A number of Blackburn Harriers took the trip to Milton Keynes at the weekend – November 12th – to compete in the 2nd race of this years Cross Challenge Series — (RESULTS). Daniel Bebbington selected to run for the North of England contested the Senior Men’s race with some 500 runners and had an excellent day finishing in 13th place overall, clocking 29.08. Jack Hindle was in the race along with his RAF team mates who all ran a very closely to one another with Jack running 32.15 in 76th place overall and the other two running 32.11 and 32.23. Also in the Senior Men’s race was Sam Hodkinson getting back into racing after more than a year out with illness and having a solid run in 127th position with a time of 34.26.

Sam Hodkinson

The Junior Men’s race proved to be one of the highlights of the day as Matt Ramsden came home in 3rd place running 22.15 behind Rowall Miell-Ingram (22.13) and Luke Birdseye (22.08). In the U15 Boys race, the Harriers had two in the first 20 with really good runs from Oliver Gill in 11th spot running 15.25 followed by team mate Sam Aspey in 19th place with a time of 15.53. One hundred runners contested the U20 and U17 Women’s race which saw Abigail Stratton in 34th spot overall running 19.15.

L-R Rowan Miell-Ingram – Luke Birdseye – Matt Ramsden

Oliver Gill

Sam Aspey

Abigail Stratton

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An excellent day for Blackburn Harriers Callum Davidson and Josh Birmingham in the Red Rose fixture held at Towneley Park, Burnley on Saturday afternoon November 12th as they made it a first and second for the Club – Callum taking the win in 29.22 with Josh in 2nd 30.00 in a close to 200 strong field —  (RESULTS). Chris Davies added another good run to his cross country season with 15th place finish in 33.21 which also gave him the win in the V45 category. Matt Nuttall ran 34.44 to take 29th spot and 2nd V50 on the day along with V55 David Almond crossing the finish line in 56th position (37.13) and 2nd V55.

Callum Davidson

Jos Birmingham

Chris Davies

Matt Nuttall

Our Senior Women took 3rd place in the team event – 133 runners taking part – and headed by another good consistent run from Amy Davies finishing 6th overall and 2nd U20 with a time of 20.37. Making it two in the top ten – Ellen Sagar-Hesketh – finished in 9th spot running 21.25 followed by Becky Shorrock moving up with every race coming home in 21st place in a time of 22.52. V50 Lindsay Davies was next home in 24.35 (38th) with Vikki Robertshaw making her debut for the Club coming across the finish line in 56th spot witha  time of 25.27. Was good to see Leah Hoole back in her first cross country race since October 2021 as she came home in a time of 26.17 (70th).

Amy Davies

Ellen Sagar-Hesketh

Lindsay Davies (167)

Vikki Robertshaw (1175)

Making his debut for the Harriers in the U11 Boys Race was Theo Addy and what a good run he had coming home in 16th place out of a field of 44. Liam Bennison continued his good form over this cross country season with a 7th place in the U13 Boys race in 9.36 and similarly in the U13 Girls race where Emma Robertshaw had a very good run – placing 8th in a time of 9.38 – just 3 seconds separating places 5 through to 8. Evie Fort and Charlotte Rothwell had solid runs too with Evie in 26th spot (10.55) and Charlotte in 34th place running 11.25 which meant the Harriers placed 5th in the team race. Charlotte’s brother Alex Rothwell went in the U15 Boys race coming home in 10th position in 14.47. The U15 Girls race had just 18 athletes which had Charlotte Robertshaw having a very good run to come 3rd in a time of 15.20 as did Isabella Pacelli finishing in 8th spot with a time of 16.22. Daniel Smith and Jack Lamb went in the U17 Men’s Race and again a small field of just 16 – Daniel taking 3rd spot with a determined run in a time of 18.34 with team mate Jack in 6th position running 18.59.

Isabella Pacelli

Daniel Smith

Jack Lamb (189)

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English Schools’ AA Cross Country Cup 2022
Regional Final, North West – Sedbergh School, Sedbergh – Sat 12th Nov 2022

(RESULTS)

Theo Robinson was running for Clitheroe Grammar in the Junior Boys race featuring 52 runners and took 13th spot in a time of 12.32 whilst Matthew Smith also representing Clitheroe Grammar at the Regional Final finishing 11th out of 40 with a time of 21.14 in the I Intermediate  Boys race. The Junior Girls race had two more Clitheroe Grammar school athletes from the Harriers competing – Agatha Taylor – coming across the finish line in 11th position, running 13.48 – along with team mate Charlotte Smith who came in with her time of 15.27 in 38th position.

Matthew Smith (White Vest)

Agatha Taylor (73)

Charlotte Smith (White Vest)

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