Popular Start Fitness-sponsored league enjoys a busy turnout in South Shields as the North East of England also sees its regional masters champs in Middlesbrough
Coverage from the BUCS Cross Country Champs in Cardiff can be found here. For all other domestic reports, see below.
START FITNESS NORTH EASTERN HARRIER LEAGUE, South Shields, Tyne & Wear, February 2
Temple Park played host for the Sherman Cup and Davison Shield leg of the league, which has lost several of its fixtures this winter.
Steps are being undertaken to reschedule those races into the remainder of the winter but, here it was close at the finish as Matt Linsley just held off Adrian Bailes to take his first race of the long-standing series.
Start Fitness NE Harrier League (David Hewitson)
Harrier League
There was no such close race in the women’s event as many-time Harrier League winner and North East Counties silver medallist, Catriona MacDonald had a minute to spare on long-time North East servant Justina Heslop.
Catriona MacDonald (David Hewitson)
Men: 1 M Linsley (Gate) 30:16; 2 A Bailes (Birt) 30:17; 3 L Liddle (Gate) 30:43; 4 L McConnell (Birt) 30:56; 5 D Alexander (Gate) 31:00; 6 M Hedley (Tyne BR) 31:11
M40: 1 M Barker (Sund) 32:11
M45: 1 A Hepple (Gosf) 34:17
M50: 1 M Dennison (Low F) 34:34
M60: 1 I Norman (Heat) 38:32
U17: 1 A De Luillo (T’dale) 18:37
U15: 1 J Sturman (NSP) 10:44
U13: 1 M Gaylor (Morp) 11:26
Justina Heslop (David Hewitson)
Women: 1 C MacDonald (Morp) 22:42; 2 J Heslop (Elsw, W45) 23:38; 3 L Rank (Morp) 24:01
W50: 1 L Short (T’dale) 25:25
W55: 1 J Murdy (S Shields) 27:18
Start Fitness NE Harrier League (David Hewitson)
W65: 1 C Page (Alnw) 28:22
U17: 1 A Johnson (NSP) 22:27
U15: 1 F Heatley (Morp) 12:48
U13: 1 P Phillipson (Birt) 11:59
NE Masters Champs (David Hewitson)
NORTH EAST MASTERS CHAMPIONSHIPS, Acklam, Middlesbrough, February 1
Steve Jackson, who was top veteran in the previous week’s North of England championships at Tatton Park, came out on top of the local veterans’ championships in the northeast.
The Sunderland Harrier duly retained his title and did so over Gateshead’s Conrad Franks.
Steve Jackson (David Hewitson)
As is becoming increasingly common, all men over 65 ran with the women and the best was Paul Merrison who retained his M65 title but deeper in that field, long-time northeast servant Ian Barnes was last home but is now 90 years of age and one of only a couple competing in championships.
Barnes has a host of British Masters championship titles almost going back to the year dot.
In that women’s race, Jennifer Berry broke clear of Sarah Attwood as both won age group titles whilst, further back, top W55 Kay Neesom was the best rated on an age-graded basis.
NE Masters Champs (David Hewitson)
Overall (8km+): 1 S Jackson (Sund, M40) 27:21; 2 C Franks (Gate, M40) 27:34; 3 D Alexander (Gate) 28:05
M45: 1 G Watt (Elvet) 33:07
M50: 1 J Clifford (Darl) 29:41
M55: 1 D Moir (Tyne BR) 32:54
M65 (6km+): 1 P Merrion (Sund) 23:17; 2 P Milburn (Sedge) 24:44
M70: 1 C Featherstone (Durh) 28:17
M90: 1 I Barnes (Darl) 63:54
Jennifer Berry (David Hewitson)
Women:1 J Berry (W’end, W35) 23:02; 2 s Attwood (Crook, W40) 23:09; 3 L Wallace (W’end, W40) 23:56
W45: 1 G Floyd (Blyth) 24:42
W50: 1 S Thornton (N Marske) 24:45
W55: 1 K Neesom (N Marske) 24:48
W65: 1 C Page (Alnw) 26:15
Ian Barnes (David Hewitson)
OXFORDSHIRE LEAGUE, Cotswold Farm Park, February 2
Berks, Bucks & Oxon champion Jack Shayler headed Ben Cole, the winner of the January fixture, by around 30 meters.
Overall: 1 J Shayler (Abing) 28:16; 2 B Cole (Swin) 28:25; 3 M Shantry (Head RR) 28:40
M40: 1 D Blake (Wit) 30:12
M50: 1 B Paviour (Herne H, gst) 31:31; 2 J Bolton (W’stock) 31:50
M70: 1 D Coates (Cher) 45:35
U17: 1 W Potts (Oxf C) 21:33; 2 T Roberts (Banb) 21:43; 3 J Norton (Newb) 21:54
U15: 1 L Blyton (Bic) 16:26; 2 F Byrne (Swin) 15:46; 3 S Dixon-Gagg (Abing) 17:06
U13: 1 N Spruce (Abing) 11:12; 2 S Cousins (Radley) 11:12; 3 R Gray (Banb) 11:34
Women: 1 M Smith (Abing) 33:21; 2 J Robertson (Newb, U20) 34:04; 3 L Dickens (Head RR) 34:23
W40: 1 L Frazer (Abing) 37:15
W50: 1 E Hines (Swin H) 36:25
U17: 1 E Spencer (Swin) 24:43; 2 I Haines-Gray (Oxf C) 25:27; 3 B Burrows (Oxf C) 26:43
U15: 1 M Davis (Banb) 17:53; 2 A Lorimer (Oxf C) 18:09; 3 S Eagland (Banb) 19:10
U13: 1 F Richards (Abing) 12:36; 2 H Saunders (T Kennett Tri) 12:52; 3 P Wall (Swin) 13:28
KING HENRY Vl RELAYS, January 29
Ewen Wilkinson gave Ermstead a solid start behind Henry Barker’s fastest lap of 11:22 for Harrow and his team then went on to win, but only after last stage runner Sam Bentham overturned a Judd School lead.
The four-lap girls’ race saw New Hall School dominate after Heidi Woodley’s 13:12 gave them a first-stage lead that they increased throughout the race before finishing off with an equal second quickest time from Olivia Forrest which matched a Holly Cross opener of 13:28.
Boys (6x2M approx): 1 Ermstead GS 73:17 (E Wilkinson 11:45, T Hooper12:03, W Oakden 12:28, G Marsh 12:48, L Wills 12;18, S Bentham 11:54); 2 Judd 73:35; 3 Loughboro College 74:00
Fastest: H Barker (Harr) 11:22; Wilkinson 11:45; F Buchanan (S Michaels, Ennis) 11:35
Girls (4x2M approx): 1 New Hall 54:29 (H Woodley 13:12, I Widdowson 14:05, A King 13:42, O Forrest 13:28); 2 Ratcliffe (Coll 57:21; 3 Upton Hall 57:57
Fastest: Woodley 13:12; H Cross (Upton)/Forrest 13:28
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