Press Report: Busy Weekend of Cross-country

ATHLETICS

NIALL BETTERIDGE celebrated success in the under 11 boys race at Bala in the second round of the North Wales Cross Country League.

The West Cheshire Athletic Club youngster won his race in a time of 10 minutes 31 seconds and was backed up by Toby Honeyborne-Kelly (13th in 12:28), and James Thomas (22nd in 14:05).

Evelyn Edwards (fourth in 7:48) and Ivy Bowden (ninth in 8:36) completed the under 11 girls event, and Heidi Wetherall finished seventh with a time of 13:48 in the under 13 girls race.

Rose Sheppard rounded the under 15 girls race for fifth spot in 16:59, while Morgan Edwards (eighth in 15:24), Finley Edwards (13th in 17:12), and Atharva Ganesh (14th in 17:13) combined in the under 13 boys race.

Jeff Gifford was second in his over 60 age group and 72nd overall with a time of 40:25 in the senior men’s race, ahead of Andrew Clague (fifth over 55 and 81st overall in 41:48).

Anest Muller (39th in 27:19), Ellie Robinson (48th in 27:58), Joy Hickman (62nd in 29:12), and Deb Bemand (88th in 32:34) teamed up in the senior women’s event.

LEWIS MORRIS produced an impressive sixth-placed finish with a time of 14:05 in the under 17 men’s race at the UK Cross Challenge fixture held at Sefton Park, Liverpool.

Lucas Sawyer achieved eighth spot in the under 13 boys race with a time of 10:51, while Abby Gamble (15th in 8:00), Heidi Anstey (54th in 8:44), and Arianwen Setters (88th in 9:10) combined in the under 11 girls event.

Jodi Bemand rounded the under 20 women’s race in 62nd spot with a time of 23:56, while Margaux Schmidlin (78th in 12:56) completed the under 15 girls race.

Max Molloy (84th in 8:08) and Arthur Jones (98th in 8:11) teamed up in the under 11 boys race, while Claire Harris (99th in 34:19) and Julie Douzant (111th in 35:06) rounded the senior women’s course, and Florence Hain (110th in 14:06) completed the under 13 girls race.

Paul Morrison (248th in 31:31), Luke Squirrel (250th in 31:33), Steve Fernyhough (396th in 34:05), Mark Davies (554th in 36:40), Andy Carter (824th in 43:07), and Phil Gent (836th in 43:39) negotiated the senior men’s race.  

WEST CHESHIRE ATHLETIC CLUB youngsters contributed to a second-placed finish for their county in the West Midlands.

Nia Manson, Poppy McKenna, Amelia Snowden, Rosie Grimsditch, Sophie Baker, Leon Betteridge, Sophie Mulcaster, Emilia Pyper, Harriet Beattie, Max Henderson, Dylan Gledhill, George Grimsditch, Louis Grimes, Alice Roberts-Page, Saskia Keresturova, Mollie Cooke, and Jack Arnold all combined for Cheshire Schools who finished second overall behind hosts, West Midlands, in the Inter Counties Schools Cross Country Dave Sunderland Cup held at Himley Hall, Dudley.

JAMIE FISHER (83rd in 34:58), teamed up for West Cheshire AC alongside Dave Shearer (135th in 36:11), and Luke Ellis (563rd in 41:40) in the Wilmslow Festive 5k Road Race.

FIXTURES this weekend include the West Cheshire AC Schools Cross Country Race Series Round Two, at Ellesmere Port Sports Village, on Saturday (10am start); the Welsh Inter Regional Cross Country Championships, at Dolerw Park, Newtown, on Saturday; and the North West Sportshall League Round Two, at Crewe Lifestyle Centre, on Sunday (12 noon start).

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.

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