Northern Cross Country Championships.
Link to Photo gallery
The undisputed blue riband event of the weekend was the Northern Cross Country Championships held on Saturday at Blackburn’s Witton Park.
Following our good efforts in the West Yorkshire XC League (Bronze medals for Ladies team , and several individual prizes) and a good showing at the Yorkshire’s it was now time to meet and compete against the best runners from against the whole of the North of England . The only thing that could be better would be to challenge one’s self at a National level but we will have to wait for the English National XC’s at Donnington Park for that.
Saturday was Athletics/Running in in purest and most honest competitive form, a tough course, terrible weather , dedicated competitors of all ages and no t-shirt, medal or goody bag at the finish , just the knowledge of knowing where you and your team rank against your peers from across the region.
Anyway to the racing, once the various boys and girls junior races had been completed it was time for the Senior Ladies.
The Ladies race comprised of three laps with one ascent of a rather large hill, the type of which you do not find in York ! per lap, total race distance 7.7km.
As the Ladies race got underway the temperature plummeted and strong gust of wind brought in waves of stinging hailstones, to make the experience truly memorable for the lasses as they ploughed through the muddy sections.
Knavesmire’s Ladies had another excellent team performance (4 to count), improving on last year’s eighth and moving up to seventh team overall (of 40 to finish). That high up the results they were in some good company and can claim to have achieved the best ‘Senior’ team result from North Yorkshire.
Nik Vogan leading the way
Individually :
46th 0:35:46 Kirsty Vogan
75th 0:37:32 Andrea Lancaster
98th 0:38:26 Cassie Holmes
105th 0:38:53 Sarah Attwood – first four comprise the team, 358 finishers
Once the Ladies had finished churning the muddy parts of the course into a quagmire it was the Mens turn.
The Mens race comprised of four laps with TWO ascents of the rather large hill per lap, total race distance 12km (so much for equality !). Again just before the race began the sun disappeared and waves of hailstones battered the competitors early in the race.
Against a larger field with 52 teams of 6 competing the YKH Men also improved on last year with a hard earn’t 21st place, again the best of the North Yorkshire clubs.
Kim Critchley had a great run, especially as he is returning from the hamstring injury that saw him pull out of the Yorkshire’s., he may have done better than 39th if his shoe had stayed on and been easier to find in the mud !
Individually:
39th 0:47:30 Kim Critchley
125th 0:51:47 Chris Roberts
269th 0:57:29 Neil Stabbs
287th 0:58:26 Giles Hawking
307th 0:59:14 Barry Atkinson
317th 0:59:46 Richard Lowson – first six comprise the team.
349th 1:01:13 Pete Downes
365th 1:01:51 Darren Hendley
390th 1:02:33 Simon Collins
392nd 1:02:36 Danny Chan
476th 1:06:02 Philip Richardson
502th 1:07:16 Richard Tarrega
512th 1:07:35 Mark Dye -719 finishers.
Liz Matthews further adventures Down Under.
“Thoroughly enjoyed Sunday’s trail race at Walyunga National Park. Hilly, rough underfoot, and they said overnight rain had made it muddy! Aussies just don’t understand mud – there might have been a puddle, but definitely no mud!” says Liz.
York Parkrun.
28 runners from YKH
One first timer Daniel Phillis and no PB’s
No Ego Challenge Dalby Headtorch 5 mile , Dalby Forest.
Greg Reynolds completed the nocturnal race in 1:03:32.