LSARRC Press Report 1st November 2011

The Mid-Lancs league cross-country season started on Saturday with the first race at Towneley Park, Burnley. A record entry of over eight hundred runners from forty different clubs turned out on a rather dry and windy course.

Ross Hart making his debut for Lytham

Lytham St Annes Road Runners fielded three juniors, seven women and eight men. First off were Robbie Webb and Ross Hart in the U13 boy's race. Robbie finished 17th while 11 year old Ross, on his debut for the club, also acquitted himself well to come in 29th position.

In the under 17 girls 15 year old Kirsty Fraser ran a well-paced race to finish twelfth and in the top half of the field.



In the Senior Women's race guest runner Lizzie Adams of Sheffield’s Hallamshire Harriers was in a class of her own, completing the 6K Senior Women's course in 21:58, well ahead of the best league runners. Sue Samme however, currently in top form, finished third in 23:45.



Newly promoted to division one the Lytham ladies fielded a strong team. Making up the three members of the “A” team with Sue were Mel Koth in 27th, and Linda Baxter in 43rd to finish sixth overall. The same three made up the V35 team, who were fourth. Sue, Linda and Fiona Geldard were the second V45 team.



The high turnout and quality of the field set a tough challenge for Lytham's men's team who nevertheless scored best in the V50s where Graham Webster, Terry Hellings and Tony Croft came sixth out of 25 teams. Graham had an exceptional run to be the second back for the Club and 122nd. First back for Lytham was Andrew Draper in 94th. The main team finished in 23rd position while the V40s achieved 19th.


FULL LYTHAM RESULTS: U13B: Robbie Webb, 17th 13:01, Ross Hart, 29th 13:40, U17W: Kirsty Fraser, 12th 18:49, Senior Women Susan Samme, 3rd. 23:45, Melanie Koth, 27th 27:31, Linda Baxter, 43rd 29:01, Fiona Geldard, 88th 32:24, Julia Rolfe, 90th 32:28, Pamela Hardman, 92nd 32:39, Dawn Lock, 120th 41:48. Senior Mens: Andrew Draper, 94th 39:53, Graham Webster, 122nd 41:11, Terry Hellings, 146th 42:36, Tony Croft, 170th 43:56, Roy Upton, 186th 44:36, Joe Shaw, 212th 45:50,Colin Nelson 234th 47:19, Tony Rudd, 298th 53:03, Rob Goodall, 324th 1:03:03.



Now the dark evenings have set in Lythams’s monthly handicap has been moved to it better-lit winter course. The dark didn’t put anyone off though as on Thursday 27 members took part, six of them juniors.



Steve Quarmby was the first back on the night in a very close finish with the first four finishing in eight seconds. Steve achieved a personal best for the course, as did eight other racers.

The outstanding performance was that of Alex Stanier. As well as being the first junior finisher Alex improved his own junior boys’ record and set a new junior men’s record by one second.

After seven races Kevin Ashworth is now only equal first together with Linda Baxter who finished third on the night. With five races left to go the competition is still wide open.



Despite enduring the rigours of a cross-country the day before, Mel Koth competed in Sunday’s Accrington 10k. Finishing the challenging course in 58th with a time of 43:43 Mel was also the first in the ladies vet 35 category. This was a personal best on this course for Mel despite this being her fifth race in eight days. Joining her on the day vet 55 Trevor Willoughby came 134th from the 300 finishers in 49:21.