Press report: Spring is around the corner
WEST CHESHIRE Athletic Club is putting the final touches to next week’s Essar Chester Spring Five Miles Road Race.
The event, staged on a flat and fast course, has always proved popular with local runners wanting to gauge their training for this month’s London Marathon, or May’s Chester Half Marathon.
This year’s event is being held on Wednesday, April 12, from Cheshire County Sports Club, Upton-By-Chester, with a 7pm start.
Runners who haven’t yet entered the fixture are being urged to do so quickly with the race limit of 500 nearly being reached earlier this week and nobody being allowed to enter on the night of the race.
Entries are currently being accepted online at: http://wcac.niftyentries.com/Essar-Chester-Spring-5
Prizes are on offer for the first five male and first three female finishers, as well as an extensive list of awards in various age group categories and there will be men’s and ladies’ UK Athletics affiliated club team prizes.
Runners at the head of the race will be aiming to match or better the current mens’, ladies’ and veterans’ course records set by Peter Riley (23:23), Jenny Clague (27:18) and Mike Girvan (24:29) respectively.
ROSEMARY ROGERS celebrated success at the Liverpool Half Marathon.
The West Cheshire AC distance runner won her over 60 age group category prize after clocking one hour 50 minutes 34 seconds. Keely Smith finished eighth lady with a time of 1:29:52, ahead of Steve Hillier (1:34:03), Clare Mallon (18th over 40 lady in a new personal best of 1:46:26), and Mark Povey (1:57:32) who was still recovering from an illness.
ALEX STANIFORTH of West Cheshire AC finished fourth at the Buttermere 10 Mile Trail Race.
NEARLY 200 members participated in the West Cheshire AC Pre-Season Track and Field Trials at Ellesmere Port Sports Village.
The event was held in two parts, with the majority of track races accompanying shot put trials last Thursday night, before field events and sprint hurdles took centre stage on Saturday morning.
SARA PEARSON (11.67 seconds and 2:07.88) and Ingrid Tait (14.12 and 2:33.10) posted new under 11 girls 75m and 600m personal bests at the Trafford Open Meeting.
Pearson also added a new long jump best of 3.43m, while Anna Crayston won the under 15 girls long jump with 4.92m and clocked 13.80 seconds in her 100m. Isaac Tait clocked 14.56 seconds and 2:28.18 in his under 15 boys 100m and 800m respectively.
CHRIS PALMER was first home for West Cheshire AC at the opening race in the Wirral Seaside 5k Series.
Palmer clocked 18:26 for 17th position at Leasowe, ahead of Trevor Holmes (23rd in 19:14), and first over 60 lady Rosemary Rogers (24:39). The next race in the series will take place at Leasowe on Wednesday, April 26 (7pm).
WEST CHESHIRE AC will start their track and field league season on Sunday, April 22, at Preston, in the first round of the under 13 and under 15 Youth Development League Premier Division One, and other rounds will be held at Leeds on Saturday, May 20; at Sport City, Manchester, on Sunday, June 18; and at Preston on Saturday, July 15.
The club’s under 17 and under 20 Youth Development League squad start their campaign at Wigan on Sunday, April 30, before competing at Crewe on Sunday, May 28; Bolton on Sunday, June 25; and at Whitehaven on Sunday, July 23.
West Cheshire AC’s Northern League Division One squad will kick off their season at York on Saturday, May 6; before hosting the second round at Ellesmere Port on Sunday, June 4; travelling to Wigan on Sunday, July 9; and then going to Rotherham on Saturday, August 5.
And West Cheshire AC will host the opening round of the Cheshire League at Ellesmere Port on Sunday, May 7; before travelling to Eccles on Saturday, July 2; going to Warrington on Sunday, July 30; and hosting round four in Ellesmere Port on Sunday, September 3.
ENTRIES are now being taken for the Cheshire County AA Track and Field Championships being held at Warrington, on Saturday and Sunday, May 14 and 15.
The closing date for online entries is May 6, and further details can be obtained online at: www.cheshireaa.com .
FIXTURES this weekend include the sixth round of the Borders Road Running League at New Brighton, on Sunday (11am start), and a Wirral AC Open Medal Track and Field Meeting at Bebington Oval (11.30am start).
