LSARRC Report 2nd February 2015

Ella Moulding, first U15G

Two junior and a senior member of Lytham St. Annes RRC have just received the great news that they are on Lancashire AA's selection list for the Inter-Counties Championships.

 

Superb runs at the Lancashire Cross-Country Championships at Witton Park on January 3rd have resulted in excellent personal achievements and honour for the Club.

 

Ella Moulding was the clear winner in the Under 15 Girls' race finishing the 3.8k in 14:59 to take the gold medal and selection to the Lancashire squad.  She consolidated her standing by finishing 10th in a field of 151 competitors at the tough Northern Championships at Pontefract last week in 16:16, just 1 minute and 1 second behind the winner.

 

Also making the squad on the basis of her run at Blackburn is Layla Foley who will represent the U20W at the Inter-Counties.  Running one of her first Senior Women's race, a demanding 6.9k with three climbs of the Saucer, she finished 5th U20W in 30:37, 24th overall.

 

Layla Foley, selected for Lancashire U20W

Joanna Goorney, Lytham's top female runner, qualified for the reserve by dint of her 12th placing overall and time of 29:15 for the same race and must wait to find if she has been successful.

 

The Club's Monthly Handicap has a history stretching back to the earliest days of LSARRC.  With a handicapping system honed by more than a decade, it's a hard-fought race which results in tight finishes and serious rivalry to clinch the annual Handicap Plate.

 

January's Handicap saw the first thirteen competitors finish within 3 minutes of each other and several putting in excellent performances for themselves.

 

Alan Elston upped his performance having finally put injury problems behind him to win his second Handicap in 25:25 and the sought-after 30 points.  Second-placed Ian Tate produced a PB to finish in 25:51 while brother Neil in 5th place recorded the third fastest time of 21:41.  Fastest on the night was Joe Greenwood, 8th in 20:05, with Thomas Howarth, third, next fastest in 21:08 for a season's best.

 

Fiona Geldard put in the fastest woman's time of 27:38 for 4th, with Debbie Cooper fighting hard for 27:47 and 7th.  Another very good performance came from 6th-placed Karen Lanigan who continues to improve impressively and whose 26 points moved her into second place for the season.  Newcomer Alex Everest made a promising start with 29:32.

 

With just two handicaps to go, Jeremy McCandless' unprecedented three wins early in the season has consolidated his lead at the top of the table with 253 points, equalling the record.  Behind him the runners-up place is wide open with Lanigan, 2nd on 210, Graham Webster, 3rd on 206 and Cooper with one less score, well-placed 4th on 199, all in contention.

 

OTHER RESULTS: 9th Graham Webster 22:42; 10th Jeremy McCandless 31:52; 11th Pam Binns 37:09; 12th Derek Caborn 32:03; 13th Dawn Lock 50:12.   Non-counters running on estimated times: Sylvia Gittins 37:09; Bec Willetts 33:53.     

 

A week earlier Brian Porter was the Club's only representative at the well-established Welcome Tavern 10K run around the pleasant streets of south Walton-le-Dale.  In a race that attracted 293 competitors, Porter finished 221st in 60:02.

Alan Elston (left), two-time winner of the Monthly Handicap,
and Brian Porter (right) who competed at the Welcome Tavern 10K