What a fabulous weekend for Blackburn Harriers at the Cross Challenge fixture held at Sefton Park in Liverpool on Saturday November 22nd. Matt Ramsden was going for a qualification in the GB U23  Men’s team and Isabel Holt for the GB U20 Women’s team to go to Portugal on December 14th in the European Cross Country Championships. One hundred and four athletes lined up in the U23 Men’s race which was also part of the Senior men’s race – the U23’s doing two laps, whilst the Seniors did three. On the first lap, Matt was in 2nd place for the U23’s but on the second lap he took the lead and extended that as he approached the long finishing straight – taking the win by nine seocnds (16.37) from Joel Doye in 2nd (16.46) and Sam Hodgson in 3rd (16.46).  The Club asked Matt for his thoughts on the race and his qualification for the European Championships. telling us “That was pretty special! I knew that going into Sefton I had a real chance of making that Euro Cross team and I’m delighted that everything went to plan. The plan was to go with the seniors and keep an honest pace near the front and see where it got me. To come away with the win and finish strong topped off a great day. I am so grateful for the support network around me who have helped me on this journey. Now time to sharpen up and get ready for Portugal in three weeks time!”

All photos on Blackburn Harriers Facebook Page (HERE – Vol 1) — (HERE – Vol 2)

All Results are Cross Challenge

Matt Ramsden

One hundred and seven athletes lined up at the start of the Women’s U20 Race – a race which featured the out and out favourite for the win in Innes Fitzgerald who duly took the honours with a winning time of 14.11. Isabel Holt came round the first lap in 3rd place and manitained that form right to the end finishing in a sprint finish with Lizzie Welstead, both of them crossing the line in the same time of 15.10 – Lizzie being given 2nd place and Isabel 3rd. Job done and qualification achieved for Isabel, in a year which has gone well for her, having won the National Cross Country Championships for U20 Women and being selected to run for England in Spain and Belgium taking 3rd and 2nd place respectively in these international races. We asked a very happy Isabel for her thoughts following the race and she told us that she had “Such a memorable day at Liverpool qualifying for my first GB vest and so grateful to be here. I felt confident that I was in good form so I just wanted to run my best and see what I could do. So excited to head to Portugal in a couple of weeks for the Euro cross country. “

L-R Lizzie Welstead – Innes Fitzgerald – Isabel Holt 

Provisional results are being worked out at the moment for the respective Mid Lancs and Red Rose League positions for Individual and Team placings —  Mid Lancs League Results     Red Rose League Results 

As we go to press it looks as though Blackburn Harriers Georgia Brambles has won the U13 Girls race and placed 3rd team; Won the U13 Boys team competition; Millie Jordan won the U15 Girls Race; Won the U17 Women’s Team competition; came 2nd in the U17 Men’s Team competition; finished 16th out of 31 teams in the Senior Women but this will change and we will be higher given an athlete has been missed off; finished 12th team out of 28 in the Senior men with Ben Fish 3rd overall.

In the Red Rose League provisional results Lily Mae-Newton placed 2nd in the U13 Girls race; Louisa Powell Smith won the Senior Women’s race and the V45 age group category; Chris Davies was 2nd V45.

Having a good run in the U23 Men’s race was Max Cunningham coming home in 59th spot in a time of 18.27 whilst in the U20 Women’s Race there were good runs from Alicia Tomlinson finishing 62nd in 17.23 and Holly Moffatt in 91st spot running 18.52. In the U23 Women’s race Libby Huxley continued her good form with a 12th place running 19.56 with team mates Abigail McAndrew in 29th spot finishing with a time of 20.32 and Keira Haxton who placed 66th in 24.22. Myles Fraser and Gordon Ballantyne went in the U20 men’s race – Myles having a solid run in 41st place in the 183 strong field, running 14.01 with team mate Gordon in 158th with a time of 15.41.

Myles Fraser

Abigail McAndrew (2135)

Close to a thousand runners took part in the Senior Men’s race won by Scott Beattie in 23.50 from Rory Leonard in 2nd (24.04) and Richard Slade in 3rd (24.20). Blackburn Harriers had eleven athletes running in this one – led home by V40 Ben Fish placing 74th in a time of 27.32  – and followed home by team mates Paul Bradshaw (133rd) in 29.14, V45 Chris Davies in 223rd (31.10), Thomas Monks running 33.00 in 322nd spot, V55 Mat Nuttall in 366th (33.33), V50 Anton Krige placing 429th in 34.25, V55 Mark Almond running 34.51 in 452nd position, V55 Craig Greenough (567th) with a time of 36.52, V60 Chris Balderson coming across the line in 598th (37.21), Ben Clarke and a big shout out to Ben who is just starting out in the sport (721st) in 39.40 and last, but by no means least – V50 John Aspey who gives such a lot to the Club running 44.22 in 854th place.

The Senior Women’s race featured five huindred and forty three finishers – the race being won by Cari Hughes in 27.17, with Poppy Tank in 2nd (27.19) and Izzy Fry in 3rd (27.22). The Harriers had five athletesin this one – Louisa Powell-Smith, Rebecca Ward, Ellen Sagar-Hesketh, Jenny McAndrew and Sarah Krige. V45 Louisa has been running really well and showed it again today at Sefton, coming home with a time of 30.41 in 54th spot with team mates V40 Rebecca placing 122nd in 35.28, Ellen – making her come back after taking time out to have a child – placing 179th in a time of 37.56, V50 Jenny McAndrew with a time of 42.26 (335th) and V50 Sarah – having just recovered from surgery – in 354th spot (43.12).

L-R Paul Bradshaw – Anton Krige – Ben Fish – Mat Nuttall – Mark Almond – Craig Greenhough – Chris Davies – Matt Ramsden – Ben Clarke

Louisa Powell-Smith

The Clubs U17’s had a good day too with twelve in the U17 men’s race and five in the U17 Women’s Race making a total of seventeen U17 athletes racing. One hundred and ninety nine finishers in the U17 Men’s race with Blackburn Harrietrs athletes led home by Sam Aspey 36th spot (14.38) followed in by team mates Jack Wood in 70th (15.10), Max Winstanley (107th) running 15.48, Theo Robinson in 110th place (15.52), Max Belshaw running 15.56 (113th spot), Peter Sagar-Moss coming home in 131st place running 16.19, Tom Falencki (139th) in a time of 16.27, George Holman running 16.29 in 141st spot, Harry Yates (16.57) in 161st place, Loucas lancashire in a time of 17.04 (169th), Liam Bennison in 174th (17.23) and Tom North 175th with a time of 17.27.

There were five Blackburn Harriers lined up at the start among the one hundred and seventeen athletes in the U17 Women’s race – Emma Robertshaw, Lottie Hesketh, Lyra Krige, Isabelle Perry and Bella McCredie. Emma was the first home of the Harriers running a time of 18.10 in 61st with team mates Lottie taking 64th spot in 18.17, Lyra placing 72nd in a time of 18.34, Isabelle in 76th spot running 18.44 and Bella placing 94th in 19.59.

Sam Aspey (2097)

Emma Robertshaw (2154) – Lottie Hesketh (2124)

Due to illness, just two Harriers ran in the U15 Girls race which had one hundred and seventy five finishers. and one athlete in the U15 Boys race. Millie Jordan had another fine race placing 13th overall with a time of 11.16 followed in by team mate Charlotte Smith in 70th position running 12.42. One hundred and eighty nine finishers in the U15 Boys race which saw Benedict Raby come home in a time of 10.53 finishing in 62nd place. Seven Blackburn Harriers lined up in the U13 Girls race led home by Georgia Brambles who had another excellent race – just her third ever and following her Leg win at Mansfield – as she placed 5th overall out of 173 runners, with a time of 11.08, just three seconds behind 3rd place. Next came Lily Mae-Newton having a fine run too in 19th spot running 11.53 followed by team mates Ruby Govier in 87th spot (13.33), Sophie Douglas with a time of 14.04 in 108th position, Pippa Blackburn (137th) running 15.11 and Esme Krige in 143rd spot (15.37) and Hanna Krolikowska running 15.49. Our U11’s were also impacted by colds and flu which meant just two athletes in each of the U11 Boys and U11 Girls races. A huge field of 242 runners started the U11 Girls race which was a sight to behold – Scarlett Hamill crossing the finishing line in 182nd spot (10.02) with her team mate Scarlett Clothliff in 190th spot running 10.09. There were 300 runners in the U11 Boys race which had the Dickinson brothers racing – Rory coming home in 233rd spot (9.05) followed by Finn in 252nd place (9.12). The U13 Boys race had six Blackburn Harriers running – Thomas Stewart, Edward Russell-Blackburn, Morgan Watson, Theo Addy, Harry Mitchell and Zachary Falencki in a field of 151 runners. Thomas led the lads home in 30th spot running 11.28 with team mates Edward in 34th place (11.39), Morgan coming home in 54th (11.55), Theo running 12.28 in 79th position, Harry placing 98th in a time of 12.57 and Zachary finishing 111th with a time of 13.12.

Millie Jordan (2127)

Georgia B rambles (487)

Ξ

The historic and officially the oldest road race in Britain – The Bampton 10 mile – was run on Sunday November 16th and featured eight hundred and eithy nine finishers. The race was eventually won by Ed Bovingdon in a quick time of 48.33 followed in 2nd spot by Rob Scott in 48.46 and John Battrick in 3rd place with a time of 48.47 – the first eight athletes all posting sub 50 minute results. Blackburn Harriers Joe Monk was among the racers and was out over the distance for the first time in over a year. The day turned out reasonably well for him as he came home in 30th place recording a time of 52.35.  (BRAMPTON 10 REULTS).

♥