Success across the generations
IT was a case of great success for team Stockport at the youngest of the age groups at the youth development league at Longford park, Trafford and also for the oldest, being the supervets at Birmingham with huge successes in the masters national road relays.
The lower-age group youth development team continued to dominate the track and field league with consistent results in the boys’ section and even more so for the girls’ equivalent events starting with Matthew Houlden in the under 15s “A” 100 metres with an outstanding 12 seconds dead to cakewalk his event with an easy win.
There was nothing but superlatives for the girls’ team and whilst not necessarily taking gold in every event there were plenty of 2nd and 3rd places to up the team points tally.
One of the most impressive of the afternoon’s performances came in the 300 metres sprint with a double first for Stockport’s Emily Misantoni in the “A” string (42:5) and Evie Wild in the equivalent “B” event to stop the clock for an easy win in 44:5.
A much closer call came in the girls’ under 15s 100 metres “B” event with Stockport’s Lucy Aitchison being given the winning spot (13:9) with a the required dip to take the result from Lucy Faragher of the Isle of Man who was awarded the same time, so close was the end result.
Team Stockport showed their prowess in the relay events and piled on the points with wins in the under 13 boys’ 4 x 100 metres together with both the 4 x 300 metres and the 4 x 100 metres in the girls’ under 15s age group which helped immensely to secure a second team victory in succession for the local club (596 points) to the 2nd placed Isle of Man youth team (497).
Hopefully Team Stockport will go forward with reasonable confidence with two match wins under their belts and with competition number three of four giving home advantage at Woodbank park on June 17.
But the success of the Isle of Man team in the field events has been duly noted in that the team both scores and travels well to these league events and poses the biggest threat and hopefully this will be taken care of at Stockport next month.
Stockport Harriers put out teams for the first time after several years in the National Masters road relay championships at Sutton park, Birmingham courtesy of team managers Alexis Dinsmor and Steve Shaughnessy.
The best result of the day went to the ladies’ over 45s age group event consisting of Jackie Newton, Lesley Sinclair and Jayne Lawton who made it a creditable 6th team position out of 28 finishing teams.
The “B” team participating consisting of Michela Stepto, Helen Todd and Fiona Cooke who wrapped up a useful 18th spot for the afternoon’s proceedings.
The over 35s ladies’ team also participated with an 11th finish out of 25 together with the over 55s men’s team accomplishing a useful finish of 17th out of 29 complete teams and the joint managers realise the potential of this relay series and will be back in 2018 for another tilt at honours on what is becoming an increasingly popular event which has now been established for 30 years.
Stockport’s James Scott – Buccleuch – continues to inspire and specialises in long races and can often be found in the hills between a rock and a hard place, starting last February with a win at the Maryport 10-mile road race in Cumbria.
He’s now gone one better as regards distance by winning the White Peak marathon organised by Matlock athletic club over the traditional distance of 26+ miles and stopping the clock in 2:43:33 which included some mean ascents in the process and left 161 other hardy competitors trailing in his wake.
For those who wish to hone their track and field athletic skills part way through the season, there is the York summer league meeting taking place next Saturday, June 3 at the University of York athletics facility, further details may be found at www.cityofyorkathleticclub.net.
For fell race aficionados on the same day, there is the Wincle fell race from Burnt house farm at 2:45 p.m. with a complimentary trout to all finishers but first there is nigh on a slippery 9+ kilometres of effort with 320 metres of climb to be accomplished before receiving the dish of the day.