Wins in Final Red Rose Fixture

The final Red Rose Cross Country League fixture took place at a rain sodden Marl Pits in Rossendale last Saturday. The placings of the respective athletes in this event are added into their placings from the prior three meetings to give overall League individual and team placings, with the best three of the placings counted. The South East Lancs Cross Country League fixture was also incorporated into the meeting with some athletes counting in both leagues. There is one further South East Lancs fixture in January when league places will be finalised.

The under 11s was the first race of the day and in the boys race Max Worsley once again ran brilliantly, taking 2^nd place and securing the same place in the league standings. Jason McGuinness ran strongly to place 8^th and Findley McCallum was 13^th, giving the team second place overall in the league. Bury’s other finishers were Quincey Rose 17^th, Finley Alldred 18^th, Hamish Simpson 24^th and Toby Adkins 28^th. For the girls Lila Metcalfe placed 5^th, Grace Newbold 22^nd and Evelyn McDonald 28^th to confirm the team in fourth place overall. Ava Young was the other finisher in 34^th place.

Ronan Parker was the only under 13 boys competitor in 17^th place. For the girls Isla Taylor once again ran very well to place 2^nd, her overall league placing and with a great run from Heidi Wilkinson in 4^th and Niamh Murray in 8^th the girls secured second team overall. Lucy Dent produced another excellent performance in the under 15 girls race, taking 2^nd place with Ella Straffon-Finch in 10^th.

The senior women’s race saw a runaway victory for Sophie Whittaker. It is excellent to have her back racing and she is clearly finding excellent form. Sinead Taylor in 2^nd and Rachel Marshall in 3^rd highlighted Bury’s domination in the league and with Sophie Hill in 11^th the women’s team retained their league title. The other finishers on the day were Jennifer Clayton 13^th, Fiona Lynch 21^st, Sinead Burns 28^th, Susan Wheeldon-Gorst 34^th, Lizzie Cheshire 35^th, Afroditi Kalambouka 49^th and Sarah Withers 70^th. Under 17 Emma Stansfield chose not to run having already secured the league title.

The senior men’s race saw a welcome return from Ben Coop taking 4^th place, one ahead of under 20 Bryn Lawrence who took the league title in this age group. Declan Tattersall produced another excellent run to place 15^th and with Paul Johnston in 25^th, Ed Hunt in 27^th and Jack Griffiths 30^th the senior men took second place overall in the league. The other finishers were Patrick Babb 33^rd, Anthony Hallahan 34^th, team manager Ian Warrington 47^th and Matt Finch 49^th in the field of nearly 120 finishers. League awards will be presented on 27^th February.

The other fixture on the day was the Manchester Area Cross Country League at Woodbank Park in Stockport. Having already secured the Red Rose League under 13 title, Ethan Statham tested himself against the traditionally stronger field. He once again underlined his excellent form of the season, running out as winner and gaining the scalps of Sale’s Arthur O’Hare and Salford’s James Lombard who had finished in front of him at the Cross Challenge in Liverpool. Bury’s other competitor at the fixture was student Seb Poma who placed 37^th in the senior men’s race.