NORTHERN XC CHAMPIONSHIPS, KNOWSLEY SAFARI PARK 25th January 2014
Well of the original 19WRR runners who were entered for the event, we ended up with just 9 runners on the day, six men and three ladies, so one men’s team but unfortunately one short of a full no ladies team.
The weather was mild 12 deg C and sunny when we arrived, but things were about to change – in this country it’s either raining or it’s about to rain!!
I got the numbers and chips then Tracey and I went to the tent area to find the rest of them and wandered all over the area in the pouring rain getting soaked but they were nowhere to be seen, then Tracey suggested we look round the back of the last tent near the ditch and there was the WRR tent, thankfully already up!
It didn’t stay up for long though - the gale-force gusting wind battered it and blew it away into the ditch!!
We managed to retrieve it and thankfully there were just enough tent pegs left to get it back up and hold it there!!
The warm up round the course set the scene – it was going to be very tough running -the mud was very deep and there was no let-up – not much grass at all – nothing like the photo below!
Point H on the Map stands for ‘Hill’ where there is a trig point so it must be very high up!
Steve Myerscough led the men’s squad home with John Collier second, running slightly quicker than last year followed by Captain John Bertenshaw third home in and identical time to last year – to the exact second (66:36 last year and 66:36 this year)!! Dave Waywell was next home in 4th followed by Chris Moss with Chairman Graham Vickers closing the 6-man team.
In the Ladies race Kath Hoyer had the better of team mates Jenn Thompson and Tracey Hulme this time with a first back for WRR, Kath was closely followed by Jenn and Tracey – good packing Ladies
The course – or what it looked like under the mud
Our furry friends were wishing the rain would stop
-last year’s snow was much nicer, wasn’t it?
How memories fade!
The Ladies Squad in Action
The Men’s Squad in Action (less Chairman Graham)
Photo’s courtesy of Dave Wood, Blackpool, Wyre and Fylde AC
Results Summary
Men [Approx. 12k (7.25 miles by GPS)]:-
Winner: -Daniel Garbutt, Durham City harriers & AC, 41:17
356thSteve, 57:07
395th John C, 59:03;
518th John B, 1:06:36
565th Dave, 70:09
575th Chris, 71:29
595thGraham, 76:16
58th Team
Ladies [Approx. 8k(4.9 miles by GPS)]:-
Winner:-Katie Walshaw, Holmfirth Harriers, 30:22
158th Kath, 42:33
165th Jenn, 43:03
179th Tracey, 44:30
Well done everyone!
Next Fixture – Mid-Lancs XC at Witton Park, Blackburn Saturday8th February, everyone’s welcome - let’s have a good turnout!
John Bertenshaw,
WRR Men’s XC Captain.