WEST CHESHIRE Athletic Club youngsters pocketed medal performances at a shortened North West Sportshall League Finals at Kingsway Leisure Centre, Widnes.

Members in the under 11 boys and girls age groups earned silver medals in their team competitions, before the under 13 and under 15 boys and girls competition was abbreviated due to a slippery floor which caused the abandonment of most track races.

Carys Roberts, Dervla DeSouza, Emily Pawlett, Freya Johnstone, Grace Scott, Imogen Pughe, Isla Shillington, Isobelle Whittingstone, Jodie Bemand, Lara Battersby, Libby Dowling, Ruby Wisbey, Sara Pearson, Scarlett Ross, and Stephanie Jones combined to earn the under 11 girls team second position.

Ben Mustafa, Casper Armstrong, Gabriel Ford, Harley Shakespeare Wetnall, Jack Brett, Leo Hewitt, Liam Hughes, Louis Tegg, Tommy Smith, Uzezi Onomerike, and Zac Grinter combined to secure second spot in the under 11 boys team event.

TEAM RESULTS
UNDER 11 GIRLS: 1 Crewe and Nantwich 95 points; 2 West Cheshire 62; 3 Wirral 61; 4 Macclesfield 56; 5 Southport Waterloo 26.

UNDER 11 BOYS: 1 Crewe and Nantwich 84; 2 West Cheshire 67; 3 Wirral 63; 4 Halton and Frodsham 58; 5 Macclesfield 28.

Members in the under 13 and under 15 age group competitions produced a series of impressive displays.

Jac Goodall, Nathan Partington, Matthew Webb, Abigail Pawlett, Tamsin O’Keefe, Ewan Brandon, Emma Ashcroft, Anna Crayston, Tom Weaver, Dave Dentith, Harriet Alexander, Laura Mount, and Josh Ford all medalled.

Goodall won the under 15 boys shot title, while Partington claimed gold medals in the under 13 boys vertical jump and a silver medal in the standing long jump behind Webb, who also claimed a gold medal in the two-lap time trial.

Pawlett celebrated success in the under 13 girls shot and two-lap time-trial and was second in the vertical jump, while O’Keefe won the standing triple jump ahead of third placed Crayston; Ashcroft was a silver medallist in the speed bounce, and Alexander secured bronze medals in the under 15 girls standing long jump and two-lap time-trial alongside Mount.

Weaver finished second in the under 13 boys vertical jump and third in the standing long jump, while Brandon was second in both the under 15 boys standing long jump and standing triple jump.

Dentith pocketed bronze medals in the under 15 boys standing long jump and speed bounce, while Ford secured a bronze medal in the standing triple jump.

TEAM SCORES (Before track events were abandoned):

UNDER 13 GIRLS: 1 West Cheshire 175 points; 2 Crewe and Nantwich 156; 3 Macclesfield 154; 4 Wirral 136.

UNDER 13 BOYS: 1 West Cheshire 192; 2 Crewe and Nantwich 178; 3 Wirral 142; 4 Sutton St Helens 100.

UNDER 15 GIRLS: 1 Crewe and Nantwich 208; 2 Wirral 179; 3 West Cheshire 126; 4 Deeside 96; 5 Halton and Frodsham 33.

UNDER 15 BOYS: 1 West Cheshire 154; 2 Crewe and Nantwich 132; 3 Wirral 130; 4 Warrington 46.

JEROME CASTELOW headed the West Cheshire AC charge at the latest race in the Borders Road Running League Series.

The University of Chester student finished fourth in his under 20 age group and 19th overall after clocking 28 minutes 38 seconds for the five miles course at Abergele.

He was backed up by Ethan Greenland (sixth under-20 man and 29th overall in 29:18), league debutant Christy Mageean (seventh under-20 man and 32nd overall in 29:32), John Parlevliet (43rd in 29:52), David Tait (47th in 30:00), Mark Davies (63rd in 30:56), Andy Carter (ninth V45 and 64th overall in 30:58), Jack Gannon (75th in 31:37), Andrew Clague (78th in 31:52), and Ian Gloyne-Phillips (79th in 31:53), who earned their club third team position on the day.

They were supported by Dave Tiernan (sixth V50 and 84th overall in 32:00), Robert Freeman (second V60 and 85th overall in 32:00), Joe Foy (third V60 and 104th overall in 33:03), Phil Woodley (110th overall in 33:20), Rob Shellie (112th in 33:23), Bob Benson (sixth V60 and 117th overall in 33:47), Vince Hodges (19th V45 and 129th overall in 34:22), and Neil Carter (10th V50 and 132nd overall in 34:38).

Chester University student Mathew Smith completed his first-ever race, to earn 135th spot in 34:42, ahead of Richard Batterham (second V65 and 176th overall in 36:45), Phil Howe (179th in 36:54), Peter Smith (24th V50 and 212th overall in 39:28), Tony Kennedy (26th V55 and 221st in 40:06), and Brian Beattie (second V70 and 233rd overall in 42:56).

Anest Muller was the first lady for West Cheshire AC, posting 32:38 for sixth place overall, ahead of first under 20 lady Katie Clarke who was 14th lady overall in 33:35, Ellie Robinson (fifth FV40 and 21st lady in 35:27), and Lisa Davies (sixth FV40 and 24th lady in 35:35) who secured their club third team spot on the day.

The quartet was backed up by Clare Mallon (ninth FV40 and 53rd lady in 38:47), Kay Hayes (10th FV35 and 66th lady in 41:45), and Lorraine McFaul (13th FV50 and 70th lady in 42:30).

TEAM POSITIONS (after four races):

MENS DIVISION ONE: 1 Wirral 1311 points; 2 Wallasey 1558; 3 West Cheshire 2037; 4 Buckley 2216; 5 Helsby 3170; 6 Abergele 3288; 7 Chester Tri 4396.

MENS DIVISION TWO: 1 Prestatyn 1764; 2 Deestriders 1823; 3 Ellesmere Port 2580; 4 Cybi 2675; 5 Wrexham 2887; 6 Eryri 3214; 7 Wrecsam Tri 3974; 8 Tattenhall 4032; 9 Deeside 5231; 10 Birkenhead 6696.

WOMENS DIVISION ONE: 1 Chester Tri 150; 2 West Cheshire 383; 3 Buckley 451; 4 Helsby 460; 5 Wirral 462; 6 Tattenhall 477; 7 Ellesmere Port 536.

WOMENS DIVISION TWO: 1 Wallasey 332; 2 Prestatyn 337; 3 Abergele 356; 4 Cybi 486; 5 Eryri 498; 6 Deestriders 664; 7 Wrexham 1000; 8 Wrecsam Tri 1019; 9 Birkenhead and Deeside 1200.

VETERANS: 1 Wirral 932; 2 Buckley 1259; 3 Wallasey 1333; 4 Chester Tri 1587; 5 West Cheshire 1610; 6 Helsby 2379; 7 Prestatyn 2806; 8 Ellesmere Port 3119; 9 Deestriders 3139; 10 Abergele 3384; 10 Abergele 3394; 11 Wrecsam Tri 3577; 12 Cybi 3822; 13 Tattenhall 4252; 14 Eryri 4791; 15 Wrexham 4809; 16 Birkenhead 7776; 17 Deeside 8193.

FIXTURES this weekend include the Northern Cross-country Championships at Witton Park, Blackburn, on Saturday, and the Sale Harriers Indoor Open Meeting at Manchester on Sunday.

GEORGE HYDE and Sophie Percival are celebrating regional medal-winning displays.

The West Cheshire Athletic Club pair produced impressive performances at the North of England Indoor Championships held in the English Institute of Sport Arena, Sheffield.

Hyde powered his way to victory in the under 17 mens shot put event with 14.37m, just one centimetre clear of nearest rival David Todd from Chester-le-Street.

And Percival, a student at the University of Chester, pocketed a silver medal in the under 20 womens shot put final with 10.50m.

Georgia Barlow clocked a new under 20 womens 60m personal best of 8.06 seconds to finish fourth in the final, and she added 26.67 seconds for third position in her 200m heat.

James McMahon posted 8.65 seconds for fifth position in the under 20 mens 60m hurdles final, while Danielle Erskine (seventh with 4.83m) and Victoria Snook (eighth with 4.53m) competed in the womens long jump.

McMahon also clocked 7.54 seconds for fourth spot in his 60m heat, alongside club mate Zac Barnsley who was fourth in his heat with a time of 7.44 seconds, while Matthew Hunter made his West Cheshire debut with 57.56 seconds for fifth place in his heat of the mens 400.

FIVE West Cheshire youngsters have guided their county to a double success story.

Lara Battersby, Stephanie Jones, Ben Mustafa, Zak Grinter, and Uzezi Onomericke combined to represent Cheshire, who won both the under 11 girls and boys team titles at the under 11s Fun In Athletics Indoor Competition held at Sportcity, Manchester.

FINAL TEAM RESULTS

GIRLS – 1 Cheshire 485 points; 2 Greater Manchester 453; 3 Lancashire 436; 4 Merseyside 422; 5 Cumbria 414.

BOYS – 1 Cheshire 469; 2 Greater Manchester 465; 3 Merseyside 433; 4 Cumbria 425; 5 Lancashire 418.

ISAAC TAIT won the minor boys race at the Cheshire Schools Cross Country Championships held at Winsford.

Tait, representing Chester, was one of several members of West Cheshire Athletic Club in action at the Knights Grange Sports Complex where he was backed up by Chester team-mates Will Ashfield (second), Edward Woodhead (fifth), James Lanni (10th), Jack Williams (11th), Dylan Bugg (12th), Matthew Halton (20th), Eden Hamilton Davies (25th), Liam Drew (26th), Matthew Ridge (36th), and Ben Mason (51st).

Issy Clarke of West Cheshire AC, representing Chester, secured third spot in the intermediate girls race, supported by team mates Martha Owen (10th), Isobel Gelder (18th), Alice Bourne (19th), Beth McMahon (24th), Lucy Buckley (32nd), and Lauren Walker (33rd).

West Cheshire AC pair Ethan Greenland (eighth) and Christy Mageean (ninth) completed the intermediate boys race in Chester colours, backed up by team mates Jac Goodall (12th), Thomas Adkins (15th), Dave Dentith (16th), Rory Willson (17th), Alex Mason (21st), Matthew McDonnell (29th), and Charlie Weaver (30th).

Anna Crayston, of West Cheshire AC, headed the Chester charge in the junior girls race, finishing eighth, ahead of Imogen Owen (ninth), Holly Illingworth (10th), Charlotte Walker (12th), Izzy Lally (24th), Lily Moorhouse (29th), Nina Walker (33rd), Mimi Jayaram (35th), Chloe Fahny (39th), and Freya Morris (43rd).

Sonny Dean also of West Cheshire AC, represented Halton in the junior boys race and finished fourth, ahead of the first Chester finisher, Sion Roberts (10th), Jack Dodd of Ellesmere Port(11th), and Charlie Potts of Halton(32nd).

Other Chester finishers included Ben Grinter (34th), Matthew Douglass (43rd), Will Hopkins (44th), Dillon Moore (54th), Luke Carlile (55th), Johnny Rawcliffe (60th), Cameron Rennie of Ellesmere Port (61st) and Stan Simm (65th), and Chester duo Paul Studley (63rd) and Owen Humber (66th).

Katie Clarke was the only Chester representative in the senior girls race and rounded the course in sixth position. Cameron Weaver was the only Chester senior boy runner, finishing second.

Anna Harris (12th), Ella Dimbylow (15th), Holly Lindberg (23rd), Lowry Huxley (27th), Lizzie Clarke (29th), Holly Lee (30th), Lucy McBurney (31st), Catrin Williams (34th), Lily Kennigham (40th), Kitty Long (41st) and Rebecca Davies (43rd) combined for Chester in the minor girls race.

ANDY CARTER was the first West Cheshire AC finisher at the popular Four Villages Half Marathon at Helsby.

Carter finished 13th in his over 45 age group and 71st overall with a time of one hour 23 minutes 51 seconds at the event, which atttacted 2,000 competitors.

He was joined at the fixture by clubmates Graham Wells (17th M40 and 84th overall in 1:24:35), Rob Little (94th in 1:25:27), Bob Freeman (second V60 in 1:30:26), Andy Starkey (30th M50 in 1:33:49), Steve Hillier (350th in 1:36:57), Neil Carter (41st M50 in 1:37:28), Ben McKean (389th in 1:38:17), Vince Hodges (61st M45 in 1:39:53), Richard Batterham (fifth V65 in 1:41:49), Tony Kennedy (787th in 1:50:09), Clare Mallon (807th in 1:50:42), Peter Smith (840th in 1:51:24), Sharon Eaton (21st FV45 in 1:52:18), Mark Povey (1,063rd in 1:56:53), Brian Beattie (second V70 in 1:58:13), and Lorrie McFaul (35th FV50 in 2:04:35).

FIXTURES this weekend include the latest round of the Borders Road Running League, which takes place at Abergele (11am start), and West Cheshire AC will be represented by six teams on Sunday at the North West Sportshall Athletics League Finals at Kingsway Leisure Centre, Widnes, (10am start for under 11s, and 2pm start for under 13s and 15s).

50 tickets for, plus coach transport to, the Olympic Trials/ British Championships at Alexander Stadium, Birmingham, on Saturday, June 25, are available for £14 each on a first come first served basis to WCAC members and their families. Please fill in the slip at the bottom of this letter: https://www.westcheshireac.co.uk/docs/load.php?id=2134 and return it to Dennis Wall with payment.

JAMIE RICHARDSON was crowned a county champion at Reaseheath. The West Cheshire AC youngster won the under 11 boys title at the Cheshire County Cross Country Championships staged on a testing course near Nantwich.

Richardson clocked nine minutes two seconds to win the race and was backed up by clubmates Henry Robinson (third in 9:05) and Zak Dean (sixth in 9:21) to help secure West Cheshire AC the under 11 boys team title. The trio were supported by Charlie McMullan (seventh in 9:21), Dan Willetts (18th in 10:03), Kitt Baker (20th in 10:09), and Louis Tegg (29th in 10:43).

Sisters Katie and Issy Clarke, of West Cheshire, secured medals in their respective races. Katie posted 17:53 for second place in the under 17 ladies event, and Issy clocked 13:38 for third position in the under 15 girls race, ahead of Beth McMahon (19th in 15:36) and Lily Moorhouse (24th in 17:15).

Sonny Dean (eighth in 16:16), Sion Roberts (10th in 16:26), and Jac Goodall (11th in 16:45) combined to earn West Cheshire third spot in the under 15 boys team race, ahead of Dave Dentith (12th in 16:54), Alex Mason (13th in 17:08), Jack Dodd (23rd in 18:10), Rory Willson (25th in 18:30), Patrick Tait (33rd in 20:04), and Oliver Dandy (35th in 20:30).

Isaac Tait (seventh in 9:54), Harvey Tegg (ninth in 10:02) and William Wright (11th in 10:16) teamed up for the West Cheshire under 13 boys who were third in the team event, and were supported by Dylan Bugg (15th in 10:21), Ethan Butler (16th in 10:26), Charlie Potts (21st in 10:40), Matthew Douglass (35th in 11:36), and Liam Farrell (36th in 11:39).

Anna Crayston (fourth in 10:39), Lucia Pyne (fifth in 10:48), and Molly Jones (23rd in 12:13) secured West Cheshire fourth team position, and were backed up by Abigail Cartwright (26th in 12:36), Lucy Baxter (29th in 12:58), and Mimi Jayaram (33rd in 13:25).

Imogen Pughe (sixth in 10:03), Carys Roberts (ninth in 10:19), and Lara Battersby (15th in 10:54) combined for West Cheshire in the under 11 girls race and finished fourth team, supported by Martha Willetts (21st in 11:14), Scarlett Ross (23rd in 11:19), Stephanie Jones (27th in 11:30), and Nina Willson (45th in 14:43).

Ellie Robinson (30:32), Lisa Davies (31:22) and Anne Marie Tait (35:24) earned West Cheshire seventh place in the veteran womens team event and 10th spot in the senior womens team competition.

Mark Davies (sixth V35 in 39:06) headed the West Cheshire charge in the mens race, ahead of Dave Tiernan (fourth V50 in 41:20), John Parlevliet (12th V35 in 41:36), Andrew Carter (20th V45 in 42:48), Bob Benson (fourth V60 in 44:48), and Julian Tegg (19th V40 in 45:02) to earn the club eighth spot in the veterans team event and 12th place in the senior mens competition.

Ethan Greenland (ninth in 21:00) and Harri Britton (14th in 27:06) represented West Cheshire in the under 17 mens race, and Ellen McMahon completed the under 20 womens race in ninth spot with 29:05.

SEVEN West Cheshire youngsters have been selected to represent Cheshire this weekend.

Lara Battersby, Stephanie Jones, Izzy Whittlestone, Gabriel Ford, Ben Mustafa, Zak Grinter, and Uzezi Onomericke have all been named in the county squad for the under 11s Fun In Athletics Indoor Competition being held on Saturday at Sportcity, Manchester.

WEST CHESHIRE AC will be represented in all six age groups at the North West Sportshall Athletics League Finals this month.

Under 11, under 13, and under 15 boys and girls teams from the club will compete at the Kingsway Leisure Centre, Widnes, on Sunday, January 24.

West Cheshire AC are preparing for the finals with training sessions being held from 10am every Saturday at Ellesmere Port Sports Village.

FIXTURES this weekend include the Cheshire Schools Cross-country Championships at Knights Grange Sports Complex, Winsford, this Saturday.

The full timetable is: 10am – Senior Girls and Boys (Sixth form); 10.30am – Minor Girls (Year Seven); 10.45am – Minor Boys (Year Seven); 11am – Junior Girls (Years 8 and 9); 11.15am – Junior Boys (Years 8 and 9); 11.35am – Intermediate Girls (Years 10 and 11); 11.55am – Intermediate Boys – Years 10 and 11).

The latest round of the Manchester Area Cross Country League takes place at Heaton Park, Manchester, on Saturday, and the next round of the North Wales Cross Country League will be held at Baschurch, Shrewsbury, on Saturday.

The Four Villages Half Marathon at Helsby is being held at Helsby on Sunday.

Please fill in and return to Dennis Wall the form found here: https://www.westcheshireac.co.uk/docs/load.php?id=2130.

ISSY CLARKE warmed up for the Cheshire County Cross Country Championships this Saturday at Reaseheath College, Nantwich, with a top-three finish at the Delamere 5km parkrun.

The West Cheshire AC middle distance runner posted 21 minutes 42 seconds for third place in the ladies race at Delamere Forest. Clarke, who will compete in the under 15 girls race over a 3.5km course at Reaseheath, will be focusing her sights on a medal performance after winning the Marie Birkenhead One Mile Race title last year at Longford Park Stadium, Trafford.

Clarke will be supported at Reaseheath by team mates Beth McMahon and Lily Moorhouse.

Ethan Greenland boosted his confidence in preparation for the under 17 mens race this Saturday, posting 18:28 for sixth spot at Delamere Forest, just 27 seconds adrift of his personal best. Greenland will be joined on the Reaseheath starting line by club mates Christy Mageean, who won a recent Delamere parkrun, and by Harri Britton, who clocked 25:17 for 93rd spot at the weekend.

Mimi Jayaram prepared for her appearance at Reaseheath by finishing eighth lady at Delamere with a time of 23:54, while West Cheshire AC duo Abigail Cartwright and Imogen Pughe prepared by competing in the Ellesmere Port parkrun at Whitby Park. Cartwright clocked 27:40 for third position in the ladies race, while Pughe posted 29:40 for sixth spot.

Cartwright and Jayaram will receive back up at Reaseheath in the under 13 girls race from Lucy Baxter, Anna Crayston, Hollie Jones, Molly Jones, Emily Misantoni and Lucia Pyne, and Pughe will be joined in the under 11 girls race by Lara Battersby, Stephanie Jones, Carys Roberts, Scarlett Ross, Martha Willetts and Nina Willson.

West Cheshire AC will also be aiming to secure team titles in the under 11 boys, under 13 boys, under 15 boys, mens and ladies events. Kitt Baker, Zak Dean, Fergus Garland, Charlie McMullan, Jamie Richardson, Henry Robinson, Louis Tegg and Dan Willetts will combined in the under 11 boys age group.

Dylan Bugg, Ethan Butler, Matthew Douglass, Liam Farrell, Charlie Potts, Isaac Tait, Harvey Tegg and William Wright will team up in the under 13 boys event.

Sonny Dean, David Dentith Jack Dodd, Jac Goodall, Alex Mason, Sion Roberts, Patrick Tait, and Rory Willson will battle it out in the under 15 boys race.

Lisa Davies, Ellie Robinson and Anne-Marie Tait join forces in the ladies event, while Bob Benson, Andrew Carter, Mark Davies, Charlie Johnson, John Parlevliet, Peter Smith, David Tait, Julian Tegg, Dave Tiernan and George Dewhirst will compete in the mens race.

Katie Clarke and Ellen McMahon will represent West Cheshire in the under 17 and under 20 womens age groups respectively.

The full timetable for the Cheshire Championships is:

11:30am Under 11 boys and girls (2.3km);
11:50am Under 13 boys and girls (3.3km);
12:10pm Under 15 girls (3.5km);
12:35pm Under 15 boys and Under 17 Ladies (4.4km);
1:00pm Under 17 men and Under 20 ladies (6.3km);
1:40pm Under 20 men and Senior Ladies (7.7km);
2.30pm Senior Men (11km).

WEST CHESHIRE AC members in action at Delamere on Saturday also included Antony Woodall (26th in 20:54), Steve Hillier (37th in 21:59), Charlie Clarke (72nd in 24:19), Peter Smith (76th in 24:31), and Kay Hayes (26th lady in 26:57), while Bob Freeman was fourth at the Ellesmere Port 5km parkrun in 21:44.

OTHER fixtures this weekend include the England and Northern Indoor Combined Events Championships for Under 20s and Seniors at Sheffield on Saturday and Sunday; and the Sale Harriers Indoor Open Track and Field Meeting at Sportcity, Manchester, takes place on Sunday, (10.30am start).

John Driscoll has compiled times by WCAC senior athletes over distance races on road and track, and in parkruns, in 2015. For details, see the bottom of the Road Running – Best Times page https://www.westcheshireac.co.uk/roadracing/roadperform