LSARRC News 26th November 2012

Ladies cross-country team

In one of LSARRC’s best ever turnouts, 20 senior club enthusiasts and a selection of youngsters made an impact at the Mid-Lancs Cross Country League held at Sefton Park in Liverpool on Saturday. The competition attracted the cream of national cross country talent, this event also being the European Trials in advance of the IAAF World Cross Country Championships in Poland. The fixture gives up-and-coming athletes the opportunity to match themselves against established cross country stars.

Terry Hellings and Tony Croft at the Liverpool Race

The atmosphere was lively as competitors at all levels mixed, and the scenic race venue, steeped in rich autumn colours, provided a beautiful backdrop. Recent heavy rainfall rendered several parts of the course perilously muddy and heavy-going underfoot but luckily the rain held off for proceedings, as runners raced the moderately undulating course comprising laps of the park.

First out were the Club's six juniors taking part in the U11 Boys' and U15 Boys' and the U13 Girls' races. Next were the senior women, and lead runner Mel Koth did exceptionally well to run the 8.1k in 36:13. Following her two and a half minutes later was Katharine Hoyland, running her first cross country and taking the second "A Team" place in a good 38.59. Laura Ashworth completed the team in 40.34. Making up the "B Team" were Felicity Wolohan, Catherine French and Pam Hardman. Koth, Ashworth and Hardman scored in the WV35 category; Hardman together with Janice Cobley and Fiona Geldard counted in the WV45 and Cobley, Sylvia Gittins and Pam Binns made up the WV55 team.

Andy Draper

Andy Draper was the outstanding Lytham contender finishing the 9.8k course in 37.37 while sixty-year old Graham Webster gained a high place in his age category finishing in 41.06. Completing the team were Thomas Howarth, Terry Helling, Tony Croft and Kevin Ashworth. Full Mid Lancs. Newcomers Ashworth, 42.50 and Mark Selby, 45.56, both made creditable cross-country debuts. The club also scored in the MV40 category with a team of Webster, Helling, Croft and Ashworth, the first three of whom also qualified well for the MV50 competition.

FULL RESULTS:McCain Cross-Challenge: U11B - S. Holt, 65, 8.57; H. Booth, 103, 10.11. U13G: E. Moulding, 31, 12.51. SW: M. Koth, WV35, 93, 36.13; K. Hoyland, SW, 114, 38.59; L. Ashworth, WV35, 126, 40.54; F. Wolohan, SW, 133, 41.18; P. Hardman, WV45, 146, 45.16; C. French, WV35, 147, 45.48; J. Cobley, WV55, 151, 46.44; F. Geldard, WV45, 152, 46.46; S. Gittings, WV55, 159, 48.24; P. Binns, WV55, 163, 51.44; D. Lock, WV55, 170, 59.43. SM: A. Draper, SM, 170,37.37; T. Howarth, SM; G. Webster, MV60, 262, 41.06; T. Hellings, MV50, 299, 42.23; T. Croft, MV50, 304, 42.23; K. Ashworth, MV40, 314, 42.50; C. Laidlaw, MV50, M. Selby, SM, 391, 45.56; C. Nelson, SM, 409, 47.14.