FINAL preparations are being made for the popular Chester Round The Walls Race being held on Boxing Day. Entries have now closed for the 6.4km race and 500 runners will line-up for the 10.30am start on the grass close to the White Horse Pub with a clockwise lap inside the racecourse rails.

All finishers at the Roodee on Tuesday will be presented with a ceramic medal based on a painting of the Eastgate Clock by local artist, Louise Diggle. As well as being a talented artist, Louise also has an impressive pedigree as a runner.

In the 1990s Louise was a member of West Cheshire AC, and its predecessor Chester & Ellesmere Port AC. She was one of the leading women runners in the region and set Club age group records for distances from 5k to Marathon. Some of Louise’s Club records are still standing 25 years later.

West Cheshire AC is very grateful to Louise for allowing use of her work on the race medal. More of Louise’s work can be found here.

EVAN MILLER celebrated a hat-trick of new personal bests on Sunday at the latest Manchester Indoor Open Track and Field Meeting.

The West Cheshire AC multi-eventer clocked 7.86 seconds for his under 17 men’s 60m, 11.85 for his 60m hurdles, and hit 6.88m in the shot put.

Other West Cheshire AC members to achieve new bests included Jacob Gardner, Mia Johnson, Theo Shepherd, Maya Jennings, Millie Warren, Joshua Stirling, and Amelia Snowden.

Jacob posted a new under 17 men’s 60m best of 7.76 and rounded the 300m in 40.06, while Mia blasted her way to a new under 15 girls 60m best of 8.03, and added 4.55m in the long jump.

Theo clocked a new under 17 men’s 300m best of 38.57, while Maya posted 45.24 in her under 15 girls 300m, and Millie registered 47.13 for a new under 15 girls 300m best.

Joshua rounded the under 17 men’s 600m in a new best of 1:39:17, and Amelia achieved a new under 13 girls 600m best of 1:52:86 and long jumped 3.45m.

Other West Cheshire AC members in action included Yasmin Smith who posted 8.06 in her under 20 women’s 60m; Mollie Garratt who clocked 8.85 in her under 13 girls 60m; Holly Bosworth who posted 43.97 in her under 17 women’s 300m; and sisters Lara and Molly Fields who achieved 47.05 and 49.73 respectively in their under 17 women’s 300m.

BROTHERS Niall and Leon Betteridge enjoyed success at the final round of the West Cheshire Athletic Club Schools Cross-country Race Series.

The Hoole Primary pupils tasted victories at the fourth and final round of the popular event held between October and December at Ellesmere Port Sports Village.

Niall posted a winning time of four minutes 39 seconds in the year four boys race, 17 seconds ahead of runner-up Josh Barlow-Ashworth (Newton), with Oliver Chesby (Whitby Heath) in third spot.

Leon carved a 47 seconds victory in the year six boys race from runner-up Leo Ravenscroft (Childer Thornton) and third-placed Atharva Ganesh (Hoole).

Arlanwen Setters made it a hat-trick of victories for Hoole after winning the year three girls race from Penny Sharps-Green (Upton Heath) and Rose Riley-Pickup (Eccleston) who were second and third respectively.

Felicity Snowden and Poppy McKenna made it a double success story for King’s School.

Felicity posted a 10-second win in the year five girls race from runner-up Saskia Keresturova (Oldfield) and third-placed Alice Roberts-Page (Hoole).

And Poppy tasted an 11-second victory in the year six girls race from second-placed Marie-Ange Robson (Childer Thornton) and Elsie Jones (Willaston) in third spot.

Henry Glynn (Farndon) won the year three boys race ahead of Otto Holmes (Newton) and Lewis Beschizza (Tarporley) who were second and third respectively.

Abby Gamble (Guilden Sutton) tasted victory in the year four girls race ahead of runner-up Evelyn Edwards (Saighton) and third-placed Anna Dooley (Meadow).

Jack Arnold (Upton Heath) won the year five boys race, just two seconds clear of runner-up Zaan Brown (Belgrave) and third-placed Alfie Simms (Whitby Heath).

Nia Manson (Bishop Heber) and Rose Sheppard (Helsby) were first and second respectively in the year seven girls race.

Sidney Carr (Upton) won the year seven boys race by 36 seconds from nearest rivals Lewis Dutton (Bishop Heber) and Finley Stewart (Upton) who were second and third.

Poppy Coates (West Kirby) and Connie Jones (Wirral Grammar) were first and second in the year eight girls race.

And Max Henderson won the year eight boys race ahead of Dylan Gledhill (Christleton) and Isaac Holmes (Upton) who were second and third respectively.

MICHAEL YOUNG smashed the West Cheshire AC record for a marathon in clocking 2:24:33 at the Valencia Marathon, improving his previous personal best time of 2:27:11.

EMMA HOLMES and Nathan Owen produced new West Cheshire AC age group indoor records at Manchester and Sheffield respectively.

Emma 40.49 seconds for the under 20 women’s 300m at SportCity, Manchester, on Sunday, while Nathan travelled to the Northern Open Indoor Meeting at Sheffield and clocked 18.49 seconds for the under 15 boys 150m.

BRIAN CREMIN represented West Cheshire AC at the Milton Keynes Half Marathon and clocked 1:42:35.

FIXTURES this weekend include the final round of the North Staffs Cross Country League at Rebrook Hayes School, Rugeley, WS15 1AU, on Saturday (12 noon first race); a Manchester Indoor Open Track and Field Meeting on Sunday (10:30am start); and the Run Aintree Half Marathon (10am start), 10k (10:45am), and 5k (10:55am) in Liverpool on Sunday.

THE West Cheshire AC Annual Celebraation Evening will be held on Friday February 2, at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, Chester. Follow this link to purchase tickets: https://wcac.niftyentries.com

FIONA COOK helped West Cheshire AC’s push for promotion at the third round of the Borders Road Running League on Sunday at Wrexham.

Fiona finished third in her over-35 age group and 10th woman overall after posting 37 minutes nine seconds for the approximate 9.4km course around the Wrexham Industrial Estate.

Fiona was supported by Emma Nutt (22nd in 40:15), Joy Hickman (fourth over-55 woman and 41st woman in 43:21), Debra Bemand (fifth over-50 woman and 51st woman in 44:08), Traci Shipley (sixth over-55 woman and 57th woman in 45:29), and Amy Mills (ninth over-35 woman and 70th woman in 48:21).

Graham Wells (fifth over-45 and 39th in 32:55) headed the West Cheshire AC men’s squad to the finish line, supported by Jon Park (47th in 33:31), Isaac McKenna (53rd in 33:49), Wullie McGarrell (first over-55 and 68th in 34:48), Rob Little (12th over-45 and 84th in 35:25), Jeff Gifford (fifth over-55 and 106th in 36:47), Andy Carter (17th over-50 and 136th in 39:09), Steve Hillier (20th over-45 and 147th in 39:59), Paul Cain (173rd in 42:03), Neil Field (201st in 46:23), and Tony Kennedy (sixth over-65 and 221st in 50:32).

Matthew Willis (Wrexham AC) won the race in 28:42, and Tracy Rogers (Buckley) was first lady in a time of 34:44.

ELOISE ECCLES had to withdraw during her appearance for Great Britain at the weekend.

The West Cheshire Athletic Club member covered 108km in the IAU 24 Hour World Championships held in Chinese Taipei before pulling out of the event. ⁣⁣

FIXTURES this weekend include the final round of the West Cheshire AC Schools Race Series will take place at Ellesmere Port Sports Village on Saturday, (10am start), while the first Manchester Indoor Series Open Track and Field Meeting will be held this Sunday (10.30am start). Further information is available on this link: https://saleharriersmanchester.com/index.php/events-fixtures/winter-indoor-series

THE West Cheshire AC Annual Presentation Evening will be held on Friday, February 2, at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, Chester. Follow this link to purchase tickets: https://wcac.niftyentries.com

THE Cheshire AA Road Race Grand Prix fixtures have been announced for 2024: Four Villages Half Marathon on January 21; High Legh 10k on March 17; Chester Spring 5 Miler on April 10; Christleton 5k in Mid May; Dunham Massey Park Run on May 25; Warrington Park Run on July 20; Sandbach 10k on August 18; and Crewe Park Run on September 14.

POPPY McKENNA celebrated success at Shrewsbury on Saturday.

The West Cheshire Athletic Club youngster posted a winning time of four minutes 21 seconds for victory in the under 11 girls race at the North Wales Cross Country League fixture held at Boreatton Park, backed up by team mate Heidi Wetherall (11th in 5:21).

Andrew Clague finished second in his over-55 age category in the Senior Men’s race, alongside Dave Alexander (seventh over-50 man), Neil Hershaw (third over-55 man), and Andy Carter (25th over-50 man).

Eleanor Wheeler secured third position in the under 15 girls race in 15:25, while Nia Manson (fourth in 9:25), Amelia Snowden (fifth in 9:37), and Rose Sheppard (16th in 10:47) completed the under 13 girls race.

Anest Muller posted 23:21 for fifth place in her over-40 age group alongside Emma Nutt (12th lady in 22:18), Ellen McMahon (21st lady in 24:35), Joy Hickman (ninth over-55 lady in 25:46), and Emily Murphy (eighth under 17 lady in 32:27).

Jack Arnold rounded the under 11 boys race in 9:57 for sixth position.

The next round of the North Wales Cross Country League will be held at Dolgellau (postcode: LL401UU), on Saturday, January 20.

BROTHERS Leon and Niall Betteridge represented West Cheshire AC at Sefton Park, Liverpool, in Saturday’s British Cross Country Challenge fixture, finishing 22nd in 7:39 and 86th in 8:17 respectively for the under 11 boys race.

Harriet Beattie (45th in 12:55) and Lauren Higgins (51st in 13:04) completed the under 13 girls race.

Lewis Morris (62nd in 11:05) and Noah Woolgar (74th in 11:20) rounded the under 15 boys event, while Emilia Pyper (75th in 12:30) completed the under 15 girls race.

Jessica Lark (31st in 16:42) and Nancy Farmer (65th in 18:32) combined in the under 17 ladies event, while Jodi Bemand finished 79th in 17:53 for the under 20 junior ladies event.

Jamie Richardson was 82nd in 22:11 for the under 20 junior men’s race, while Jack Gannon (330th in 39:13) and Steve Fernyhough (39:26) completed the senior men’s event, and Debra Bemand (313th in 43:32) finished the senior women’s race.

FIRST CLAIM WEST CHESHIRE AC members who want to compete in the Cheshire, Northern, or English National Cross-country Championships can find details of what is involved, and how to enter, here.

THE final round of the West Cheshire AC Schools Cross-country Race Series will take place at Ellesmere Port Sports Village on Saturday, December 9 (10am start).

FIXTURES this weekend include the latest round of the Borders Road Running League on Sunday at Redwither Business Park, Wrexham, LL13 9XR (11am start).

This Saturday’s scheduled Manchester Area Cross-country League fixture at Sherdley Park, St Helens, has been cancelled. The next Manchester League fixture will be held at Tatton Park, on Saturday, January 13.

THE West Cheshire AC Annual Presentation Evening will be held on Friday, February 2, at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, Chester. Follow this link to purchase tickets: https://wcac.niftyentries.com