Press Report: Busy weekend of cross-country

ATHLETICS
by Dennis Wall

A TOTAL of 18 West Cheshire Athletic Club youngsters will represent their county this weekend in the West Midlands.

The juniors will join forces for Cheshire on Saturday in the annual Dave Sunderland Cup Inter-Counties Schools Cross Country Competition against Cumbria, Hereford and Worcester, Leicestershire, Shropshire, Staffordshire, Surrey, Warwickshire, and hosts, the West Midlands, at Himley Hall, Dudley.

Felicity Snowden, Saskia Keresturova, Alice Roberts-Page, and Mollie Cooke will line up for the year seven minor girls 2.7 km race scheduled to start at 1.30pm.

Jack Arnold will be in action at 1.50pm in the year seven minor boys 2.7 km event.

Nia Manson, Poppy McKenna, Amelia Snowden, Sophie Baker and Rosie Grimsditch will team up in the year eight and nine junior girls 3.2 km race at 2.10pm.

Leon Betteridge will be in action at 2.30pm in the year eight and nine junior boys 3.2 km event.

Emilia Pyper, Eleanor Wheeler, Harriet Beattie, and Sophie Mulcaster will combine in the year 10 and 11 intermediate girls 3.8 km race at 2.50pm.

And the trio of Dylan Gledhill, Louis Grimes and George Grimsditch will be in action at 3.20pm in the year 10 and 11 intermediate boys 4 km race.

Other fixtures this weekend include the Manchester Cross Country League and UK Cross Challenge races, at Sefton Park, Liverpool, on Saturday; the North Wales Junior and Senior Cross Country League, at Bala (Car parking is at the Green, LL23 7NG), on Saturday; the North Staffs Cross Country League, at Park Hall, Longton, on Saturday; and the Northern Indoor Track and Field Open Meeting, at Sheffield on Saturday.

FORTHCOMING fixtures include: Saturday, 29 November – West Cheshire AC Schools Cross Country Race Series Round Two, at Ellesmere Port Sports Village; Sunday, 30 November – North West Sportshall League Round Two, at Crewe Lifestyle Centre.

THE Cheshire County Cross Country Championships will be held at Kelsall Equestrian Centre, on Saturday, January 3, while the Northern Cross Country Championships, will be held at Pontefract, on Saturday, January 24; and the English National Cross Country Championships, will be held at Sedgefield, on Saturday, February 21.

THE Cheshire Schools Cross Country Championships will be held on Saturday, February 7, at Knights Grange, Winsford.

THE North Wales Cross Country Championships will be held at the Treborth Track, Bangor, on Saturday, January 10. Entries can be made via the following link: https://www.entrycentral.com/NorthWalesCCChamps

WEST CHESHIRE AC coaches will be delivering Sportshall Athletics in the Ellesmere Port Sports Village Sportshall between 6-8pm on Fridays, with the aim of helping youngsters prepare for the North West Sportshall Athletics League and Schools Sportshall Athletics fixtures early next year. Please come along and support the sessions.

ENTRIES are now being accepted for the Northern Senior, Under 20 and Under 17 Indoor Track and Field Championships taking place at Sheffield on January 10 and 11, as well as the Northern Under 15 and Under 13 Indoor Track and Field Championships taking place at Sheffield on Sunday, February 1. The online entry link is: northernathletics.co.uk/events/

FIXTURES for this season’s Borders Road Running League are: 7th December, Trac Mon, Anglesey (Cybi); 1st February, TBC (Pensby); 1st March, Wallasey; 22nd March, Promenade (Wirral AC); 6th May, Prestatyn, Relays.

THIS winter’s Sale Harriers Manchester Indoor Track and Field Open Meetings will be held at the Regional Athletics Centre, Sportcity, Manchester. M11 4FF, on the following Sundays, November 30; December 21; January 18; February 8; February 22; and March 15. The online entry link is: https://www.saleharriersmanchester.com/winter-indoor-series/

ENGLAND ATHLETICS have announced the dates and details for the 2026 Indoor Championships:

17-18 January: The Under 20 and Senior Combined Events and Senior Para Championships (including Race Walking Championships and British Milers Club on 18 January. Entries open on Roster on 10 November, closing on 17 December.

7-8 February: England Age Group Championships. Entries open on Roster on 15 December, closing on 18 January.
7-8 March: England Age Group Combined Events and Junior Para Championships. Entries open on Roster on 2 February, closing on 22 February.

WEST CHESHIRE AC members are invited to attend the Club AGM, which is taking place at the Ellesmere Port Sports Village Trackside Room on Tuesday, November 25, (8:15pm start).

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