Press Report: Young leads Charge at Borders

by Dennis Wall

MICHAEL YOUNG headed West Cheshire Athletic Club’s charge on Sunday at the opening round of the Borders Road Running League.

Michael finished seventh overall and first over-35 man in 26 minutes 15 seconds for the 7.9km Norton Priory course and was backed up by team mates Graham Wells (first over-50 man in 27:44), Steve Fernyhough (44th in 28:46), Matthew Douglass (49th in 28:56), Wullie McGarrell (first over 60 man in 29:14), Chris Shaw (fourth over-45 man in 29:47), Dave Shearer (70th in 30:01), Tom Molloy (83rd in 30:28), Jeff Gifford (second over-60 man in 31:21), Fraser Campbell (95th in 31:25), Andrew Clague (first over-55 man in 31:26), Paul Morrison (98th in 31:28), Rob Little (127th in 32:22), Richard Hayes (142nd in 33:08), Ian Pritchard (210th in 36:51), Steve Hillier (211th in 36:55), Andy Carter (234th in 38:35), and Dave Tiernan (286th in 48:28).

Keely Smith was West Cheshire AC’s first lady, clocking 31:18 for second over-40 female and eighth lady overall, followed by Emilia Pyper (25th in 33:25), Emma Nutt (26th in 33:30), Anest Muller (42nd in 36:08), Amanda Newall (53rd in 37:01), Joy Hickman (59th in 38:00), Deb Bemand (74th in 39:02), and Clare Mallon (78th in 39:47).

LEAGUE TABLES

MEN’S DIVISION ONE: 1 Helsby 422 points; 2 Buckley 488; 3 Chester Tri 543; 4 Wallasey 575; 5 West Cheshire 585; 6 Wrexham 586; 7 Deeside 595.

WOMEN’S DIVISION ONE: 1 Deeside 173; 2 Helsby 176; 3 Pensby 181; 4 Wallasey 192; 5 West Cheshire 213; 6 UTS 219; 7 Buckley 292.

MEN’S DIVISION TWO: 1 Ellesmere Port 387; 2 Wirral 407; 3 Cybi 487; 4 Eryri 533; 5 Prestatyn 538; 6 UTS 627; 7 Pensby 1110; 8 Deestriders 1123; 9 Wrecsam Tri 1313; 10 Birkenhead 1449; 11 Tattenhall 2684.

WOMEN’S DIVISION TWO: 1 Ellesmere Port 101; 2 Chester Tri 148; 3 Wrexham 153; 4 Eryri 173; 5 Prestatyn 212; 6 Deestriders 279; 7 Tattenhall 352; 8 Wirral 413; 9 Birkenhead 470; 10 Wrecsam Tri 507; 11 Cybi 639.

The next round will be held on Sunday, November 3, at Tattenhall.

ARWEN THORNE represented West Cheshire AC at Stockport in the Trafford AC Classic Combined Events Competition and finished second with 2,524 points.

Arwen posted 12.63 seconds in her 75m hurdles, hit 9.71m in the shot put, cleared 1-48m in the high jump, long jumped 4.56m, and clocked 2:59.87 in the 800m.

Poppy McKenna finished sixth in the under 13 girls pentathlon with 1,867 points after clocking 12.62 seconds in the 70m hurdles, hitting 5.31m in the shot put, clearing 1-24m in the high jump, long jumping 3.64m, and posting 2:42.01 in the 800m.

And Mollie Garratt was 12th with 1,768 points after clocking 11.74 seconds in the 70m hurdles, hitting 7.09m in the shot put, clearing 1-18m in the high jump, long jumping 3.94m, and rounding the 800m in 3:14.02.

SHARON STOLL celebrated success at the Final Fling Competition held at Wrexham’s Queensway Stadium.

Sharon won the hammer with 25m, spun the discus 14.80m, and hit 5.84m in the shot put, while her daughter, Kara, posted a new 3k hammer personal best of 49.52m, and Debra Erskine was second in her age group.

Other West Cheshire AC members in action at Wrexham included Dun Xue and Sidney Shorrock.

SEVERAL West Cheshire AC members achieved podium positions at the Wirral AC End of Season Open Meeting.

Violet Thorne grabbed glory in the under 13 girls shot put with a new personal best of 7.76m and nailed a new javelin best of 19.35m for second spot, while her elder sister, Arwen, won the under 15 girls javelin with 28m and hit a personal best of 8.37m in the shot put.

Lewis Morris won the under 17 men’s Mile in a time of 4:55.1 and Cosette Wearden won the under 17 women’s Mile in 5:33.7, while Abby Gamble won the under 11 girls turbo javelin, posted 2:08.4 in the 600m, and long jumped 2.80m.

Emilia Pyper (5:50.9) and Eleanor Wheeler (6:13.3) finished second and third respectively with personal best times in the under 15 girls 1500m.

Poppy McKenna finished second in the under 13 girls long jump with 3.58m, hit a new shot put best of 5.15m, and clocked 12.0 seconds in the 75m.

Heidi Anstey pocketed a silver medal in the under 11 girls 75m (12.1 seconds) and long jumped 2.77m, while Merryn Thorne long jumped 2.88m and posted 13.8 seconds in the under 11 girls 75m.

NEIL HERSHAW, Andrew Clague and Colin Hunt scored age group victories at Arrowe Park in the final round of the Wirral Multi Terrain League.

Neil won the over 60 age group category in 28:11, while Andrew won the over 55 age group in 29:29, and Colin was first in the over 70 age group with 42:12.

Other West Cheshire AC finishers included Sam Oliver (second under 20 man in 25:28), Bradley Spurdens (10th under 30 man in 27:52), Jeff Gifford (second over-60 man in 29:26), Richard Hayes (fifth over-50 man in 29:42), Andy Manson (fifth over-45 man in 29:46), Ian Pritchard (seventh over-55 man in 34:36), Julian Tegg (11th over-50 man in 35:04), Andy Carter (14th over-50 man in 35:37), Angela Tegg (seventh over-50 lady in 38:07), Richard Hunt (18th over-50 man in 38:10), and Alex Duffey (ninth over-50 lady in 41:43).

THE West Cheshire AC Celebration and Awards Evening will be held at 7pm on Friday, October 18, at Cheshire View, Plough Lane, Christleton, and the special guest is Lewis Davey who recently returned from the Olympic Games in Paris where he medalled in the 4 x 400m relay.

Tickets for the evening are limited and will be sold on a first come basis. Ticket prices are £10 for an adult (Over 18), £5 for Under 18s and £25 for a family ticket (2 Adults and 2 Under 18s). 

To purchase tickets click on this link: https://wcac.niftyentries.com/West-Cheshire-AC-Celebration-Evening-October-2024

FIXTURES this weekend include the first round of the West Cheshire AC Schools Cross Country Race Series on Saturday at Ellesmere Port Sports Village (10am start); the opening round of the North Wales Cross Country League at Eirias Park, Colwyn Bay on Saturday; and the Chester Marathon and Metric Marathon on Sunday.

DATES and venues for this season’s Borders Road Running League are: November 3 at Tattenhall; December 8 at Cybi Striders; January 26 at Deestriders; March 16 at Ellesmere Port; April 6 at Buckley Runners; May 7 at either Prestatyn, Chester Tri, or West Cheshire (Presentation Evening).

All races are on Sundays and start at 11am except for the final race which is on a Wednesday evening with a 7pm start and is a relay event.

THIS winter’s Sale Harriers Manchester Indoor Open Meetings will be held at the Regional Athletics Centre, Sportcity, Manchester. M11 4FF, on the following Sundays, 8th December; 22nd December; 12th January; 2nd February; 16th February; and 9th March.

FORTHCOMING fixtures include the opening round of the Manchester Area Cross Country League at Heaton Park, on Saturday, October 12; the North Staffs Cross Country League second round at Stafford Common on Saturday, October 12; and the North Wales Cross Country League second round at Ysgol Morgan Llwyd, Wrexham, on Saturday, October 19.

FURTHER details about West Cheshire Athletic Club can be found at: www.westcheshireac.co.uk