with a final score of 42 and UTEP didn't record a team score.

Junior David Bishop and senior Lee Emanuel turned in their finest race of the season. Bishop, who was the Lobos' fourth place finisher two weeks ago at the MWC Championships, led the team with a 14th place finish (30:06.0). Emanuel, meanwhile, crossed the line 17th (30:09.7) - 19 places above his 2007 regional finish.

Juniors Jacob Kirwa and the reigning Leicestershire county champion Rory Fraser (Owls) finished side-by-side in 22nd (30:20.6) and 23rd (30:21.1), respectively. Senior Matt Ashton capped the Lobo scoring by finishing 32nd (30:41.7).

In the Women’s race Senior Michelle Corrigan led the tight Lobo pack, finishing fifth - matching Timmie Murphy (2006) for the highest finish by a UNM runner at the Mountain Region meet. Corrigan completed the 6km course in 20:44.8 - 1:03 behind the race winner, Texas Tech national champion Sally Kipyego.

Rookie Lacey Oeding was the second freshman in the field, finishing 11th overall (20:55.9). British Junior Nicky Archer then led an impressive parade of five straight UNM finishers. Archer finished 17th (21:06.3), followed by compatriot and senior Carolyn Boosey (18th - 21:08.1), senior Leslie Luna (19th - 21:08.5) and former Loughborough student Ashley Gibson (20th - 21:09.0).

Luna earned all-Mountain Region honours for the third time in her career, matching Jacquelyne Gallegos for the most in program history.

Lotto Cross Cup

Moi, Belgium

Sunday 9th November 2008

JANE POTTER led a quartet of British athletes competing at the Lotto Cross Cup meeting in Mol, Belgium as part of the build up to the 15th SPAR European Cross Country Championship that take place in Brussels on Sunday 14th December.

Belgian Almensch Belete set the pace winning the Senior Women's race in a time of 23mins 04secs, closely followed by compatriot Veerle Dejaeghere in the runners-up position ahead of the 2006 European Under-23 silver medallist Fionnualla Briton of Ireland who announced her intentions to chase a medal in Brussels next month with a third place finish at 23.26.

Fionnualla finish seventh in the last edition of SPAR European Cross Country Championship in Toro Spain.

Jane Potter - part of Charnwood’s successful trio of twin sister Juliet and Tara Krzywicki who regained the Saucony National Cross Country Relays Championship title the previous weekend in Mansfield - was the highest placed of the three British athletes in action, the 27-year-old crossed the line in a time of 24:15 to secure a top ten finish in 9th place overall one position ahead of Sarah Waldron (24:22) as former UK Steeplechase record-holder Tina Brown finished in 13th (24:39) and Stacey Johnson claimed 24th place in 25:30.

Full results are available on the following link: www.sport.be/lottocrosscup/2008/uitslagen/mol.xls

2008/09 North Midlands Cross Country League

West Glebe Park, Corby

Saturday 8th November 2008

MARK POWELL and Tara Krzywicki both recorded fine individual victories at the second round of the 2008/09 North Midlands Cross Country League at Corby’s West Glebe Park as the Leicestershire duo continue to make a positive return to racing and winning ways having recovered from respective foot injuries that have hampered their summer campaigns in 2008.

One of the great sporting quotations and often overused is ‘Form is temporary class is forever’ - the great Tennis legend Pete Sampras would regularly quote the phrase in his press conferences at the height of his powers back in the nineties when returning to action following an injury or on an even more rare occasion - a defeat - and the same could be said of Tara Kryzwicki in the sport of athletics, although the 34-year-old Yorkshire-born lass is far to modest to use ‘trash talk’ when describing a fine performance or victory.

Back in the depths of January of this year the former British Steeplechase record-holder underwent foot surgery which has required a long period of rehabilitation and resulted in an even longer road to recovery and now eleven months later as the Autumn leaves lay on the ground of Corby’s West Glebe Park Krzywicki gave another superb example of her international class to secure an impressive second straight victory in the league and confirm her renascence in the sport.

Having been part of the successful trio that regained the Saucony National Cross Country Relays title for Charnwood at Mansfield the previous week Krzywicki, over the course held for the first time at West Glebe Park, a former quarry site at the turn of the last century, was a clear winner outpacing Stoke’s Emma Jackson and fellow county athlete, Hermitage Harrier Gemma Steel, to take a fifty seconds victory over the field in a time of 20mins 35secs.

Jackson, a former junior British international now at Keele University, claimed second in 21:25 with Steel taking third in 21:32.

There was also a fine performance from Barrow’s British Masters international and past champion Kate Ramsey, the 40-year-old clocking a time of 21:58 to secure 5th place with Harborough’s East Midlands 10km road champion Sarah Haines 7th in 22:06.

Charnwood retain their lead in the overall standings ahead of Notts AC with Beverley Gray, Katie North and Laura Johnson all finishing in the top twenty for the Loughborough club, plus there was a welcome return to racing for British Masters international Nicki Thompson finishing in 26th place.

Krzywicki’s fine victory in Corby combined with her win at the opening race at Derby’s Markeaton Park last month gives her a clear lead in the overall standings as the league reaches the half-way point with two races remaining in Mansfield and Nottingham.

All eyes were also focusing on the athlete finishing in 11th place in the Senior race where British international and local heroine Karen Harewood, coached by John Nuttall at Loughborough University, continued to rebuld her career on what has been a very long road to recovery having suffered an horrific injury at the 2007 European Indoor Championships in Birmingham where the 33-year-old Corby athlete broke her leg when falling to the track competing in the heats of the 800m.

A similar story unfolded for Mark Powell in the Men’s Senior race, the reigning Birmingham & District League champion - running on the eve of his 30th Birthday - also returned to winning ways having struggled for form and fitness over the summer months with a niggling foot injury, the Leicestershire 10,000m track champion representing the Leicester Owls finished clear of Notts Rob Birchall in a time of 31:23 as the Owls squad were in dominant form in the team event.

The team of Powell combined with Jason Williams, 4th in 32:08, Callum Cullen, 7th in 32:24, Tom Mahon, 12th in 32:59 and Tom Meakin, 18th in 33:35, all secured top twenty places as the Wigston-based club finished ahead of Notts and Derby to move into first place in the overall team standings.
Super Owls swoop to conquer

The black and white vests of the Leicester Owls completely dominated the Under-17 Men's race as the Midland territorial road relays champions stormed to a convincing victory with a very impressive and powerful performance where Daniel Hallam led a superb 1-2-3 over the line with a winning time of 19mins 12secs as Lewis Smart (19:22) and Sam Stabler (19:26) completed the trio that extended their overall advantage in the team standings ahead of Nene Valley Harriers and Derby AC.

The future looks very bright for Wayne Walker's extremely talented squad and bodes well for Leicestershire’s challenge on the national stage over the next few years.

Report by Mark Woolley – Copyright Athletics-leics.com

Full results are available on the following link: www.northmidsxcleague.co.uk/resources/nmxc_results2_0809.xls

The next race in the 2008/09 North Midlands Cross Country League is at Mansfield’s Berry Hill Park on Saturday 29th November www.northmidsxcleague.co.uk/

2008 Mountain West Conference Cross Country Championships

Mission Bay Park, San Diego, California, USA

Saturday 1st November 2008

UNIVERSITY of New Mexico defeated nine-time champions BYU at the Mountain West Conference Cross Country Championships at San Diego’s Mission Bay Park

The 23rd-ranked Lobos placed their five scoring runners in the top 11 to edge the 29th-ranked Cougars 31-33 in the closest championship meet in MWC history.

After three runner-up finishes in 1983, '84 and 2005 - all behind BYU - New Mexico finally broke through for its first conference title in program history.

The championship came down to a neck-and-neck sprint down the final stretch by both teams' No. 5 runners. UNM senior Michelle Corrigan (11th), who suffered an ankle injury a mile into the race, held off BYU sophomore Cecily Lemon (12th) by less than a second to secure the meet-winning point. Both women were officially credited with times of 22:00.

Had Corrigan (Green Bay, Wisc.) finished behind Lemon, the score would have been tied at 32 and BYU would have won the tie-breaker with a higher placing No. 6 runner.

The Lobos' championship run was led by two unlikely sources as true freshman Lacey Oeding (Jasper, Ind.) and senior Carolyn Boosey, the former Loughborough student finished second and third, respectively. The duo had been New Mexico's No. 3 or No. 4 runners much of the year.

Oeding covered the 6km course in 21:30 - six seconds behind junior Angela Wagner of BYU and four seconds ahead of Boosey - to earn MWC Freshman of the Year honours with the best conference finish ever by a New Mexico freshman. Oeding was running in the back of the pack through the first 1,000 metres before surging into the lead group. She joined red-shirting team mate Vanessa Ortiz (2006) to give the Lobos' their second Freshman of the Year award in three years.

Great Britain Junior transfer Nicky Archer who led for much of the race, finished seventh with a time of 21:45. Fifth-year senior Leslie Luna (Albuquerque Academy) was eighth with a time of 21:55 - three seconds ahead of BYU's No. 4 runner, Stacy Slight.

Oeding, Boosey and Archer gave the Lobos a program record three first team all-MWC runners, while Luna and Corrigan earned second team honours. The five all-conference selections were also the most in school history. New Mexico has had at least one first team all-MWC runner each of the last six years.

Luna became the second woman in UNM history to earn all-conference honours three times in a career after missing all of 2007 with a foot injury. Corrigan earned all-MWC honours for the second straight season.

Second-year head coach Joe Franklin was named MWC Women's Coach of the Year, joining Matt Henry (2005) and Cindy Schmandt (1983) as the program's third conference Coach of the Year award winner.

Later in the Men's 8km race, junior transfer Jacob Kirwa (Eldoret, Kenya) placed fifth to lead New Mexico to a close third place finish. The Lobos put three runners in the top 10 en route to a score of 64 - two behind second place Air Force. No. 11 BYU cruised to its fifth straight team title with a score of 36.

Kirwa finished less than a second behind BYU senior Kyle Perry (fourth) and 18 seconds behind the winner, Wyoming senior Mark Korir, with a time of 24:40 in his MWC Championships debut. Kirwa gave the Lobos a first team all-MWC runner for the third straight season.

Junior transfer Rory Fraser from the Leicester Owls and senior and fellow Brit Matt Ashton finished ninth and 10th, respectively, to earn second team all-MWC honours. Fraser crossed the line in 24:57 - three seconds ahead of Ashton, who earned all-MWC honours for the second straight season.

Junior transfer David Bishop was 19th (25:17) and senior Lee Emanuel was 22nd (25:29) to cap the UNM scoring.

2008 Birmingham Cross Challenge

(Incorp. 2008/09 Saucony English Cross Country Series)

Senneleys Park, Birmingham

Saturday 25th October 2008

BRITISH middle-distance international Nick McCormick came through a tough cross-country season debut to secure superb third place for the Loughborough Students in the opening Birmingham & District League fixture that was incorporated into the first round of the 2008/09 Saucony English Cross Country Series held over the challenging course surrounding Senneleys Park.

McCormick, the 27-year-old Morpeth Harrier - a finalist for Team GB over 5,000m at the 2006 Gothenburg European Championships - clocked a time of 31mins 43secs following a hard fought competitive race in what is regarded by many as the toughest domestic league in the United Kingdom where Birchfield’s Jean Ndayisenga claimed victory to successfully defend his Birmingham Cross Challenge title by a margin of ten seconds over the line in 31:33 finishing clear of Stroud’s Tom Russell and McCormick, both given the same time.

Paul Miles finished in 12th place for the Leicester Owls with a time of 32:46 as clubmate and defending individual league champion Mark Powell, returning from a persistent foot injury, clocked a respectable 33:39 to secure 24th place.

In the Women’s race that incorporated the opening Midland League fixture Ava Hutchinson also claimed a fine third place for the Loughborough Students, the 25-year-old from the Aldershot, Farnham & District club finished in a time of 23:34 as Birmingham University student Sarah Waldron secured victory in 23:29, this following a close finish with Bournemouth’s Susie Hignett (23:33).

Charnwood’s Kim Looms battled her way to a top-twenty place finishing in 18th position with a time of 25:24.

Full results are available on the following links:

Men

www.race-results.co.uk/results/2008/birmsm.htm

Women

www.race-results.co.uk/results/2008/birmsl.htm

Terre Haute, Indiana, USA

Saturday 18th October 2008

BRITISH junior internationals Rory Fraser and Nicki Archer were in action for the University of New Mexico Lobos cross country team at Indiana State's Pre-Nationals Invitational on Saturday 18th October.

Archer finished 26th to lead the 27th-ranked Women's cross country team to an impressive 10th place showing as New Mexico defeated 31 teams in the Blue section field, including North Carolina State, Providence and BYU.

Archer led all Mountain West Conference and Mountain Region competitors in a field of 278 runners covering the 6km course in a season-best of 20mins 54.6secs to lead the Lobos for the third time this Autumn.

Senior Michelle Corrigan ran a second on the team, placing 41st overall with a time of 21:13.4. True freshman Lacey Oeding and senior Carolyn Boosey ran side-by-side, finishing 60th and 66th, respectively. Oeding covered the course in 21:23.6 - two seconds ahead of Great Britain’s Boosey.

Senior Leslie Luna crossed the line in 21:54.4 (103rd) to give the Lobos scoring five a pack spread of one minute.

Junior Jacob Kirwa paced the Lobos Men for the third time this season, finishing a strong 19th in the massive field. Kirwa finished the 8km course in a season-best of 24:03.9 - 28 seconds ahead of fellow junior Rory Fraser, the reigning Leicestershire county cross country champion who finished 57th in 24:32.4.

New Mexico, which was running without two of its top runners in senior Mat Ashton and junior David Bishop, placed 25th overall (685 points).

Junior Alex Willis (25:33.4) and senior Lee Emanuel (25:34.2) finished 182nd and 183rd, respectively, whilst, sophomore Jason Petty was 244th (26:11.9) to cap the Lobo scoring.

Friday 17th October 2008

WOODFORD GREEN achieved a historic clean sweep in the latest the London City Runner Metropolitan Cross Country League fixture at Claybury on Saturday 11th October.

In an unprecedented moment in the club’s 42-year participation in the highly popular event, the men and women teams both won, while the club - who hosted the event - also had both individual winners in Leicestershire’s Felicity Milton and her training partner Matt Gunby.

GB international Milton, the 21-year-old Durham University student, was in front from the mile mark and had opened up a 56-second lead by the finish as Woodford took away a 61-point lead over Highgate.

The Men's race - held over 8Km and seeing a record 325 finishers – witnessed Woodford close 12 in 53 for a 163-point lead over Shaftesbury Barnet Harriers on the day.

Gunby, 20, shot into the lead and enjoyed a winning margin of 21 seconds, although Shaftesbury packed the next four positions.

2008/09 North Midlands Cross Country League

Markeaton Park, Derby

Saturday 11th October 2008

FORMER British Steeplechase record-holder Tara Krzywicki returned to action and winning ways to secure a well-deserved victory at the opening fixture of the 2008/09 North Midlands Cross Country League.

On a bright clear Autumnal day at Derby’s Markeaton Park British international Tara Krzywicki returned to top form having under gone foot surgery at the beginning of the year that required many months of rehab and a few set backs on the road to recovery - the 34-year-old representing Charnwood showed glimpses of the class that witnessed the Yorkshire-born athlete win the UK Cross Challenge Series back in 2000 by holding off the challenge of the inform rising talent of Hermitage Harrier Gemma Steel to take victory by a margin of almost half-a-minute in a time of 22mins 44secs.

Steel finished second in 23:11 as Nicki De La Salle representing Notts AC clocked 23:19 to secure third place ahead of Barrow Runners British Masters international Kate Ramsey (23:32) and Sarah Haines (23:38) - part of Harborough’s successful Midlands Cross Country Relays winning squad the previous weekend in Halesowen.

Charnwood have established a clear lead in the standings following the opening race as their team of Krzywicki, combined with the Daventry 6 mile winner Beverley Gray (10th in 24:45) and Katie North (16th in 25:24) finished with 27 points, 13 ahead of Notts AC (40) with Matlock third on 45.

In the Seniors Men’s race Colin Hawkins of Derby AC led a superb 1-2-3 over the line for the host club as they dominated the race - the 24-year-old clocked a time of 29:59 to edge out team mate David Westbury by just six seconds as Alex Pilcher secured third just 12 second adrift in 30:11.

Former English national cross-country champion Billy Farquharson was fourth for Notts in 30:20 as Gaz Davies in fifth with 30:55 and Josh Norman (7th in 31:22) secured top ten places for the Owls.

There was a terrific performance for the Owls Lewis Smart in the Under-17 race - the reigning Leicestershire 800m county champion stormed to a fine victory in a time of 20:38 to defeat Nene Valley’s C Knights (20:49) and club mate from the Owls Daniel Hallam (20:58) as the Wigston-based club - winners of the Midlands Territorial Young Athletes 3-Stage Road Relays title last month in Birmingham - dominated the team event.

Report by Mark Woolley - Copyright Athletics-leics.com

Full Results:
Senior Men
1--C-Hawkins-s-Derby-29.59;2--D-Westbury-u20-Derby-30.05;3--A-Pilcher-s-Derby-30.11;4--B-Farquharson-s-Notts A C-30.20;5--G-Davies-u20-OWLS-30.55;6--C-Rainsford-u20-Heanor-31.03;7--J-Norman-u20-OWLS-31.22;8--C-Palmer-v40-Notts A C-31.28;9--R-Birchall-s-Notts A C-31.31;10--P-Swaine-s-Harborough-31.33;11--A-Smith-v40-Redhill-31.35;12--B-Radbourne-s-Heanor-31.39;13--J-Williams-v55-OWLS-31.45;14--D-Carr-s-Kettering-31.55;15--R-Nixon-s-Notts A C-32.07;16--D-Connor-v40-Ripley-32.16;17--S-Gregory-v40-H P P -32.18;18--M-Clapp-s-Redhill-32.22;19--T-Lawrence-u20-Derby-32.25;20--T-Mahon-u20-OWLS-32.27;21--T-Meakin-s-OWLS-32.34;22--M-Grainge-s-H P P -32.36;23--D-Ridout-s-Heanor-32.40;24--I-Stevens-s-Derby-32.51;25--W-Gajny-s-Notts A C-32.59;26--A-Wetherall-v50-Redhill-33.02;27--D-Guess-v45-Leics Coritanian-33.05;28--J-Gorringe-u20-Kettering-33.17;29--R-Love-u20-Amber Valley-33.18;30--G-Moffatt-v40-H P P -33.23;31--D-Cross-v40-Sutton Harriers-33.31;32--J-Reed-u20-Nene Valley-33.36;33--J-Venue-u20-Nene Valley-33.38;34--T-Toseland-v40-Kettering-33.45;35--A-Colgate-s-Long Eaton-33.47;36--D-Kelley-s-Newark -33.49;37--D-Barkes-s-Mansfield-33.50;38--A-Gibb-u20-Nene Valley-33.51;39--J-Walker-u20-Nene Valley-33.53;40--P-Stafford-v50-Mansfield-33.54;41--C-Curtis-s-Corby-33.56;42--P-Whittingham-v40-Sutton Harriers-33.58;43--R-Wilson-s-Derby-34.05;44--N-Humphreys-s-Corby-34.06;45--T-Offord-s-Derby-34.10;46--W-Clapp-v40-Harborough-34.11;47--C-Sommer-s-Huncote-34.13;48--S-Gascoyne-s-Chesterfield-34.14;49--N-Leverton-s-Redhill-34.16;50--G-North-v45-Charnwood-34.18;51--J-Knibb-v40-Derby-34.20;52--S-Giles-v40-Kettering-34.29;53--M-Yates-v40-Redhill-34.30;54--S-Dunn-v40-Derby-34.34;55--D-Ross-v45-Mansfield-34.40;56--J-Burke-s-Peterborough-34.53;57--A-Ashton-s-Hermitage Harriers-34.56;58--L-Marshall-u20-Mansfield-34.57;59--N-Carter-s-OWLS-34.58;60--A-Seamer-v50-Heanor-35.09;61--P-Smale-s-Heanor-35.21;62--J-Boal-v40-Rolls Royce-35.23;63--N-Cobb-v40-Redhill-35.26;64--A-Birch-u20-Nene Valley-35.27;65--P-Wharton-s-Charnwood-35.28;66--D-Hodgkinson-v40-Mansfield-35.31;67--F-Fehy-s-Mansfield-35.35;68--S-Grainger-v40-Mansfield-35.36;69--A-Herbert-s-Derby-35.37;70--J-Wainwright-s-Heanor-35.40;71--J-Robertson-v45-Derby-35.41;72--C-Brown-s-Mansfield-35.42;73--T-Norman-v45-Burton-35.43;74--S-Leverton-v50-North Derbyshire35.43;75--G-Swindell-v50-Derby-35.45;76--C-Morrison-v50-Sinfin-35.46;77--G-Lowey-v40-Amber Valley-35.49;78--M-Kirk-v40-Siemans -35.52;79--J-Ward-v40-Derby-35.54;80--I-Smith-v40-Siemans -35.59;81--M-Jones-s-Ripley-36.02;82--K-Lomas-v50-Charnwood-36.05;83--S-Nash-v40-Redhill-36.06;84--I-Monaghan-s-Chesterfield-36.07;85--T-Raynor-v40-Mansfield-36.10;86--R-Lee-v40-Barrow-36.1987--S-Rischer-s-Notts A C-36.21;88--T-Powis-s-Sutton Harriers-36.21;89--J-Leek-v50-Rolls Royce-36.27;90--G-Watson-s-Long Eaton-36.28;91--S-Bennett-v50-North Derbyshire-36.29;92--G-McMahon-v50-Redhill-36.31;93--N-Luke-v40-Sutton Harriers-36.32;94--A-Parkin-s-Ripley-36.38;95--A-Whittaker-v50-Matlock-36.44;96--D-Oxland-v55-Notts A C-36.47;97--M-Wood-v40-Rolls Royce-36.52;98--D-Keating-s-Corby-36.54;99--C-Ward-s-Ilkeston-36.58;100--M-Smedley-v55-Derby-37.02;101--M-Fowell-v40-Rolls Royce-37.05;102--M-McHale-v45-Redhill-37.08;103--S-Davies-v50-Mansfield-37.09;104--C-Greyson-v40-Redhill-37.14;105--R-Jalland-v40-Charnwood-37.19;106--P-Davies-u20-Peterborough-37.21;107--D-Bailey-s-Sutton Harriers-37.22;108--M-Radbourne-s-Sinfin-37.29;109--D-Ford-s-Burton-37.32;110--M-Jenkins-s-Mansfield-37.42;111--A-Clarkson-v40-Kettering-37.48;112--T-Hiscox-v45-Mansfield-37.52;113--R-Hyde-v40-Erewash-37.56;114--M-Moorhouse-v55-Matlock-38.05;115--P-Abbott-s-Long Eaton-38.10;116--M-Harigen-v40-Southwell R C-38.11;117--M-Whitmore-v50-Charnwood-38.12;118--J-Barron-v60-Derby-38.13;119--R-Wilson-s-Peterborough-38.14;120--G-Wilkinson-v40-Mansfield-38.14;121--J-Hurley-v50-Matlock-38.18;122--P-Ivens-v50-Heanor-38.20;123--D-Rainbow-v40-Boston-38.21;124--K-Squires-v40-Redhill-38.22;125--P-Mensley-v55-Charnwood-38.25;126--D-Brazener-v40-Notts A C-38.30;127--M-Tomlinson-v40-Redhill-38.38;128--J-Pitts-v40-Ilkeston-38.40;129--J-Bateman-v50-Ripley-38.42;130--B-Goodall-v55-Erewash-38.54;131--D-Peet-v40-Mansfield-38.57;132--N-McGuiness-v40-Redhill-39.05;133--T-Salway-v60-Nene Valley-39.14;134--T-Ashmore-v50-Mansfield-39.16;135--G-Harrison-v40-Birstall-39.19;136--P-Woodman-v50-Ripley-39.23;137--D-Chambers-v40-Derby-39.26;138--P-Ward-v40-Ilkeston-39.28;139--M-Attenborough-v40-Redhill-39.30;140--M-Slyz-s-Amber Valley-39.34;141--A-Mablethorpe-s-Long Eaton-39.39;142--I-Abbott-s-Redhill-39.41;143--M-Tomlinson-s-Ripley-39.48;144--P-Edwards-v40-Heanor-39.52;145--C-Russell-v65-Matlock-39.57;146--C-Hallam (jnr)-s-H P P -39.59;147--C-Russell-v55-Mansfield-40.01;148--R-Jackson-v45-Long Eaton-40.04;149--T-Burns-v40-Rolls Royce-40.12;150--M-Winstone-s-Kettering-40.13;151--S-Childs-s-Mansfield-40.16;152--S-Paine-s-Rolls Royce-40.23;153--P-Stacey-v40-Redhill-40.26;154--A-Swift-v40-Rolls Royce-40.28;155--W-Smithurst-s-Ripley-40.29;156--T-Lowe-s-Redhill-40.36;157--M-Barnes-v40-Newark -40.38;158--J-Munroe-v60-Redhill-40.45;159--J-Ogilvie-s-Rolls Royce-40.48160--J-Fullwood-s-Ripley-40.53;161--G-Saxton-s-Mansfield-40.58;162--C-Allison-v40-Long Eaton-41.14;163--A-Combie-s-Newark -41.20;164--P-Coe-v50-Ilkeston-41.21;165--P-Cregg-v55-Southwell R C-41.22;166--I-Haig-s-Southwell R C-41.24;167--S-Davies-v40-Ilkeston-41.34;168--K-Tietz-v50-Ripley-41.37;169--L-Chambers-v50-Mansfield-41.45;170--J-Wood-v40-Mansfield-41.51;171--R-Softley-s-Chesapeake-41.57;172--K-Donald-v50-Derby-42.03;173--C-Sabin-v55-Huncote-42.05;174--M-Hughes-v45-Harborough-42.06;175--M-Robinson-v40-H P P -42.09;176--A-Prercival-v40-Hermitage Harriers-42.12;177--J-Foster-s-Mansfield-42.17;178--R-Gibb-v40-Kimberley & Dist-42.18;179--I-Lilley-v50-North Derbyshire-42.18;180--G-Kelley-v55-Newark -42.28;181--P-Burchell-v45-Long Eaton-42.40;182--W-Powis-v50-Ripley-42.41;183--R-Mitson-s-Notts A C-42.45;184--E-Alkman-s-Redhill-42.48;185--P-Watts-v60-Huncote-42.50;186--K-Clarkson-v45-Burton-42.52;187--P-Smith-v50-Burton-42.56;188--C-Davey-v40-Redhill-42.59;189--C-Aikman-s-Redhill-42.59;190--K-Allen-v60-Notts A C-43.00;191--K-Mellor-v50-Mansfield-43.04;192--R-Orgill-s-Newark -43.05;193--C-Robson-v55-Long Eaton-43.05;194--K-Dickinson-s-H P P -43.07;195--S-Smithson-v45-Kettering-43.08;196--C-Jones-v40-Redhill-43.15;197--P-Young-v40-Kettering-43.15;198--J-Combie-v60-Newark -43.16;199--B-Southgate-v60-Rolls Royce-43.19;200--R-Blake-s-Heanor-43.38;201--R-Sharratt-v50-Burton-43.47;202--S-Leach-v50-Rolls Royce-43.50;203--R-Hawksworth-v40-Burton-43.58;204--M-Prosser-s-Nene Valley-43.59;205--A-Softley-s-Chesapeake-44.00;206--R-Giles-v40-Nene Valley-44.00;207--T-Jolly-v50-Amber Valley-44.03;208--T-McGraw-v40-Amber Valley-44.10;209--M-Davies-v65-Sutton Harriers-44.11;210--K-Palmer-v40-Redhill-44.14;211--P-Goringe-v45-Kettering-44.20;212--S-Wragg-v50-Mansfield-44.24;213--M-Drury-s-Redhill-44.52;214--G-Jackson-v50-Redhill-44.59;215--M-Haynes-Eynon-s-Peterborough-45.03;216--S-Burton-v40-Long Eaton-45.08;217--D-Cowlishaw-v45-Long Eaton-45.10;218--P-Beasley-v45-Sutton Harriers-45.21219--W-Scott-v50-H P P -45.24;220--K-Petch-v40-Derby-45.26;221--P-Harries-v40-Derby-42.32;222--C-Armstrong-v40-Notts A C-45.43;223--D-Rose-v50-Mansfield-45.44;224--T-Pope-v40-Sinfin-45.44;225--J-Susulowsky-v50-Nene Valley-45.56;226--L-Cotton-s-Mansfield-46.16;227--P-Robinson-v50-Notts A C-46.20;228--A-Barkes-v40-Redhill-46.27;229--K-Waring-v45-Notts A C-46.31;230--R-Taylor-v40-Long Eaton-46.39;231--A-Hancock-v55-Redhill-46.57;232--T-Lomas-s-H P P -47.05;233--A-Bellingham-v40-Mansfield-47.43;234--C-Middleton-v50-Redhill-47.51;235--N-Starr-v50-Erewash-48.45;236--J-Ball-v60-Sutton Harriers-48.46;237--P-Scope-s-Sinfin-48.58;238--P-Flint-v40-Boston-49.14;239--M-Bell-s-Heanor-49.27;240--J-Brewin-s-Huncote-50.59;241--P-Shreeven-v55-Charnwood-52.25;242--M-Butterley-v70-Derby-54.07;243--A-Smith-s-Mansfield-55.08;244--T-Palmer-v40-Mansfield-57.30
Team:
1-Derby A-49;2-Notts A C-61;3-OWLS-66;4-Heanor a-162;5-Nene Valley-206;6-Kettering-239;7-Mansfield a-302;8-Redhill a-305;9-Derby B-311;10-Charnwood-418;11-Ripley a-456;12-Rolls Royce a-498;13-Long Eaton-528;14-Mansfield b-642;15-Amber Valley-661;16 Redhill b-693;17-Ilkeston R C-696;18-Newark A C-728;19-Peterborough-746;20-Heanor b-775;21-Ripley b-808;22-H P P-813;23-Rolls Royce b-846;24-Sutton Harriers-858;25-Redhill c-87526-Mansfield c-927;27-Redhill d-1061
Vets:
1-Redhill a-90-2-Mansfield a-161-3-Sutton Harriers-166-4-Derby-176-5-H P P-222-6-Mansfield b-299-7-Matlock-329-8-Redhill b-330-9-North Derbyshire-344-10-Siemans R C-409-11-Notts A C a-412-12-Burton-446-13-Harborough-466-14-Erewash-477-15-Mansfield c-530-16-Sinfin-547-17-Long Eaton-590-18-Huncote Harriers-607-19-Boston-609-20-Notts A C b-678
Under-17
1-L Smart---OWLS-20.38;2-C-Knights--Nene Valley-20.49;3-D-Hallam--OWLS-20.58;
4-B-Pick--Notts A C-21.08;5-P-Thompson--Notts A C-21.22;6-E-Gunby--Peterborough-21.37;7-T-Rogers--Nene Valley-20.53;8-C-Ramsey--Nene Valley-22.09;9-D-Winter--Mansfield -22.12;10-D-Radley--OWLS-22.26;11-E-Candling--Kettering-22.55;12-R-Keeling--Derby-23.08;13-E-Hewitt--Nene Valley-23.09;14-R-Childs--Mansfield -23.10;15-S-Forman--Nene Valley-23.39;16-R-Talbot--Mansfield -23.41;17-M-West--Boston-24.08;18-J-Boat--OWLS-24.09;19-S-Broom--Corby-24.10;20-J-Lunn--Nene Valley-24.44;21-F-Watson--Matlock-24.56;22-D-Newton--Nene Valley-24.58;23-D-Edwards--Kettering-25.10;24-B-Jones--Nene Valley-25.19;25-D-Thompson--Kettering-25.29;26-J-longstaff--Mansfield -25.30;27-C-Gardner--Derby-25.40;28-S-Brockett--Boston-25.54;29-D-Ward--Mansfield -26.46;30-J-Baily--Boston-26.49;31-G-Millar--Mansfield -27.38;32-C-Chambers--Derby-28.55;33-C-Bailey--Sutton Harriers-28.58
Team:
1-OWLS-14;2-Nene Valley a-17;3-Mansfield a-39;4-Notts A C-43;5-Nene Valley b-48;6-Kettering-59;7-Derby-71;8-Boston-75;
9-Mansfield b-86
Under-15 Boys
1-R-Saxton--Mansfield-13.52;2-J-Selvey--Chesterfield-14.35;3-R-Needham--Notts A C-14.48;4-J-Smith--Chesterfield-14.53;5-E-Millar--Mansfield-14.59;6-J-Doull--Matlock-15.03;7-F-Hessian--Notts A C-15.10;8-J-Thomas--Nene Valley-15.16;9-J-Wilkinson--Derby-15.17;10-T-Wragg--Mansfield-15.19;11-D-Narborough--Amber Valley-15.20;12-O-Carrington--Newark A C-15.22;13-H-Foster--Notts A C-15.23;14-M-Bosworth--Amber Valley-15.30;15-M-Williams--Notts A C-15.31;16-A-Fenwick--Amber Valley-15.35;17-A-McClure--Boston-15.36;18-H-Partridge--Mansfield-15.38;19-R-Huskisson--Nene Valley-15.41;20-S-Edwards--Derby-15.47;21-B-Hampson--Nene Valley-15.49;22-A-Smith--Amber Valley-15.58;23-J-Moore--Nene Valley-15.59;24-T-O'Mara--Mansfield-16.04;25-D-Musson--Notts A C-16.0826-S-Haw--Peterborough-16.55;27-L-Kempson--Nene Valley-16.57;28-T-Holyoake--Peterborough-17.09;29-J-Morel--Mansfield-17.24;30-A-Heath--Mansfield-17.26;31-J-Mitchell--Sutton Harriers-17.33;32-T-Schaaning--Chesterfield-17.35;33-L-Smith--Kettering-17.37;34-J-Gates--Burton-17.38;35-R-Bradley--Nene Valley-17.56;36-B-Abbott--Notts A C-18.01;37-L-Golledge--Notts A C-18.06;38-D-Martin--Nene Valley-18.11;39-S-Furey--Corby-18.16;40-P-Waring--Notts A C-18.49;41-J-Lotham--Burton-20.05;42-J-Owen--Derby-21.37
Team:
1-Mansfield a-16;2-Notts A C a-23;3-Chesterfield-38;4-Amber Valley-41;5-Nene Valley-48;6-Derby-71;7-Mansfield b-71;8-Notts A C b-88;9-Peterborough-98;10-Burton-118
Under-13 Boys
1--L-Kirk--Kettering-11.41;2--G-Tighe--Matlock-11.41;3--A-Benfield--Burton-11.43;4--S-Johnson--Mansfield-11.46;5--D-Chambers--Derby-11.54;6--B-Wardle--Mansfield-11.59;7--P-Clark--Notts A C-12.03;8--J-Lacey--Sutton Harriers-12.11;9--C-Menzies--Chesterfield-12.15;10--D-Wilkinson--Mansfield-12.18;11--D-Waples--Kettering-12.20;12--J-Lancaster--Mansfield-12.23;13--L-Ashmore--Mansfield-12.2414--B-Robertson--Derby-12.47;15--J-Richards--Amber Valley-12.54;16--E-Selvey--Chesterfield-12.59;17--D-Hare--Amber Valley-13.03;18--D-Stephenson--Peterborough-13.08;19--B-Wills--Derby-13.13;20--M-Hudson--Nene Valley-13.14;21--L-Wildish--Retford-13.15;22--A-Capes--Nene Valley-13.18;23--S-Raynor--Mansfield-13.21;24--J-Collis--Chesterfield-13.23;25--J-O'Mara--Mansfield-13.36;26--J-Foster--Mansfield-13.45;27--J-Boam--Mansfield-14.00;28--D-Jenkins--Matlock-14.04;29--C-Smith--Chesterfield-14.13;30--A-Bell--Nene Valley-14.15;31--L-Killworth--OWLS-14.20;32--K-Chambers--Derby-14.21;33--A-McCarthy--Notts A C-14.44;34--J-Knight--Burton-14.44;35--A-McElroy--Burton-14.50
Team:
1-Mansfield a-20;2-Derby-38;3-Mansfield b-48;4-Chesterfield-49;5-Kettering-51;6-Amber Valley-68;7-Matlock-68;8-Burton-72;9-Nene Valley-72;10-Notts A C-77
Senior Women
1--T-Krzywicki-s-Charnwood-22.44;2--G-Steel-s-Hermitage-23.11;3--N-De La Salle-s-Notts-23.19;4--K-Ramsey-v35-Barrow R C-23.32;5--S-Haines-s-Harborough-23.38;6--L-Lilley-s-Mansfield-24.20;7--S-Smith-v35-Redhill-24.28;8--S-Caskey-u20-Peterborough-24.35;9--C-Howard-v35-Matlock-24.39;10--B-Gray-s-Charnwood-24.45;11--A-Lupan-s-Derby-25.05;12--C-Foley-s-Nene Valley-25.08;13--J-Reed-u20-Matlock-25.12;14--S-Roddis-s-North Derbys-25.17;15--A-Norman-s-Burton-25.21;16--K-North-s-Charnwood-25.24;17--C-Booker-s-Stoke A C-25.25;18--M-Hooton-s-Notts-25.27;19--S-Costin-s-Notts-25.32;20--R-McCuaig-v40-Newark-25.45;21--L-Thomas-u20-Lincoln Wellington-25.48;22--M-Bolland-s-Redhill-25.56;23--S-Spencer-v35-Matlock-26.25;24--M-Norman-v45-Burton-26.34;25--C-Charlton-s-Redhill-26.43;26--A-Ford-v55-Redhill-26.46;27--L-Grimer-s-Nene Valley-26.58;28--F-Meakin-s-Sutton-27.00;29--l-Knights-v35-Sutton-27.06;30--J-Burke-s-Peterborough-27.11;31--F-Palmer-v40-Notts-27.41;32--L-Holmes-s-Ripley-28.03;33--T-Taylor-v35-Nene Valley-28.04;34--A-Clarke-v40-Sutton-28.05;35--K-Else-v45-Newark-28.08;36--N-Fryer-s-Long Eaton-28.15;37--T-Latinovics-v40-Corby-28.20;38--K-White-v45-Burton-28.43;39--M-Mills-v45-H P P-28.56;40--B-Barnes-v45-Redhill-29.04;41--A-Kitchen-s-Newark-29.05;42--E-Robinson-v60-Ripley-29.08;43--H-Scott-s-Mansfield-29.09;44--A-Harding-v45-Mansfield-29.10;45--E-Williams-v40-Mansfield-29.14;46--L-Degg-v50-Stoke A C-29.14;47--P-Parkin-v40-Derby-29.24;48--C-Scott-v35-Sinfin-29.26;49--W-Ray-v45-Amber Valley-29.27;50--C-Waterhouse-v35-Long Eaton-29.34;51--V-Curley-v45-Mansfield-29.38;52--L-Burton-v40-Nene Valley-29.41;53--J-Poole-v50-Amber Valley-29.41;54--C-Coombs-v35-Mansfield-29.47;55--H-Ripley-v45-Sinfin-29.48;56--H-Josephs-s-North Derbys-29.51;57--K-Green-v45-Mansfield-29.52;58--M-Butler-v50-Burton-29.52;59--J-Inglis-v40-H P P-29.56;60--L-Harrison-v35-Mansfield-30.28;61--D-Harris-v45-Nene Valley-30.43;62--C-Hartin-v45-Mansfield-30.48;63--E-Rocke-v50-Corby-30.50;64--M-Collinge-v55-Mansfield-30.54;65--D-Baugh-s-Mansfield-31.00;66--S-Bellingham-v50-Mansfield-31.05;67--H-Ward-s-Newark-31.12;68--A-Glover-u20-Derby-31.13;69--N-Hudson-s-Notts-31.18;70--J-Woods-s-Peterborough-31.24;71--L-O'Reilly-v45-Mansfield-31.38;72--S-Dodsley-v35-Redhill-31.57;73--M-Peat-v45-Mansfield-32.15;74--J-Harrison-v35-Barrow R C-32.19;75--Z-Fletcher-v45-Long Eaton-32.28;76--D-Coleman-s-Long Eaton-32.28;77--C-Morley-s-Derby-32.47;78--J-Heithus-v45-Sinfin-32.52;79--T-Cracker-s-Corby-33.10;80--L-Reddish-s-Notts-33.15;81--K-Lathbury-s-Burton-33.44;82--S-Poole-v60-H P P-33.59;83--T-Whittaker-s-Matlock-34.12;84--J-Muggleton-v40-Sinfin-34.20;85--C-Cregg-v55-Southwell-34.23;86--C-Sharratt-v50-Ilkeston-34.43;87--P-Allen-v60-Notts-34.55;88--F-Plant-v60-H P P-35.00;89--E-Greaves-v50-Mansfield-35.00;90--S-Smith-v40-Mansfield-35.27;91--T-Lancaster-s-Mansfield-35.47;92--S-Mathie-v45-Burton-35.53;93--L-Wilkinsonv40-Mansfield-35.59;94--R-Whittaker-s-Notts-36.01;95--G-Whiteside-v40-Rolls Royce-36.03;96-N-Long-s-Burton-36.16;97--A-Brocklehurst-s-Barrow R C-36.18;98--A-Young-s-Chesapeake-36.21;99--S-Armitage-v35-Mansfield-36.33;100--L-Boultby-s-Notts-36.41;101--R-Foster-v35-Mansfield-36.44;102--M-Kinder-s-Chesapeake-37.52;103--S-Baxter-v35-Mansfield-38.16;104--K-Walsh-v45-Redhill-40.48;105--J-Hopkinson-s-Newark-43.10
Team:
1-Charnwood-27;2-Notts A C a-40;3-Matlock-45;4-Redhill-54;5-Nene Valley-72;6-Sutton Harriers-91;7-Newark-96;8-Peterborough-108;9-Mansfield a-114;10-Derby-126;11-Long Eaton-161;12-Stoke A C-172;13-Barrow R C-175;14-North Derbys-177;15-Corby-179;16-Notts A C b-180;17-Sinfin-181;18-Ripley-182;19-Burton-192;20-Chesapeake-310
Vets:
1-Burton-120;2-Redhill-138;3-Mansfield a-140;4-Mansfield b-171;5-Holme Pierrepont-180;6-Mansfield c-192;7-Amber Valley-208
Under-15 Girls
1--C-Talbot--Mansfield-11.56;2--G-Freeman--Peterborough-12.27;3--E-Alsopp--Amber Valley-12.29;4--D-Jakymelen--Mansfield-12.37;5--E-Erskine--Chesterfield-12.42;6--H-Silver--Mansfield-12.44;7--R-Brandham--Mansfield-12.46;8--C-Bellingham--Mansfield-12.46;9--L-Arnold--Peterborough-12.51;10--H-Felgate--Derby-12.52;11--J-Turner--Amber Valley-12.53;12--B-Thomas--Nene Valley-12.56;13--E-Randall--Nene Valley-12.59;14--A-Haines-Eynon-Peterborough-13.03;15--S-Davis--Stoke A C-13.04;16--H-Hardy--Mansfield-13.07;17--C-Bangay--Corby-13.13;18--L-Farrell--Stoke A C-13.15;19--C-Wing--Nene Valley-13.15;20--S-Plant--Stoke A C-13.18;21--S-Luewell--Stoke A C-13.23;22--R-Miller--Derby-13.25;23--A-Flint--Boston-13.26;24--A-Ratcliffe--Sutton Harriers-13.32;25--L-Hayes--Stoke A C-13.39;26--L-Donnelly--Lincoln Wellington-13.41;27--H-Woodward--Peterborough-13.44;28--F-Wilson--Notts A C-13.55;29--J-Smith--Mansfield-13.59;30--J-Heath--Stoke A C-14.07;31--J-Griffiths--Stoke A C-14.14;32--P-Ford--Peterborough-14.21;33--E-Przbyl--Nene Valley-14.30;34--P-Moris--Kettering-14.58;35--E-D'Agair--Mansfield-15.05;36--G-Abbott--Notts A C-15.19;37--C-Knight--Kettering-15.20;38--C-Ramsey--Nene Valley-16.03
Team:
1-Mansfield a-11;2-Peterborough-25;3-Mansfield b-31;4-Nene Valley-44;5-Amber Valley-52;6-Stoke A C a-53;7-Derby-71;8-Stoke A C b-76;9-Notts-104;10-Kettering-112
Under-13 Girls
1--C-Baxter--Mansfield-10.37;2--B-Haywood--Lincoln Wellington-10.46;3--L-Holt--Stoke A C-10.47;4--M-Johnson--Mansfield-10.59;5--V-Wills--Derby-11.07;6--S-Burton--Nene Valley-11.08;7--C-Thomas--Lincoln Wellington-11.09;8--B-M-Harris--Corby-11.14;9--R-Harris--Nene Valley-11.21;10--E-Saxton--Mansfield-11.22;11--J-Cavas Smith--Nene Valley-11.27;12--A-Donnelly--Lincoln Wellington-11.32;13--C-Norris--Mansfield-11.34;14--P-Lambert--Nene Valley-11.38;15--K-O'Brian--Amber Valley-11.40;16--D-Booth--Derby-11.56;17--I-Hasnip--Notts A C-12.03;18--R-Allen--Amber Valley-12.03;19--B-Freeman--Peterborough-12.12;20--A-D'Aguiar--Mansfield-12.14;21--K-Hoskin--Derby-12.15;22--J-Heath--Stoke A C-12.20;23--H-Blount--Mansfield-12.21;24--F-Bailey--Sutton Harriers-12.22;25--H-Codd--Mansfield-12.24;26--R-Norris--Mansfield-12.29;27--S-Griffiths--Stoke A C-12.32;28--E-Reid--Nene Valley-12.34;29--A-Kinane--Derby-12.36;30--J-Lockwood--Amber Valley-12.41;31--M-Greenwood--Peterborough-12.42;32--H-Smith--Mansfield-12.43;33--P-Wing--Nene Valley-12.47;34--S-Lambert--Peterborough-12.52;35--M-Griessel--Nene Valley-13.00;36--M-Haines-Eynon-Peterborough-13.18;37--R-Jacobs--Nene Valley-13.19;38--L-Wade--Mansfield-13.27;39--A-Sherriff--Burton-13.31;40--K-Doulle--Matlock-13.51;41--J-Robbins--Notts A C-14.03
Team:
1-Mansfield-15;2-Lincoln Wellington-21;3-Nene Valley-26;4-Derby-41;5-Stoke A C-52;6-Mansfield-56;7-Amber Valley-61;8-Nene Valley-74;9-Peterborough-83;10-Notts A C-99
Under-11 (Mixed)
1--George-Rains-B-Amber Valley;2--Sharnie-Richards-G-Amber Valley;3--Georgia-Bevins-G-Corby;4--Holly-Bevins-G-Corby;5--Barney-Carr-B-Corby;6--Helena-Keenan-G-Corby;7--Ellie-Welsh-G-Corby;8--Ben-Robertson-B-Derby;9--Martha-Clapp-G-Harborough;10--Ewan-Muircroft-B-Harborough;11--Ewan-Waddington-B-Harborough;12--Kayleigh-Barratt-G-Kettering;13--Elizabeth-Coles-G-Kettering;14--Luke-Conyard-B-Kettering;15--Matthew-Hudson-B-Kettering;16--Nathan-Jasper-B-Kettering;17--Sarah-Kings-G-Kettering;18--Jamie-Lang-B-Kettering;19--Aiden-Morris-B-Kettering;20--Ryan -Oates-B-Kettering;21--Liam -Peacock-B-Kettering;22--Seb-Winstone-B-Kettering;23--Lewis-Ashmore-B-Mansfield;24--George-Partridge-B-Mansfield;25--Poppy-Wing-G-Nene Valley;26--F-Ford-G-Peterborough;27--E-Sutton-G-Peterborough

The next race in the 2008/09 North Midlands Cross Country League is in Corby on Saturday 8th November www.northmidsxcleague.co.uk/

2008 Midland Territorial Cross Country Relays

Abbey Manor, Halesowen

Saturday 4th October 2008

LEICESTERSHIRE athletes Sarah Haines and Tim Hartley led Harborough AC and Notts AC respectively to the 2008 Midland Territorial Cross Country Relays titles at Halesowen’s Abbey Manor.

In the Women’s race Sarah Haines, the reigning East Midlands 10km road champion, recorded the fastest opening stage individual time over the 6km course of 25:31 to set Harborough on the way to victory as their team of Karen Brooks (29:09) and Hannah Eveleigh (25:52) combined to bring them home in a time of 80mins 32secs to take overall victory ahead of Birchfield Harriers (84:30) and third placed Tewkesbury (86:57).

In the Men’s event the powerful Notts AC squad, having finished runners-up to Bristol & West at the Midland Territorial Six-Stage Road Relays Championships last month at Birmingham’s Sutton Park, transferred their current form to the country as the team of Rob Stafford-Keal (22:26), Bruce Raeside (20:45), Martin Whitehouse with the fastest overall individual leg of 20:36 and Loughborough-based Tim Hartley (20:44) crossed the line in a combined time of 84mins 31secs to comfortably lift the title ahead of Rugby & Northampton (89:58) and Northbrook AC (92:13).

Harborough narrowly missed out on a podium place as they recorded a combined time of 92:56 to secure fourth place with the team of Sean Fenwick (21:36), Peter Swaine (22:05) Adam Brooks (25:36) and William Clapp (23:39).

Both Harborough and Notts will now look to continue their run of success at the forthcoming 2008 Nike National Six & Four Stage Road Relays Championships that take place at Sutton Park on Saturday 18th October.
Full Results:
Men Stage 1
1 Craig Walker W & B 'A' 21.32 85
2 Sean Fenwick Harborough 'A’ 21.36 52
3 Stephen Emery R & N 'A' 21.59 73
4 Rob Chzram K & S 'A' 22.05 62
5 Rob Stafford-Keal Notts 'A' 22.26 67
6 Paul Andrew Northbrook 23.00 66
7 Stuart Boon Sphinx 23.04 79
8 Paul Thompson Sparkhill 'A" 23.05 76
9 Luke Mason Wye Valley 23.50 87
10 Andy Butler Halesowen 'A" 23.54 8
11 Gurmel Dehl West Bromwich 'A 24.07 83
12 Andy Geen Leamington 'A' 24.09 64
13 Nick Price Halesowen 'B' 24.35 21
14 Jon Rawlings Tewkwsbury 'C' 25.28 95
15 David Oxland Notts 'B' 25.54 68
16 Bradley Crouch Tewkesbury 'A' 26.02 81
17 Stewart Lynas Severn 26.16 75
18 Nigel Sewell R & N 'B' 26.30 74
19 Stuart Dudfield Tewkwsbury 'B' 26.50 82
20 Kyle Barber Harborough 'B' 27.00 55
21 Barry Thompson Halesowen 'C' 27.13 23
22 Paul Bouston Wye Valley 27.39 101
23 James Stott West Bromwich 'B' 28.10 84
24 Mark Moore W & B 'B' 28.17 85
25 Rob Mills Sparkhill 'B' 29.42 77
26 Stewart Grainger K & S 'B' 29.54 63
27 Charles Fentiman Sparkhill 'C' 31.16 78
28 Graham Roberts Leamington 'B' 32.01 65
Men Stage 2
1 Bruce Raeside Notts AC 'A' 20.45 67
2 Josh Lilly Severn 21.02 75
3 Nigel Morley R & N 'A' 21.58 73
4 Peter Swaine Harborough 'A' 22.05 52
5 Robert Nixon Notts AC 'B' 22.27 68
6 Mick O'Shea Northbrook 23.02 66
7 Ben Danvers K & S 'A' 23.40 62
8 Darren Riley Sparkhill 'A' 24.07 76
9 Vince Playdon Wye Valley 'A" 24.25 87
9 Nick Shin Tewkesbury 'A' 24.26 81
10 Robert Meek West Bromwich 'A' 24.32 83
11 Matt Melia Sphinx 24.40 70
12 Brian Green Leamington 'A' 24.44 64
13 Alex Morgan Halesowen 'B' 25.01 21
14 Paul Tabor W & B 25.50 85
15 Steve Poulton K & S 'B' 26.22 63
16 Luke Darbey W & B 'B' 26.31 86
17 Mark Hayward Halesowen 'C' 26.36 23
18 Craig Hinks Sparkhill 'B' 27.11 78
19 Carl Edwards Wye Valley 'B' 27.16 101
20 Mark Pearce Sparkhill 'B' 27.17 77
21 Rick Brown Harborough 'B' 28.08 55
22 Leigh Bichard Tewkesbury 'B' 29.28 82
23 West Bromwich 'B' 34.44 84
Men Stage 3
1 Martin Whitehouse Notts AC 'A 20.36 67
2 John Gercs R & N 'A' 22.16 73
3 Rob Birchall Notts AC 'B' 22.56 68
4 John Hosie Northbrook 23.33 66
5 James Rose Severn 23.59 75
6 Nick Stringer Sparkhill 'A' 24.39 76
7 Kevin Monk Halesowen 'B' 24.46 21
8 Tom Delaney Sphinx 24.57 79
9 Matt Granger K & S 'A' 25.02 62
10 Adam Brooks Harborough 'A' 25.36 52
11 Darren Edwards W & B 'A' 25.38 85
12 Mark Davies Wye Valley 'A' 25.44 87
13 Daniel Sperber West Bromwich 26.02 83
14 Dave Potter Leamington 'A' 26.48 64
15 John Birch W & B 'B' 27.10 86
16 Matt Taylor Wye Valley 'B' 27.39 101
17 Ian Hughes Tewkesbury 'A' 27.48 81
18 Mick Deakin Halesowen 'C' 30.00 23
19 Rob Jordan Tewkesbury 'B' 30.06 82
20 Derek Gothard Sparkhill "B' 30.09 77
Men Stage 4
1 Tim Hartley Notts AC 'A' 20.44 67
2 Nathan Holmes Northbrook 22.38 66
3 Nigel Share W & B 'A' 22.51 85
4 Jag Shergill Sphinx 22.58 79
5 Will Clapp Harborough 'A' 23.39 52
6 Jamie Sewell R & N 'A' 23.45 73
7 John Pullen Wye Valley 'A' 23.59 87
8 Patrick Finnegan Sparkhill 'A' 24.41 76
9 Andy Nock Halesowen 'B' 25.04 21
10 Bob Park K & S 'A' 25.24 62
11 Chris Mason Wye Valley 'B' 25.37 101
12 Alex Maten Severn 26.09 75
13 Gary Clifton West Bromwich 26.13 83
14 Ian Pincher W & B 'B' 26.21 86
15 Daniel Webb Tewkesbury 'A' 27.21 81
16 John Goulding Sparkhill 'B' 28.09 77
17 Mick Robinson Notts AC 'B' 29.48 68
18 Bert Payne Leamington 'A' 29.51 64
19 Stuart Towlson Halesowen 'C' 30.49 23
20 Phil Howells Tewkesbury 'B' 31.53 82
Men Overall Team:
1 Notts AC 'A' 84.31
2 R & N 'A' 89.58
3 Northbrook 92.13
4 Harborough 'A' 92.56
5 Sphinx 95.39
6 W & B 'A' 95.51
7 K & S 'A' 96.11
8 Sparkhill 'A' 96.32
9 Severn 97.26
10 Wye Valley 'A' 97.58
11 Halesowen 'B' 99.26
12 West Bromwich 'A' 100.54
13 Notts AC 'B' 101.05
14 Leamington 'A' 105.32
15 Tewkesbury 'A' 105.37
16 Wye Valley 'B' 108.11
17 W & B 'B' 108.19
18 Halesowen 'C' 114.38
19 Sparkhill 'B' 115.27
20 Tewkesbury 'B' 118.17
Women Stage 1
1 Sarah Haines Harborough 'A' 25.31 43
2 Sophie Williams Birchfield 'A' 27.25 30
3 Michelle Laws Tewkesbury 'A" 28.22 92
4 Kerri James B Rowheath 'A" 29.00 35
5 Kim Brazenell Halesowen 'A' 29.06 41
6 Kuldeep Samra West Bromwich 29.55 94
7 Aimee Booth Birchfield 'B' 30.35 31
8 Cathy Dudfield Tewkesbury 'B' 31.04 93
9 Sian Harrison B Rowheath 'B' 32.17 34
10 Nicola James Harborough 'B' 32.21 55
11 Jo Pulsford R & N 'A' 35.29 88
12 Ann Rollings R & N 'B' 35.32 89
13 Kirsty Morgan Halesowen 'B' 37.35 42
14 Samara Booth Birchfield 'C' 40.27 32
15 Lin Farrow Harborough DNF 45
Women Stage 2
1 Vicky Rusius B Rowheath 'A' 25.21 34
2 Sally Latham Birchfield 'A' 27.53 30
3 Karen Brooks Harborough 'A' 29.09 43
4 Jackie Bradshaw Halesowen 'A' 29.33 41
5 Clare Beaumont Birchfield 'B' 30.10 31
6 Carole Cowley Tewkesbury 'A" 30.55 92
7 Kate Williams R & N 'A' 31.47 88
8 Chris Hirsch B Rowheath 'B' 32.09 35
9 Lianne Brooks Harborough 'B' 33.15 44
10 Diane Edge West Bromwich 34.04 94
11 Christabel Orr Halesowen 'B' 37.43 42
12 Sally Jordan Tewkesbury 'B" 39.48 93
Women Stage 3
1 Hannah Eveleigh Harborough 'A' 25.52 43
2 Angie Sadler Tewkesbury 'A" 27.40 92
3 Val Carter Birchfield 'A' 29.12 30
4 Ann Marie Bathmaker B Rowheath 'B' 30.17 35
5 Annette Carlin R & N 'A" 30.30 88
6 Debbie Lee Tewkesbury 'B' 30.33 93
7 Heidi-Jane Humphries B Rowheath 'A" 30.35 34
8 Ellen Ambrose Halesowen 'A' 31.04 41
9 Karen Crawley Halesowen 'B' 32.51 42
10 Sarah Van Nierop Harborough 'B' 33.18 44
11 Rachel Morris Birchfield 'B' 33.48 31
12 Usha Hira West Bromwich 36.50 94
Women Overall Team:
1 Harborough 'A' 80.32
2 Birchfield 'A' 84.30
3 Tewkesbury 'A' 86.57
4 B Rowheath 'A' 88.13
5 Halesowen 'A' 89.43
6 B Rowheath 'B' 91.26
7 Birchfield 'B' 94.43
8 R & N 'A" 97.46
9 Harborough 'B' 98.54
10 Tewkesbury 'B' 101.25
11 Halesowen 'B' 108.09
12 West Bromwich 110.49

2008 UK National Fire Services Cross Country Championships

Stowe, Buckinghamshire

Sunday 5th October 2008

NIGEL STIRK representing Nottinghamshire Fire & Rescue Service successfully retain his UK National Fire Services cross country title in fine style by taking victory in a time of 28mins 41secs over the challenging undulating 8km course at Stowe School in Buckinghamshire.

The 36-year-old Leicestershire-based athlete is in a rich vein of form having collected the 2008 East Midlands Road Running Grand Prix championship title over the summer months as he prepares for the 25th edition of the Firenze Marathon that takes place in the Italian city of Florence on Sunday 30th November.

A total of 76 runners gathered at Stowe to take part in the UK Fire Services Cross Country Championships.

Jacqui Slack representing Staffordshire Fire & Rescue Service in a time of 26mins 7secs won the Women’s 6km race.

This was the 31st year the Buckinghamshire race has been run, and the 21st year the race has been held at the historic venue.

The winners medals were presented by Councillor David Rowlands, Chairman of Buckinghamshire & Milton Keynes Fire Authority, and Clare Hedger, the Buckinghamshire Fire & Rescue Service's Deputy Chief Officer.

Councillor Rowlands said: “It was a particularly wet and challenging course and I would like to congratulate everyone who took part. Once again there was a good turn-out and I'm already looking forward to next year's race!”

Special mementos celebrating the 21st anniversary of Stowe as the venue were given to each participant in addition to race awards.
Full Results:
Men (8km)
1 1 Nigel Stirk Nottinghamshire - 28 : 41; 2 2 Peter Stainer Royal Berkshire V45 30 : 38; 3 61 Kevin Gadd London - 30 : 45; 4 3 Stuart Hall Devon & Somerset V40 31 : 26; 5 39 Jason Lendon Essex - 31 : 37; 6 59 Andrew Collins London V40 31 : 54; 7 67 Steve Mead Oxfordshire V40 31 : 58; 8 70 Gary Crone Oxfordshire - 32 : 05; 9 32 Glen Whellams Essex V45 32 : 11; 10 9 Mark Rogers Devon & Somerset - 32 : 27; 11 36 Rob Gibby Essex - 32 : 46; 12 60 Graham Adams London V40 32 : 58; 13 28 Andy Whittaker Derbyshire V45 33 : 21; 14 49 Graham Smith Bearbrook Joggers - 33 : 35; 15 92 Frank Rooney Guest - VOAAC - 34 : 09; 16 52 Gareth Melvin Lancashire - 34 : 13; 17 6 Phi Hutchins Devon & Somerset - 34 : 27; 18 47 Mark Lawson Humberside - 34 : 36; 19 58 Kevin Waterman London V45 34 : 38; 20 84 Mark Boxall Buckinghamshire - 34 : 42; 21 4 Richard Butler Devon & Somerset - 34 : 46; 22 7 Peter Crouch Devon & Somerset - 35 : 00; 23 99 Mark Fallaize Guest - VOAAC - 35 : 03; 24 71 Richard Pratt Oxfordshire V45 35 : 06; 25 51 Alan Metcalf Lancashire V45 35 : 17; 26 14 Mark Richards Buckinghamshire - 35 : 40; 27 29 Mark Wilkes Derbyshire V40 35 : 59; 28 46 Keith Vallis Hampshire V40 36 : 14; 29 40 Tony Holt Greater Manchester V45 36 : 37; 30 13 Malcolm Cowley Bedfordshire V50 36 : 44; 31 72 John Parry Oxfordshire V50 37 : 06; 32 43 Peter Boast Herts V45 37 : 27; 33 31 Mark Askew Essex V45 37 : 30; 34 38 Merv Williams Essex V40 37 : 52; 35 95 Brian Hopkins Guest - Barnstaple - 39 : 11; 36 20 Paul Gassor Buckinghamshire - 39 : 22; 37 78 Darryl Keen Buckinghamshire - 39 : 38; 38 74 John Spencer South Yorkshire V50 39 : 41; 39 53 Keiran Dobson Lancashire - 39 : 49; 40 37 Steve Finn Essex - 39 : 49; 41 15 Kevin Arthurs Buckinghamshire V40 40 : 20; 42 35 Gary Baker Essex - 40 : 23; 43 48 John StephensonLincolnshire - 40 : 39; 44 12 Dave Joyce Devon & Somerset V50 40 : 45; 45 16 John Wheeler Buckinghamshire - 41 : 17; 46 63 Kevin French Oxfordshire - 41 : 18; 47 8 Dave Tucker Devon & Somerset - 41 : 59; 48 57 Nigel Costiff London V50 42 : 35; 49 21 Tim Chapman Buckinghamshire V45 42 : 43; 50 50 Leo Loughrey Lancashire V45 42 : 44; 51 33 Matt Pattison Essex - 43 : 03; 52 27 Duncan Payne Buckinghamshire V40 43 : 14; 53 97 Shane Howson Guest - VOAAC - 43 : 55; 54 85 Bryan Dugdale Buckinghamshire V50 44 : 26; 55 25 Lewis Sigsworth Buckinghamshire - 45 : 17; 56 17 Chris Gill Buckinghamshire V45 45 : 28; 57 10 Mark Traynor Devon & Somerset V50 46 : 29; 58 42 Paul Blande Herts V45 47 : 09; 59 65 Owen Pates Oxfordshire - 50 : 09; 60 23 Steve Cook Buckinghamshire - 51 : 50; 61 18 Denis O'Driscoll Buckinghamshire V40 55 : 36
Women (6km)
1 75 Jacqui Slack Staffordshire 26 : 07; 2 11 Kerry Smith Devon & Somerset 28 : 02; 3 56 Christine Costiff London 28 : 35; 4 91 Sarah Mead Guest - Oxford 30 : 20; 5 68 Karen Thacker Oxfordshire 30 : 56; 6 22 Amelia Derbyshire Buckinghamshire 31 : 11; 7 100 Heather Fallaize Guest - VOAAC 32 : 40; 8 34 Diane Eastland Essex 33 : 30; 9 98 Julie Madry Guest - VOAAC 34 : 21; 10 41 Rachel Armfield Greater Manchester 34 : 58; 11 24 Libby Boyden Buckinghamshire 36 : 09; 12 77 Justine Hall Staffordshire 36 : 19; 13 76 Helen Hall Staffordshire 36 : 19; 14 55 Hayley Loughrey Guest - Lancashire 39 : 15; 15 19 Fiona O'Driscoll Buckinghamshire 53 : 20

Photo by Buckinghamshire Fire & Rescue Service.

2008 Notre Dame Cross Country Invitational

Notre Dame Golf Course, Indiana, USA

Saturday 4th October 2008

THE University of New Mexico Men's and Women's cross country teams finished eighth and tied for ninth, respectively at the 53rd running of the Notre Dame Cross Country Invitational. The 29th-ranked New Mexico Men (240 points) finished 8th as the 18th-ranked UNM Women (257) tied for tenth place with Illinois.

Junior transfer Jacob Kirwa led the Lobo men for the second time in three meeting this Autumn, finishing 33rd overall (24:24) in the 8kkm race. Fellow junior David Bishop was 37th (24:27), whilst junior Brock Hagerman was 48th (24:34) in his return to South Bend. Hagerman was the Big East Conference Freshman of the Year while running for Notre Dame in 2006.

Leicestershire county champion, Rory Fraser, recovering from a bout of flu finished 56th (24:39), whilst senior Lee Emanuel was 66th (24:44) to cap the New Mexico scoring. The Lobos' top five runners were separated by a season-low 20 seconds.

On the Women's side, British junior Nicky Archer paced UNM with a 27th place finish, completing the 5km course in 17:13. Compatriot and Senior Carolyn Boosey ran second on the team for the third-straight meet, finishing 44th with a time of 17:23. True freshman Lacey Oeding continued her stellar rookie season, placing 52nd (17:31), while senior Michelle Corrigan was 59th (17:36).

GB Junior transfer Ashley Gibson from Loughborough University was 75th (17:45) to cap the UNM scoring.

New Mexico, which competed just six days earlier at Minnesota's Roy Griak Invitational, ran on short rest for the only time this Autumn. Collegiate cross country teams generally get 14 days rest between meetings.

Both Lobo sides relied on tight grouping to stay among the top half of the elite fields. Neither squad placed a runner in the top-25, but both were within striking distance of some of the premier teams in the nation.

The UNM Men finished just 32 points out of fifth place, while the Women's team was a mere 12 points out of sixth. The New Mexico women - who entered the national top-30 poll for the first time in 21 years this week - defeated three ranked teams in No. 20 Texas Tech, No. 25 Boston College and No. 28 North Carolina.

No. 3 Florida State (88) was an easy winner over No. 6 Princeton (124) on the Women's side. The 26th-ranked Seminole Men (81) completed the sweep, cruising to victory over Tulsa (126).

New Mexico return to action at the elite meeting Pre-Nationals Invitational in Terre Haute, Indiana on Saturday 18th October.

Roy Griak Invitational

Les Bolstad, University of Minneapolis, USA

Saturday 27th September 2008

RORY FRASER and his University of New Mexico team mates defied a flu-bug to pace the Lobos squad to a sixth place finish at the elite Roy Griak Invitational held on the Les Bolstad Golf course surrounding the University of Minneapolis campus.

The Lobos men finished tied for sixth (215) in a field of 25 teams, this despite two of its top three runners - senior Mat Ashton and junior Rory Fraser - slowed by a week-long bout of the flu.

Junior transfers, Great Britain’s David Bishop and Jacob Kirwa of Kenya, finished 17th and 18th, respectively, to head the New Mexico challenge. Bishop, who was third on the team three weeks ago at the Lobo Invitational, passed 17 runners over the final 3,000 metres, completing the 8K course in a time of 24mins 49.8secs. Kirwa was just over a second behind at 24:51.2.

Junior Brock Hagerman was 52nd in his season debut with a time of 25:22.3, as Rory Fraser, the 21-year-old Leicestershire county cross country champion was 65th (25:33.5) and senior Lee Emanuel was 67th (25:34.5) to complete the UNM scoring.

As coach Joe Franklin had feared earlier in the week, a flu bug hampered the men's team considerably. Team leader Mat Ashton ran sixth on the team and 76th overall, while Fraser was well off the pace he established in his debut race on September 6th in Albuquerque when he ran right behind Kirwa.

"You never want to make excuses and the bottom line is that we didn't do what we set out to do today, but two of our top three runners were sick all week and we rolled the dice and tried to see what they could give us," Franklin said. "On a hilly course against the type of competition we saw today, it just didn't work out, but we are absolutely a top-25 team.

"The silver lining is the performances like ones that David Bishop gave us. We know that we have guys who can step up and lead us even if we're not at full strength."

The women's cross country team entered the week hovering outside of the national top-30 rankings and that was underlined in Minneapolis as New Mexico placed its top four runners in the top-25 en route to a third place finish (89 points) in the field of 23 teams.

Seniors Michelle Corrigan and Great Britain’s Carolyn Boosey finished eighth and 10th, respectively, to lead the New Mexico women. Corrigan moved up 12 positions over the second half of the 6K race, finishing with a time of 21:39.9 in her season debut.

Boosey, meanwhile, passed seven runners over the final 3K, crossing the line with a time of 21:43.8. Junior transfer and compatriot Nicky Archer paced the Lobos' early, running with the top five runners much of the race before placing 16th - just eight seconds behind Boosey.

True freshman Lacey Oeding had perhaps the most impressive performance of the day for UNM, moving up 39 spots over the final 3,000 metres to place 23rd overall with a time of (22:04.8). Junior transfer from Loughborough University Ashley Gibson capped the Lobo scoring with a 34th place finish (22:21.4).

Franklin reflecting on the women’s performance commented: "The women were incredible today, we lost to a strong Minnesota team that was running on its home course and an Arizona team that was holding a trophy last fall (fourth place at 2007 NCAA Championships), but by no means we outclassed."

Saturday 20th September 2008

THE Derby Runner Cross-Country League fixtures for the 2008/09 season have been announced with a new race format being implicated for the forthcoming 5-race campaign.

For the new season that commences on Sunday 16th November the Men and Women races will have separate start times.

The Men will start at 10.50am with the Women following 15 minutes later.
Full Fixtures:
Race 1 - November 16th - Hinckley - venue TBA
Race 2 - November 30th - Hatton Darts - Sinai Park - Burton-on-Trent
Race 3 - December 21st - Desford - Bagworth Heath
Race 4 - February 18th - Shepshed - Grace Dieu Manor
Race 5 - February 15th - Ivanhoe & Hermitage Harriers - venue TBA

The ‘B’ final relays are to be staged at Huncote on Sunday 9th March, with the National Final & Plate Final date and venue yet to be confirmed.

Saturday 20th September 2008

LEICESTER CORITANIAN squads launched their winter season by dominating the Uttoxeter Open Cross-Country Meeting on Sunday 14th September, producing a superb team performance as they collected five individual winners and four team successes combined with team silvers and team bronzes.

Over the course that included two water crossings, the individual winners for leicester were in the Under-11 category Sam Elliott, Under-13 Amy Griffiths and Xander Tansey, Under-15 Freya Vincent and Under-17 Lucy Crookes.

The team victories were secured in the Under-11 boys, Under-13 and Under-15 girls and their Veteran Men, with the Under-17 Men finishing runners-up and the Under-13 Boys claiming bronzes.
Leading Results:
Seniors
Men
6 Rob Sheen 25.24, 16 Andy Hart 27.12, 25 Phil Hands 28.24
Women
12 Kate Brookes 18.28
Boys
U11: 1 Sam Elliott 9.24, 10 Ben Crookes 10.26, 11 Luke Beeby 10.32, 13 Reece Thomas 10.54. U13: 1 Xander Tansey 8.58, 12 Zak Anderson 9.52, 18 Ryan Lee 10.16, 27 Cameron Hart 11.21. U15: 5 Jacob Kench 13.54, 9 James Nutt 14.24. U17: 6 Liam Phelan 13.42, 9 Elliott Hart 13.53, 11 Daniel Calow 14.03 and 19 Stephen Maddocks 14.27
Girls
U11: 12 Niamh Kirk 11.28, 15 Rebecca Orton 11.30, 21 Shannon Anderson 11.46, 27 Molly McAllister 12.16, 32 Katie Saunders 12.49, 34 Lucy Perry 13.02. U13: 1 Amy Griffiths 9.14, 4 Mari Smith 9.39, 5 Livvy Tansey 9.51, 13 Alice Murfitt 10.08, 20 Rachel Borrows 10.20, 22 Hannah Perry 10.24, 23 India Mitchell-Jarvis 10.30, 24 Jemima Green 10.40, 35 Ellen Coady 11.19, 40 Lucy Chapman 11.40, 44 Becky Saunders 12.26. U15: 1 Freya Vincent 9.14, 4 Megan Fairbrother 9.24, 5 Georgie Brookes 9.27, 8 Emily Orton 9.41, 12 Amie Taylor 9.47, 14 April Beeby 9.50, 23 Molly Burd 10.23, 25 Bethan Elliott 10.47, 27 Jasime Mellor 11.39. U17: 1 Lucy Crookes 14.58, 4 Catherine Robertson 16.41

2008 Lobo Invitational Meeting

University of New Mexico

Albuquerque, USA

Saturday 6th September 2008

RORY FRASER made an impressive debut for the University of New Mexico as fellow British athletes Lee Emanuel and a superb gun-to-tape victory for Vale Royal’s Nicky Archer combined to produce a strong season opening performance for coach Joe Franklin’s Lobos team at the 2008 Lobo Invitational Cross Country meeting.

In front of the large and appreciative crowd of several thousand surrounding the UNM Golf course in Albuquerque, Jacob Kirwa led the way for the Lobos in the Men’s 8km Senior race as the Kenyan junior international finished runner-up to the clear winner, compatriot N Kipruto (Dine College), by a margin of 44 seconds in a time of 24mins 44.78secs.

Kirwa, one of four Lobos to place in the top-10 gained firm support from 21-year-old Rory Fraser from the Leicester Owls and fellow Brit David Bishop (Bristol & West) as they finished sixth (25:13.79) and ninth (26:11.43) respectively in their first race at high altitude.

In the Women's 5km race British Under-23 international Nicky Archer was a very impressive gun-to-tape winner as the 21-year-old from the Vale Royal club, runner-up over 5,000m at the CAU Inter Counties Championships in Bedford, clocked a time of 18mins 17.66secs in her first race at altitude - six seconds ahead of senior teammate and compatriot Carolyn Boosey (Marshall Milton Keynes) - Archer and Boosey led a group of seven Lobo women in the top-11.

True freshman Lacey Oeding (Jasper, Ind.) and sophomore transfer Emma Reed (Bristol & West) placed fourth and fifth, respectively, whilst competing unattached senior Leslie Luna (Albuquerque, N.M.) made a solid return after an injury hit 2007, finishing ninth.

Former Loughborough University student Ashley Gibson (Elswick Harriers) in her first year at New Mexico and Russian Polina Ermoshina were 10th and 11th, respectively.

The 2008 season marked the ninth running of the UNM Lobo Invitational. This after a six-year absence, former head coach Matt Henry brought NCAA cross country competition back to Albuquerque with the 2000 Lobo Invitational. In 2002, the meet was expanded to include six high school races and in 2004, a 5km community fun run was added to open the day.

Each year, thousands of distance running fans have flocked to UNM's North Campus to watch the competition on one of the most spectator-friendly cross country courses in the nation.

New Mexico will now compete at full strength for the first time on September 27th at Minnesota's Roy Griak Invitational. The UNM ‘B’ team will travel to Las Cruces for New Mexico State's Kachina Classic on September 20th.

Report by Mark Woolley – Copyright athletics-leics.com

Leading Results:
Men 8km
1 N Kipruto (Dine College) 24:08.51; 2 J Kirwa (UNM) 24:44.78; 3 J Ng’ojoy (Texas) 24:57.89; 4 L Hgirakamaro (NM Highlands) 25:11.24; 5 P Mutai (Texas) 25:13.96; 6 R Fraser (UNM) 25:13.79; 7 N Ngetich (Texas) 25:44.49; 8 C Stuber (Unatt) 26:07.67; 9 D Bishop (UNM) 26:11.43; 10 A Willis (Unatt) 26:18.41
Women 5km
1 N Archer (UNM) 18:17.66; 2 C Boosey (UNM) 18:33.22; 3 I Flores (NMS) 18:45.00; 4 L Oeding (Unatt) 18:49.66; 5 E Reed (Unatt) 18:52.67; 6 A Arenas (NMS) 18:57.94; 7 J Kigen (Texas) 19:03.23; 8 B Gutierrez (NMS) 19:08.19; 9 L Luna (UNM) 19:16.44; 10 A Gibson (UNM) 19:18.23

Full results are available on the following link: http://golobos.cstv.com/sports/c-xc/stats/2008-2009/loboxcinvite08_collegerez.html

Monday 14th July 2008

EUROPEAN Athletics have announced that the 2008 SPAR European Cross Country Championships will take place in the Belgian capital of Brussels on Sunday December 14th.

The event was originally due to be held in the Belgian city of Oostende, however, a record rain fall which caused the course to be no longer suitable for an competition of this magnitude, meant that the event was forced to seek an alternative venue.

Evaluation site visits, led by European Athletics Vice President Jose Luis de Carlos, along with the Technical Delegate and staff from the head office in Lausanne, took place in Brussels last week and it has been decided that the event will now take place there.

Hansjörg Wirz, the President of European Athletics said:

"We were all very sorry to have to change venue so late in the day from Oostende to Brussels but the conditions for the athletes and spectators are paramount to us so the decision was made in the best interests of everyone concerned.

"However, Belgium is a country with a very proud and rich history in Cross Country running as well as in organising major athletics events and I am very happy that Brussels has shown such a strong desire to keep the event in Belgium and I am sure it will be a great Championship."

Willy Pennoit, the general director of the Belgian Athletics Federation and the Local Organising Committee said:

"Of course we were disappointed having to cancel the organisation in Oostende. We are sure, that in the coming years, the venue and the course in Oostende will be suitable of a great SPAR European Cross Country Championship."

"But we are again very happy and proud that the 2008 SPAR European Cross Country Championships will take place in the Park de Laeken in Brussels. The park has a very rich cross-country tradition, thanks to the yearly IAAF Cross-Country Permit "Brussels CrossCup". Now we are hoping on some good performances from our Belgian athletes on December 14th!"

The course will be in the Park de Laeken, a beautiful park located next to the world famous tourist landmark, the Atomium. This is the same venue as was used for the successful IAAF World Cross Country Championships in 2004.

Since the International Cross Country Championships became the IAAF World Cross Country Championships in 1973, Belgium has hosted the event on four occasions, the most recent of which was in Brussels in 2004.

Along with this, the Belgium city of Charleroi hosted the SPAR European Cross Country Championships in 1996.

www.brussels2008.com/

Saturday 12th April 2008

GEMMA STEEL continued her fine Derby Cross Country Runner League regional form into the National Final as the 22-year-old emerging talent representing Hermitage Harriers won the individual title at Castle Hill Park at Ampthill in Bedfordshire.

Having won the East Midlands territorial title, Steel, and a large contingent of 21 competing team mates and supporers faced the other regional winners including Ampthill & Flitwick Flyers, Ipswich JAFFA, Reading Road Runners, Hatton Darts and defending two-time champions Wooton Harriers.

Over a scenic undulating 5.5 mile course comprising of one small lap followed by two long laps in cold snowy conditions the ever-improving Gemma Steel led the field home with team mate and team captain Claire Wilson taking third position.

Hermitage, one of Leicestershire’s newest and flurishing club’s put in a selection of terrific performances Alistair Watson continuing his recent great form pushing the eventual winner of the men’s race finish in a fine second place.

Lee Tomlinson followed in 15th place just ahead of Shaun Coulton in 21st., Darren Wilson and Jason Lavine followed each other over the line followed by Paul Gregory who out sprinted team captain John Terry at the final turn to finish in 27th and 28th places respectively.

Club Chairman Andy Buck anchored the scoring men in as the second veteran counter and Sue Perry anchored the combined team home.

Other harriers who competed in Ampthill were Matt and Jon Jakubecz, Mark Bradford, Nigel Stock, Adam Clarke, Sarah Maynard, Katie Osborne, Emma Scott and Caroline Scrimshaw. Mark Perry pulled up injured having tried to run through pain that had flared up during the race.

Wootton Road Runners were crowned National Cross Country champions for the third year running finishing on 141 points, marginally holding off the challenge of a strong Reading Road Runners who finished in second place with 145 points. Hosts and Three Counties league rivals Ampthill and Flitwick Flyers were third with 169 points.

In the Plate Final held in conjunction with the National event Shepshed Running Club finished in second place in the team standings with their squad of Men: Gary Burnett 3rd, Graeme Hebden 6th, Mark Stock 8th, Phil Higgs 21st, Jake Smith 24th, Mick Davis 26th and Will Nutt 29th, Tony Menzel 43rd - and for the Women: Lesley Nutt 4th, Ruth Welsh 8th and Louise Pymm 9th.