Great day for Cross Country racing with Sefton Park hosting the first fixture in the UKA Cross Challenge Series as well as incorporating the Mid Lancs League.
Cross Challenge Results HERE
Mid-Lancs League Results HERE
Watch some of the Senior Men’s Race HERE
Some Race Start Video’s U11’s – U13’s – U13’s – U15’s – Senior Women
The Men’s Senior Race was a real thriller with Callum Hawkins just holding off Andrew Butchart to take the win in the 520 strong field. The Harriers and ten runners in this race and headed home with a very good run by U23 Rob Warner in 106th place overall with a time of 32.24. Mat Nuttall is having a very good cross country season and finished 114th in a time of 33.41 followed by Chris Davies in 167th (34.52) – Shaun Livesey (170th) in 35.00 – Andy Heys in 296th (39.24) – Mark Emmett 326th (40.13) – Allan Hartley 352nd (41.29) – John Cookson 381st (42.25) – Ian Clarkson 422nd (44.31) and Paul Wilkinson 486th in 49.45. Gary Priestley who runs for the Harriers on the Track and competed for Salford in this Race had a good run to finish 59th overall in 31.16.
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When the Mid Lancs League Results were separated from the overall Race featuring 250 runners, Rob Warner was placed 6th – Mat Nuttall 14th – Chris Davies 25th – Shaun Livesey 27th – Andy Heys 102nd – Mark Emmett 126th – Allan Hartley 145th – John Cookson 164th – Ian Clarkson 191st and Paul Wilkinson 231st. Chris Barnes also ran but unfortunately had to pull out not feeling too well. The Harriers finished 6th Team out of 27 Teams competing.
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The Senior Women’s Race won impressively by Gemma Steel from Emelia Gorecka had 225 runners in it.
Just two Senior Harriers Women out in this one with Alison Armour in 177th overall (80th in the Mid Lancs) in 42.41 and Carol Cookson who had to drop out with an injury.
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In the U15 Girls Race of 93 athletes Megan Clarkson had another good run to finish 34th in a time of 11.46 with Hannah Cookson 63rd (12.45).
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One hundred and sixteen runners in the U15 Boy’s Race which saw Jack Wilkinson in his first race for quite a while finish in 106th overall and 31st in the Mid Lancs with a time of 12.20.
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Amy Davies and Emily Warren continued their Cross Country season with strong runs when they contested in the U13 Girls Race. Amy finished 6th in the Mid Lancs Race in a time of 12.11 and Emily was placed 14th in 12.57.
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Eleesha Charnley, Anna Rankine and Kate Cookson all competed in the U11 Girls race. Eleesha is running really well at the moment and placed 10th in 8.24. New member to cross country racing for the Club Anna is also doing well and finished in a 23rd place with a time of 8.52. Kate Cookson climbs up the Race each time she runs and her latest effort saw her finish in 35th out of the 61 runners (9.29).
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Over on the Road at the Best 5k, 139 nine runners saw the Race won by Ben Everson in 16.24. Brian Fogarty making a return to road racing after competing in the World Ironman Championships in Hawaii recently ran a solid race for 4th place in 16.54. Another Blackburn Harrier making a return to racing was Aaron Hargreaves who finished 17th in 19.07.
Full Results HERE
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In the ever popular David Staff Race which is held every year in memory of David Staff by his Club – Darwen Dashers and featured 162 runners.
David turned 17 years of age on 5th December 1994 which then allowed him to compete as a senior for the Dashers. His first race (and last) as a senior was in the Clitheroe 10k on 27th December 1994. David collapsed and died by the road side at 5 miles from a condition called Hyperthropic Obstructive Cardiomyopathy, which in laymans terms is an abnormal thickening of the heart muscles which interrupted the electrical pulses which keeps the heart working. This condition takes the lives of approximately 8 so-called fit and healthy young people a week, most of them are actively engaged in sport, but it is not the sport that kills; it is the exertion that acts as a trigger. The race is run in memory of David Staff, who joined the Dashers as a 15 year old and competed in many fun runs as a junior. In September 1994, he completed the Great North Run in 1 hour 49 minutes 02 seconds along-side his dad Granville wearing his Blackburn Rovers home and away kit, needless to say the comments along the route in Newcastle cannot be repeated. David was a very likeable person who got on with everybody he came into contact with; young and old and had a very bright future ahead of him, not only as a young man preparing to take his A-levels at Queen Elizabeth’s Grammar School but also as a member of Darwen Dashers.
We host this race to raise funds for Cardiac Risk in the Young, the charity that David’s father Granville actively supports. The funds raised are used to provide heart screening in the young; so far over 60 people have had heart defects identified as a result of Granville’s fund raising. Since David’s death, Granville has raised over £100,000 and we are proud to continue to support this cause.
Full Results HERE
Blackbuurn Harrier Peter Matthews won the Race in a time of 25.31 on a slightly altered Course from previous years. Peter was pleased with his win and told the Club that “ On a slightly shorter and therefore steeper course than usual (which received high praise all round) I lead from the gun, winning by over 2 minutes in the end. The course was beautiful, with a bit of everything thrown in, and not too difficult for novice fell runners like myself. I also have quite a nice story in that in year 7 at school, after winning the house XC, my geography teacher and Darwen Dasher Simon Smith gave me a race t-shirt for winning. 14 years on and I had my first go at the aforementioned race, taking victory! Matt Nuttall also ran well (especially after racing at Liverpool the previous day!) to finish third, with his wife Lisa also having a run out. It’s always great to pull on the Harriers vest.”
Mat Nuttall placed 3rd in 27.57 and is running really consistently at the moment on all surfaces. Lisa Nuttall came in with a time of 50.41 and 153rd place.
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