Welcome to St Helens Sutton Athletic Club

February Results 2006

National Cross Country Championships - Parliament Hill Fields - London 25 February

The junior men's team produced the best team performance of the day by finishing eighth, the best performance by a junior men's team in the club's history. Steve Mayers was 75th, Tom Griffiths 82nd,Dave Twigg 91st and John Appleton 108th. Greg Williams, still making his way back to fitness 123rd.

The under 13 Girls' team was down to the bare minimum but still managed to take 37th place led by Jemma Shaw (88), Heather Drillingcourt (217), Lauren Bradshaw(236) and anchored by Louise Hayes (345) who has another two years in this age group. Emily Dickinson rounded off the squad finishing in 368th place.

The senior ladies were 39th, captain Julia Eccleston (190) and former captain Cecilia Fitzsimons heading and anchoring the club, Karen Jarvis (325) and Chris Dickinson (385) providing the body of the team.

David Forrester retained the Billy McMinnis Trophy set by finishing 18th, despite a chest infection and being a year young. His rivals from the Northern failed to make an appearance.

Daniel Hughes continued to surprised with an excellent 65th in the under 13 race, David Griffiths (184) and John Ashcroft (220) also running well against quality opposition.

Jake Healey (112) and John Dumbell (141) were the club's competitors in the under 15 race while Ray Vose (727) kept the flag flying for the seniors. Results

Norton 5 – Runcorn – 12 February

There was an excellent turnout in rainy conditions with ten club members

taking part. Ian Costello was eighth (29.05), Julian Corfe (15 : 30.42), newcomer Gemma Connolly (17: 31.12) and veteran John Appleton (22: 31.56). Next home was another newcomer Louise Hogg (56:36.33), Pam Appleton (106: 41.00), Jackie Turner (110:41.35) who was one place ahead of Rosie O’Hagan (41.38). Tracy Gill had her first outing (139 : 45.02) while Dorothy Fairhurst won the over 60 prize (146 : 46.03). Results:

Parbold Hill Race : 11 February

 Gill Laithwaite changed her name but not her position by taking second place at the Parbold Hill Race for the second successive year. Gill was only two seconds behind the winner, Olivia Walwyn (Norwich) in 45.53 but took the over 35 prize by pretending she’s older than she looks. Julia Eccleston was 16^th (56.30), Karen Jarvis outboxed, or was that outfoxed, Chris Dempsey recording 60.21 to Chris’s 60.52, finishing in 25^th and 26^th place respectively. It was good to see Cecilia Fitzsimons back in action (43:65.36), third over 55 to finish, while Chris Dickinson was just behind her (46: 66.18). A really good turnout and excellent results:  Results

Liverpool & District Cross Country Championships : Clarkes Gardens 5 February

 The club produced a fine result when it collected the bronze medals at the Liverpool and District championships held at Clarke’s Gardens. Finishing only 16 points shy of Wirral in second place the team contained four under 20’s Tom Griffiths (10), Greg Williams (28), John Appleton (26) and Dave Twigg (37). Tony Smith produced an excellent performance in sixth place and Ian White was solid on 31^st position. 

The counters were supported by club captain Ian Hayburn (38), Barry Graney (46), still recovering from a bad bout of ‘flu and Paul Burgess who was ninth over 45 in  69^th position overall. Paul beat supervet Steve James, who admitted is twenty years older than Paul but whose career included being a member of the great Sutton team in the late 1960’s. 

Julia Eccleston was the fourth senior lady to finish, Chris Dickinson the first over 40 and Karen Jarvis the third over 45. They were sixth, 12^th and 14^th respectively in the ladies’ competition. It was a good turnout with plenty of support and setting a mark in the sand for future races. Results

Merseyside Schools’ Cross Country Championships : Arrowe Park, Birkenhead 4 February

There was a good example of the growing cooperation between St Helens MBC and St Helens-Sutton A C when the town was represented at the Merseyside Schools’ cross country championships held on a heavy course at Arrowe Park. 

Phil Thomas and former member Helena Whitley (Haydock Sports College), supported by a good number of parents, were able to watch some excellent performances across the age groups. 

In the Year 7 Boys’ race Jamie White (2), Jamie Webb (9) and Tom Green (17) laid the foundations for the team’s fourth position. Unlike the county championships the schools’ do not give awards on the basis on one per district but to the first three with the lowest points which seems unfair and cost the lads a set of medals by three points. 

The year 7 girls were almost as unlucky club members Devon Hamon (9), Chloe Bishop (28) supported by Samantha Bathgate (33) and Paige Melia (37) built up a steady score but one of the girls who attended was unable to finish and they just missed out.

The junior girls (years 8 & 9) were fifth, all of them competing against girls a year older than themselves. Jemma Shaw (12), Heather Drillingcourt (21), Laura Bradshaw (26), Heather Leyland (28), Katie Jolly (38) and Lauren Francis (40) all eligible to compete again in 2007. 

Jake Healy, running with a bad chest, was seventh in the inter boys’ race while David Griffiths (24), Daniel Hughes (29) and Adam Fackey (29) all gained valuable experience in their first schools’ championships. Adam, like some club members at Blackburn last week, ran with only one shoe, although athletes are permitted to run with two. A new instructional video on the subject will be issued to coaches in the near future. 

In year 10 and 11 race John Dumbell ran steadily to finish 16^th while Steve Clague battled away to take 38^th place in an age group in which they were first years. In 2007 it is expected the town championships will enable invitations to go to a wider circle of athletes and produce a pre-event town squad to contest the championships in all age groups. 

A number of athletes have been given an invitation to compete in an inter-counties match against Greater Manchester on 4 March and, as it is known a number of the Wirral athletes will be unavailable, even those on the reserve list may yet get a run.

The event was well organised by Wirral A C, Doug Hanna did an excellent job both in accepting entries and producing the results. Results: