Under 17s boss race in Bolton
AT the halfway point in the Red Rose Cross Country League’s season, Rossendale Harriers’ Under 17s Men’s team continue to dominate and look certain to claim overall victory.
They produced another convincing win at Leverhulme Park, Bolton on Saturday.
Both Matty Mackay and Joel Taylor were unavailable but Max Cunningham dominated the race from start to finish to cross the line after 18mins 39secs of running and in total control. Ben Forrrest, after 19mins 04secs, claimed his second third place of the season, just as he had done at the previous fixture at Leigh and Ryan Heneghan had a great run to complete the team, finishing in 20mins 37secs for 11th spot.
Both Charlie Parkinson and Charlie Taylor in 13th and 14th places respectively, finished in front of rivals, Bury AC’s final counter so the team win was never in doubt and the overall title looks certain to be claimed at next week’s fixture on home ground at Marl Pits, with a fixture to spare.
Riley Holt was the best placed U11 Boy finishing in 26th place from 92 runners and the Girls team were fourth again with Lily Edmondson, in 9th place, leading her team of Violet Young and Elsie Haygarth.
It was a disappointing day for the U13 Boys team, with several key runners missing, but Joe Ormrod was the highlight, narrowly missing out on his second win of the season by two seconds to Preston’s George Denye. Robert Barton and Oliver Godden completed the team.
Evie Taylor claimed another third position in the Girls race and with Sadie Pickup and Jessica Greenhalgh, finished as 10th team.
Bolton’s hilly course suited Joe Hopley who, again, was Rossendale’s best placed U15 Boy with a much improved fourth place and, for the team, a welcome overall second spot thanks to William Curry and Oliver Webster.
Isobel Cunningham had her best ever cross country race, finishing in fifth place and with Holly Pegg, 12th and Daisie Young, 15th they matched the boys with overall Silver medal position.
In the U17 Women’s race Lauryn Gregg had another fine win with over 30 seconds to spare over her nearest rival. Minnie Targett and Lily Haygarth completed the team for second spot behind Leigh, a reverse of the positions in the first fixture, which puts them on identical team points, so next week’s Marl Pits fixture will be crucial.
Emily Morgan continues to improve and again led the women’s team home after a great fifth place, five places better than at Leigh.
Emily was also second placed U20 Woman and another strong performance could claim overall Silver in the next fixture. Anne Marie Hindle, 13th and Vanessa Hamlet in 46th completed the team for fourth position.
Over 200 runners lined up for the Senior Men’s race and the Harriers improved on their third place at Leigh but Blackburn Harriers continue to dominate in the team and individual positions with Tim Raynes claiming another win.
Rob Webb outsprinted team mate Grant Cunliffe for third place behind Bury’s Ben Coop and with Joe Johnston, sixth and Matty Harris, ninth it looked very promising for the team but without a fit Chris Fell it was left to Andy Buttery, who was first V45 in 20th spot and Michael Corbishley, 33rd to complete the team for second place.
The vets team of Buttery, Mark Barrett, Ashley Holt and Craig Stansfield were narrowly pushed into second place by Todmorden but a solid performance next week could secure the overall title.
Matthew Mackay was competing in the UK Cross Challenge Cross Country series at Milton Keynes where he finished in third place behind Giffnock North AAC’s Hamish Armitt and the winner of the first fixture, Ealing Southall & Middlesex AC’s Mohamed Ali.
It was another out- standing performance in an elite event by the U17 Harrier who will also race at the next round at Sefton Park later in the month, which will qualify for him for the Final in Loughborough in March.