Press Report: Gold in Guilden Sutton for WCAC

WEST CHESHIRE ATHLETIC CLUB capitalised on home advantage on Sunday.

The purple and gold vested outfit won the men’s team prize at the Guilden Sutton 10k Road Race organised by the club.

Lewis Morris (first under 20 man and second overall in 32 minutes 55 seconds), Matthew Douglass (third in 33:30), Michael Young (fourth in 33:38), and Steve King (first over 50 man and ninth overall in 36:05) combined for the team victory.

Joy Hickman knocked 26 seconds of her June 2025 time to improve her club record for 10k to 44:45, and the time is also a new over-60 age group record time for the Guilden Sutton 10k, slicing more than two minutes off the previous time set in 2011.

Wullie McGarrell and Jeff Gifford were first and second in the over-60 men’s age group with times of 39:01 and 40:49 respectively.

Steve Fernyhough was second over-45 man in 36:55, while Rob Little clocked 38:39 for third place in his over-45 age category.

Andrew Clague was sixth in his over-55 age group with 41:13, while Paul Cain finished eighth in his over-55 age group with 43:35.

Joseph Boden (Wallasey AC) won the race in 31:52, and Fay Hughes (Wirral AC) won the women’s race in 36:36.

LUCAS SAWYER (8:54) and Abby Gamble (10:33) were first boy and first girl in the 1.5 miles Guilden Sutton Fun Run.

ARWEN THORNE represented Merseyside in the Intermediate Women’s heptathlon at the English Schools Combined Events Championships at Chelmsford, Essex, and finished 15th with 3,964 points.

Arwen posted 12.91 seconds in the 80m hurdles, high jumped 1-56m, hit 10.75m in the shot, clocked 29.05 seconds in the 800m, long jumped 4.60m, launched the javelin 36.26m, and rounded the 800m in 2:55.31.

LEWIS MORRIS, Dan Walker and Ben Newall teamed up for ninth spot with a time of 28:48 in the under 17 men’s race at the Northern Road Relay Championships held in Saturday’s challenging weather conditions at Leigh Sports Village.

Eleanor Wheeler, Emilia Pyper and Sophie Mulcaster combined for 16th place with a time of 36:12 in the under 17 women’s event.

Nia Manson, Margaux Schmidlin, and Lauren Higgins teamed up for 30th spot in the under 15 girls race with a time of 11:44.

The quartet of Claire Harris, Emma Nutt, Anest Muller and Joy Hickman teamed up to clock 1:50:51 for 42nd position in the Senior Women’s race.

FIXTURES this weekend include the North Staffs Cross Country League first round at Betley Court Farm, near Crewe, on Saturday; the Final Fling Competition at Wrexham, on Saturday and Sunday; a Trafford AC Open Medal Meeting on Sunday; and the Borders Road Running League first round at Tattenhall, on Sunday (11am start).

A RECORD 51 West Cheshire AC members are entered for this season’s North Wales Cross-country League, beginning on Saturday, October 4, at St. Asaph.

The first fixture is a new venue at Llanerch Hall, St. Asaph, LL170BD, situated between Denbigh and St. Asaph, just off the A525.

Other fixtures for the season are: Saturday, October 25 at Eirias Park, Colwyn Bay, LL29 7SP; Saturday, November 22, at Bala, LL23 7NG; Saturday, January 31, at Shrewsbury, SY4 3AP; Saturday, February 14, at Marches School, Oswestry, SY11 2AP.

The race order is: Under 15 Boys (10-30am start), followed by: U13 Boys/U15 Girls; U11 Boys/U13 Girls; U11 Girls.

In the afternoon the races are: 1pm – U17 Men/Women-U17 through to 80+/M65+; 2pm – U20 Men through to M64. 

WEST CHESHIRE AC will be competing in this season’s North West Sportshall Athletics League catering for under 11s, under 13s, and under 15s. Fixtures are scheduled to be held on Sundays, October 5, November 2, November 30, and January 18.

FIXTURES for this season’s Borders Road Running League are: 28th September, Tattenhall (hosted by Chester Tri); 16th November, Delamere (West Cheshire AC); 7th December, Trac Mon, Anglesey (Cybi); 1st February, TBC (Pensby); 1st March, Wallasey; 22nd March, Promenade (Wirral AC); 6th May, Prestatyn, Relays.

THE dates for the four-round West Cheshire AC Schools Cross Country Race Series being held on the EPSV field (behind the leisure centre), this winter are: Saturdays, October 18, November 29, January 31, and March 7.

THIS winter’s Manchester Indoor Track and Field Open Meetings will be held on Sundays, 30 November 2025; 21 December 2025; 18 January 2026; 8 February 2026; 22 February 2026; 15 March 2026.

THE Northern Indoor Track and Field Championships for 2026 will take place at EIS Sheffield on the following dates:

Seniors, Under 20 and Under 17 on Saturday and Sunday, January 10 and 11, while the Under 15 and Under 13 fixture will be held on Sunday February 1.

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