Press Report: Lewis at the Double

by Dennis Wall

LEWIS MORRIS was in record-breaking form on Anglesey at the weekend.

The West Cheshire Athletic Club teenager, who won the under 17 men’s race at last week’s Welsh Inter-Regional Cross Country Championships in Newtown, celebrated victory in Sunday’s Borders Road Running League fixture at Trac Mon, Ty Croes, with a course record time of 25 minutes 17 seconds in a field of 317 finishers.

Lewis sliced one minute off the previous five miles course record and was supported on Anglesey by purple and gold-vested club mates Matthew Douglass (15th in 27:43), Paul Morrison (34th in 28:55), David Assheton (49th in 29:42), Jeff Gifford (79th in 32:19), Andrew Clague (121st in 34:33), Kevin Eaton (123rd in 34:42), Ian Pritchard (131st in 35:20), Brian Wright (162nd in 38:39), Phil Gent (171st in 39:21), and Dave Tiernan (209th in 55:21).

Julie Taillard (sixth lady in 33:00) spearheaded the West Cheshire women’s charge and helped her club head the overall Division One standings.

Julie was backed up by Emma Nutt (12th in 34:15), Lottie Rowedder (14th in 34:30), Joy Hickman (24th in 36:07), Sallyann Harper (34th in 37:35), Amy Mills (38th in 37:58), Debra Bemand (48th in 39:22), and Sarah Hibbert (61st in 41:07).

OVERALL STANDINGS (after two rounds)

WOMEN’S DIVISION ONE: 1 West Cheshire 200 points; 2 Helsby 218; 3 Deeside 336; 4 Chester Tri 339; 5 Wallasey 515; 6 Buckley 523; 7 Eryri 859.

MEN’S DIVISION ONE: 1 Helsby 629; 2 Buckley 678; 3 Chester Tri 982; 4 Wallasey 1065; 5 Wrexham 1693; 6 Wirral 2054; 7 Ellesmere Port 3463.

WOMEN’S DIVISION TWO: 1 Prestatyn 294; 2 Ellesmere Port 339; 3 UTS 510; 4 Wrexham 515; 5 Wirral 537; 6 Wrecsam Tri 688; 7 Birkenhead 752; 8 Pensby 771; 9 Deestriders 817; 10 Cybi 1032; 11 Tattenhall 1210.

MEN’S DIVISION TWO: 1 Deeside 320; 2 Prestatyn 803; 3 West Cheshire 865; 4 Eryri 1885; 5 Birkenhead 2033; 6 Deestriders 2120; 7 Wrecsam Tri 2466; 8 Cybi 2661; 9 UTS 2921; 10 Pensby 3107; 11 Tattenhall 5122. 

The next round will be hosted by Pensby Runners on Sunday, February 1st (11am start). 

LEWIS MORRIS started his weekend with an impressive victory in the under 17 men’s race at Saturday’s Manchester Area Cross Country League.

Lewis rounded the Woodbank Park course at Stockport in a time of 22:41, exactly 38 seconds clear of his nearest rival.

Nia Manson clocked 19:34 for sixth position in the under 15 girls race, ahead of Harriet Beattie (20th in 21:48) and Margaux Schmidlin (22nd in 22:06).

Abby Gamble completed the under 11 girls race in eighth spot with a time of 11:24, ahead of Heidi Anstey (22nd in 12:16), and Arianwen Setters (30th in 13:29).

Niall Betteridge finished eight with a time of 10:25 in the under 11 boys race ahead of Sam Arnold (51st in 12:48).

Leon Betteridge posted 10th position with a time of13:14 in the under 13 boys race, ahead of Jack Arnold (24th in 14:20), and Finley Edwards (41st in 16:45).

Florence Hain completed the under 13 girls race in 22nd spot with 15:31, ahead of Heidi Wetherall (48th in 17:53) and Isla Lambert (55th in 20:19).

Claire Harris (28th in 40:42), was backed up in the senior women’s race by Emma Nutt (64th in 45:29), and Anest Muller (72nd in 46:19). 

Paul Morrison (81st in 42:53) headed the senior men’s squad home alongside Steve Fernyhough (125th in 45:35), Andrew Clague (171st in 48:59), Ian Pritchard (264th in 54:25), and Phil Gent (315th in 61:18).

WYCOMBE KING registered a new 60m indoor club record and personal best of 7.82 seconds at Sheffield in Saturday’s Northern Athletics Open Meeting.

And he added a new senior men’s 300m personal best of 41.23 seconds and was joined at the fixture by other West Cheshire members Eleanor Wheeler, Beth Manson, and Matt Gutteridge.

Eleanor clocked a new under 17 women’s 300m personal best of 44.90 seconds, while Beth posted 44.28 seconds in her under 17 women’s 300m, and Matt clocked a new senior men’s 600m personal best time of 1:38.42.

FIXTURES this weekend include the fourth round of the North Staffs Cross Country League at Keele on Saturday, and the Merseyside Cross Country Championships on Saturday at Sherdley Park, St Helens.

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

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: 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, 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 on Roster close 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