TAKE A BOW FOR A MASTERFUL
DISPLAY
Step in Heaton Harriers and
George Routledge and his team who designated a course on the former Rising Sun
colliery reclaimed land in Wallsend and over the past few months it was all
systems go so much so that the Newcastle club held their club championships
over the course the previous weekend to iron out any expected problems.
So, everything was in place
and on the day even the weatherman couldn’t be faulted though there were a
number of extremely muddy sections to go with the ‘slight’ inclines to make it
a true cross-country test.
Despite athletes on occasions
loath to make the journey to the ‘far North’ a satisfying entry of over 300
from across the UK were received equally divided across the two races on the
programme
Amongst those who made the trip included a host of Britain’s leading masters’
such as Teviotdale’s Alastair Walker, Angela Copson (Rugby and Northampton) and
Kent AC’s Clare Elms, the latter part of a strong contingent from the south
coast club who graced the North East scenery and test themselves against the
region’s best.
The opening race was for females and male 65 and over and it was great to see the Charnwood Potter twins (F40) Juliet and Jane at the head of affairs and still active after being leading athletes throughout the younger age groups. Julie, who had finished in 20th place in the previous weekend’s Inter-Counties XC Championships, quickly headed the field and at the completion of the first of two circuits had established a 300-metres lead with her sister, a former National junior XC champion, in second place 20 metres or so ahead of Walker.
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| Credit: Stuart Whitman |
Juliet continued to
cut out a lone furrow on the run for home as Walker, despite losing a shoe at
one stage, managed to reel in Jane in the final kilometre to cross the line
over a minute adrift of the winner and claim the M65 title. Completing the F40
podium places was Samantha Davies of Easingwold. Leading NE finishers in the
section were Claremont’s Sarah Kerr, who finished in 21st place overall
followed by Vicki Gibbs (NSP) who was 22nd and Heaton’s Ellen Tullo
(32).
It was a clean sweep for
NE representatives in the F35 with the gold medal going to Heaton’s Ellie Reed
who held off Gateshead’s Kim Grimoldby by 11 seconds with Claire Harlow (NSP)
completing the one-two-three. Nine of the 10 finishers were NE club members
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| Credit: Stuart Whitman |
In the F45 section North
Shields Poly’s Steph Maclean Dann made a brave bid for victory but in the end
had to give way to Kent AC’s Caimhe Nic Fhogartaig with Alison Dargie (Tyne
Bridge) back in action again after a spell on the sidelines, making it onto the
podium in third place. Elswick pair Judith Nutt and Felicity Smith were next
across the line followed by Jarrow and Hebburn’s Claire Simpson.
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| Credit: Stuart Whitman |
Kathryn Stephenson (Tyne
Bridge), a late call up into the NE team for last weekend’s Inter Counties
Championships, finished a superb fifth overall to claim the F50 gold medal
finishing ahead of Rachel Cooke (Buckingham and Stowe) with New Marske’s Sharon
Bulman claiming the bronze award. Next NE finishers were Arabella Pearce
Elswick, who was 5th, Pat Speedie (New Marske) 6th, Nina
Cameron (Heaton) 7th and Elswick’s Andrea Banner who was 8th.
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| Credit: David Aspin |
Defending F55 champion and
multi British, European and World titles to her name, Clare Elms, justified
favouritism by retaining her title though Jackie Murdie (South Shields) pushed
her all the way with only 15 seconds separating the pair at the line. North
Shields Poly’s Katherine Davis was a clear third. New Marske’s Kath Aspin
finished fifth ahead of Birtley’s Julie Turner (6th) and
seventh-placed Julie Cross (Claremont).
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| Credit: David Aspin |
Alnwick supporters were
celebrating as Carole Page peaked at the right time to claim the F60 title
winning comfortably from Bingley’s former F45, F50, F55 and F60 champion, Sue
Cordingley with multi-medallist and England
Masters’ international, Heather Robinson (Jarrow and Hebburn) making it onto
the podium once again in third place. Elvet Striders’ Susan Davis finished
fourth ahead of team-mate Heather Raistrick and Heaton’s Jenny Friend.
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| Credit: David Aspin |
Doncaster’s Caroline
Wheelhouse came out on top in the F65 section finishing ahead of Durham City’s
Christine Woods and Marian Hesketh (Preston) while Linden Nicholson (Lasswade)
led home Heaton’s Janette Kilgour to claim the F70 title. One of the world’s leading masters’ athletes,
Angela Copson (Rugby and Northampton) had no difficulty in retaining her F75
crown despite having contested the Whitley Bay Parkrun a few hours earlier!
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| Credit: David Aspin |
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| Credit: David Aspin |
Multi World record breaker
Alastair Walker had no difficulty in claiming the M65 gold medal with Bishop
Stortford’s Jonathan Haynes finishing runner-up. Completing the medallists was
Doncaster’s Kevin Newman while Morpeth’s Gavin Bayne was the pick of the
region’s representatives finishing ahead of Geoff Davis (Elvet Striders) and David
Nicholson (Morpeth).
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| Credit: Stuart Whitman |
Fife’s Tony Martin headed
the M70 section with Tyne Bridge pair Sandy Anderson and Keith Graham leading
the NE charge in fifth and sixth place respectively ahead of Claremont’s Ken
McCormick and Heaton’s Colin McEntee.
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| Credit: David Aspin |
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| Credit: David Aspin |
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| Credit: David Aspin |
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| Credit: Stuart Whitman |
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| Credit: David Aspin |
The second race on the programme was for male 35 to 60 over three laps a distance of approx, 9k and it proved to be a ‘winner’ for NE athletes.
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| Credit: Stuart Whitman |
Despite the course being ankle deep in
mud in places it didn’t deter Tyneside-based Jarlath McKenna (M40) taking an
early lead and after the first circuit had a 30m cushion over Middlesbrough and
Cleveland’s Greg Jayasuriya with Grant Baillie (East Kilbride) heading the next
group which included Stephen Jackson (Sunderland), Gateshead’s Conrad Franks
and Kent’s Jonathan Tipper. On lap two McKenna, who was first counter for the
NE in the previous week’s Inter Counties Championships, surged further ahead
and on hearing the bell had extended his advantage to around 300m. Jayasuriya
was still in second place with Baillie third ahead of the hard-working Jackson.
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| Credit: Stuart Whitman |
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| Credit: Stuart Whitman |
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| Credit: Stuart Whitman |
McKenna, who competes in
the Bristol and West colours, came home to a grand round of applause from those
lining the finishing straight to break the finishing tape in 29min 12secs and
claim the M40 title. Jayasuriya crossed the line to take the M35 gold medal as
Jackson came home in third place to receive the M35 silver medal ahead of
Franks with his Gateshead team-mate Dave Richardson finishing fourth ahead of
Tyne Bridge’s Craig Jones. Baillie received the M40 silver medal behind McKenna
with Tipper edging out Ben Cook (NSP) to claim third place.
.jpg) |
| Credit: Terry Scott |
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| Credit: Terry Scott |
The M45 category proved to
be a close affair with victory going to Phil Tedd (Thames Hare and Hounds) who
got the verdict over Leeds’ Mike Burrell by just six seconds with fellow Leeds
City and former Gateshead Harrier Alan Buckley completing the one-two-three.
First NE finisher was Gosforth’s Andrew Heppell in seventh place followed by
Nigel Simpson (Birtley) eighth and Elvet pair Michael Littlewood and Lindsay
McEwan in ninth and tenth place respectively.
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| Credit: Stuart Whitman |
The M50 section was won by
Cambuslang’s Stephen Wylie who headed North Shields Poly’s Michael Parkinson
and Alasdair Tatham (North York Moors) with fourth-placed James Allen (Alnwick)
heading a strong NE contingent of Lee Bennett (Morpeth), David Moir (Tyne
Bridge), James Duthie (Wallsend), Steven Gordon (Sunderland), Chris Waite (NSP)
and Morpeth’s Jason Dawson.
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| Credit: Stuart Whitman |
It was a Scotland one-two
in the M55 age group with victory going to Cumbernauld’s Walter Henderson who
had 13 seconds in hand over Chris Upson (Cambuslang) at the line with Mark
Tennyson (Guildford and Godalming) in third place. Pick of the region’s
representatives was Tynedale’s John O’Reilly who finished in fifth place, one
place ahead of Alnwick’s Rob Andrew.
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| Credit: Stuart Whitman |
The biggest winning margin
of the day came in the M60 category with Cambuslang’s Colin Donnelly taking the
title by over two minutes with North Shields Poly’s Greg finishing in second
place ahead of Donnelly’s Scottish team-mate Colin Feechan. Sunderland’s Paul
Merrison just missed out on a medal after finishing fourth while Durham City’s
Steve Everett was next NE finisher in sixth position.
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| Credit: David Aspin |
BMAF TEAM RESULTS
M35: 1 Gateshead 96:54; 2 Tyne
Bridge 97:23; 3 North Shields Poly 98:00; 4 Sunderland 1:40:41; 5 NSP B
1:43:02; 6 Elvet Striders 1:45:12.
M45: 1 Leeds City 97:58; 2
Morpeth 1:50:51; 3 Tyne Bridge 1:50:57; 4 Salford 1:52:05; 5 Heaton 1:56:40; 6
Wallsend 1:58:05.
M55: 1 Cambuslang 1:44:38; 2
Guildford & G 1:49:19; 3 Cumbernauld 1:50:30.
M65: 1 Warrington 80:39; 2
Morpeth 89:10; 3 Tyne Bridge 1:56:41.
F35: 1 North Shields Poly
76:43; 2 Wallsend 83:12; 3 Tyne Bridge 84:27.
F45: 1 Tyne Bridge 77:28; 2
Elswick 79:52; 3 New Marske 82:05.
F55: 1 Elvet Striders 95:49; 2
Blyth 1:41:14.
F65: 1 Tyne Bridge 2:24:45.
**With all the praise received on the day for a well-organised championships,
it could well be that the event may return to Wallsend in the not-to-distant
future. So, well done to all who had an input especially hosts Heaton Harriers
and all the local technical officials, give yourself a well-deserved pat on the
back.
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| Credit: Stuart Whitman |
Full Results: https://www.nemaa.co.uk/results1/bmaf-xc-results-2023
Stuart Whitman Photos: Women & M65 Men 35-60
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