Guy and Isabel clinch Shropshire Titles
Results available here
The third round of the Shropshire Young Athletes Cross Country League was held at Much Wenlock. The building works at the school had given organiser Ian Dadswell a problem as half the usual course was unavailable. His solution was to take the course up the steep windmill hill and it was a challenge enjoyed by most of the runners.
In the individual competition the best three races are counted and Guy Gregory of Ludlow Runners had won the first two Under 17 events and was looking to take the title in style. The 4000m course involved climbing the hill twice, but with only one small lap of the field the three leading runners were still together. Guy made his effort with just 600m to go to clinch the title from last years champion Ryan Heath of Telford, with the rapidly improving Russell Adams third. Guy stated after the win that his original target was only to win any of the three medals up for grabs as he his highest previous place had been 4th. Ludlow Runners are on course to win the team title unless Telford can upset things at the final fixture.
Another runner who has dominated her age group this year is Isabel Bradley of Telford in the Under 13 girls. Isabel ran away from the competition right from the start to win at Much Wenlock by 25 seconds from Emma Clarke of Ludlow Runners. Emma is the English Fell Running Champion for her age group and it was only on the downhill part of the course that she began to gain on the leader. Maldwyn Harriers continue to look strong in this age group and took 4th to eighth places. It will be a close competition at the final fixture between the Welsh Club, Telford AC and Oswestry Olympians.
In all the other age categories the individual title remains wide open as some of the runners have to date only completed 2 races in the league. The Under 11 Boys was won by Freddie Fielding of Telford AC who looks a very talented athlete. His time of 6 mins 24 for the 1600m course was outstanding but as he missed the first fixture he will have to win the last match to take the title. Three other athletes broke the magical 7 minute barrier in this race, Will Evans and Joseph Crutchley of Maldwyn Harriers and Charlie Mooney of Oswestry who came in 4th. Telford AC are leading the team race but Oswestry and Shrewsbury could easily close the gap to win.
Running the same course as the boys, Hattie Jones of Ludlow returned to winning ways after missing the second race of the series in the Under 11 girls. She won by 9 seconds in 7 minutes 16 with Katherine Smith of Shrewsbury in second. Hattie led home a rapidly improving Ludlow Runners team which came home in the lead for the first time ever in this age group. However the contenders for the overall title look likely to be Telford or Oswestry.
The Under 17 girls saw Harriet Grandfield win her second league race. Harriet was unable to run the second fixture but looks favourite to win the individual crown if she can repeat her winning performances in the final fixture. She ran easily around the first two laps before pulling away on the last small lap of the fields. Her team mate Chloe Murphy ran well for second to beat rival Chloe Barton of Oswestry. It will be a close match between Telford and Oswestry for the overall crown.
The Under 15 boys seems to be a straight head to head between two very talented runners Joe Morris of Oswestry and Haydn Gleave of Wrekin College. On this occasion it was Joe who won by 7 seconds saying afterwards that he liked the hill and used it to push on to strike an advantage. Josh Burrows, the county 800m champion, of Telford AC seems to be getting stronger with every race and came third and his team look set to win the overall competition if their form continues.
Josh’s brother looks set to take the Under 13 title with wins in the first two races. Here he had to settle for second behind team mate Jack Forrester, with Arthur Charlesworth of the host club Wenlock Olympians third. In this age group Telford have an overall lead already and Wenlock Olympians will have to work hard to beat it.
The Under 15 girls has seen the main medal contenders switching places at each fixture with no real favourite. However it was the strong running Megan Turner form Aberystwyth who used the hill to her best advantage here, winning from the fast finishing Daisy Tickner of Oswestry Olympians with another Oswestry runner delighted with third Lauren Bathers. This age group seems the most competitive with several runners vying for medal positions. The team title has Telford in the lead with Oswestry having an 80 point gap to make up to be a real challenger next time.
The athletes will be putting in some hard training before the final fixture on Sunday 6th December at Bridgnorth which will be followed only six days later by the County Championships.
Colin Lancaster
The BLOG. All the latest news and updates from Telford Athletic Club.
21 Nov 2009
North Wales XC 3 Bangor 21-Nov-09
Match 3 in the North Wales XC league was probably the at the most northern point of wales!!! Quite a drive from Telford.
This may explain the reason for the weak turnout especially from the TAC senior men - or it may have been the rain that put them off...
Well done to all that did make it and congratulations to Nellie on receiving her Masters gold medal from her performance last week.
This may explain the reason for the weak turnout especially from the TAC senior men - or it may have been the rain that put them off...
Results will appear on the North Wales XC new site.
15 Nov 2009
London Marathon
Telford Athletic Club have 4 guaranteed places for the 2010 Virgin London Marathon. These are available for fully paid up club members 09/10, first priority will be given to those members who have applied for a marathon place for the 2010 London Marathon and have been rejected. If there are more than 4 names will be drawn 'from a hat'. If there are still places remaining they will be available for club members who have not already applied for a marathon place but would like to run. Again if there are more wanting a place than there are places available names will be drawn 'from a hat'.
Members who are interested should contact Paul Sanderson ( jpsanderson_tac@hotmail.com or 0771 534 7587 ) before Sunday 13th December 2009. The draw if required will be held at the TAC committee meeting on Monday 14th December. Entries have to be sent to the Virgin London Marathon by 8th January 2010.
Members who are interested should contact Paul Sanderson ( jpsanderson_tac@hotmail.com or 0771 534 7587 ) before Sunday 13th December 2009. The draw if required will be held at the TAC committee meeting on Monday 14th December. Entries have to be sent to the Virgin London Marathon by 8th January 2010.
14 Nov 2009
SYA XC League Race 2 Oswestry
Welsh teams add competitive edge to Shropshire Races.
The addition of two Welsh teams to the second round of the Shropshire Star sponsored Shropshire Young Athletes league cross country added a keen competitive edge to the races with the fast dry Oswestry course providing some exciting racing.
Before the Under 13 girls’ race, Newtown based Maldwyn Harriers posed for a team photo and it must have inspired them as with 5 runners in the top ten they led the team race easily from Shrewsbury High School and Oswestry Olympians. It was pre race favourite Isobel Bradley who won the 2000m race in 7 minutes 20 seconds from Emily Thomas of Aberystwyth AC closely followed by Sarah Williams, Emily Baldwin and Rosie Unwin all from Maldwyn.
All the races started off up a sharp hill but this did not slow down the normal fast start of the Under 11 girls. It was local athlete Hannah Price of Oswestry Olympians who slowed down the least, finishing the 1500m course in a fast 6 minutes and 3 seconds. Jessica Morris of Maldwyn was second just beating Katherine Smith of Shrewsbury AC. It was Oswestry who took the team race on 172 points with Maldwyn on 162 just one ahead of Telford AC.
In the under 15 girls’ the rapidly improving Evie Bentley of Telford AC beat all those that raced in the first fixture but this time had to settle for second place behind Welsh newcomer Megan Turner of Aberystwyth AC. Only 2 seconds separated the next three finishers, Daisy Tickner of Oswestry, Amy Partridge of Wenlock Olympians and Lauren Bathers also of Oswestry. Defending champions Telford AC seem to have a commanding lead in this age group.
However it was the home team who had five in the first six in the Under 17 girls. In the absence of Harriet Grandfield from Telford, the winner of the first race was Ella Walker who claimed first position from Chloe Barton with a spirited performance from Chloe Murphy in third just managing to prevent an Oswestry clean sweep.
In the boys races the Welsh clubs were not so well represented. In the under 17 Boys the pace for the 5000m course was unrelenting. The lead changed several times until, with a little over a mile to go, Guy Gregory of Ludlow Runners hit the front and pushed hard to move slowly away from his main rival Ryan Heath of Ludlow. Another Ludlow Runner Russell Adams came in third to clinch the team victory. A win in the next round at Much Wenlock could clinch the title for Guy, who up to this year had always been frustratingly just out of the medals.
The field in the Under 15 boys was the strongest of the day and a group of 5 seemed to break away. Wrekin College’s Haydn Gleave took the lead at the half way point and he finished 17 seconds in front of the rapidly improving Ben Ashcroft of Shrewsbury AC. Stephen Williams was third for Aberystwyth with Seb Pope, in his debut in the league, staying in front of the county 800m title holder Josh Burrows. The team victory was secured by Oswestry Olympians with 4 runners in the top 10.
Alex Burrows won the Under 13 boys’ race with a sprint finish from his fellow Telford team mate Jack Forrester, with Arthur Charlesworth of Wenlock Olympians just 5 seconds further back. It was Wenlock Olympians, whose numbers are increasing each year, who look set to be Telford AC’s biggest rivals in this age group.
Perhaps the most talented performer of the day ran in the Under 11 boys’ race. Telford’s Freddie Fielding, from Condover, steadily pulled away from the field and on a course of only 1500m managed to finish over 30 seconds ahead of his nearest rivals, Will Evans and Joseph Crutchley of Maldwyn Harriers. The team race was very competitive in this youngest age group with Telford just ahead of the rapidly improving Shrewsbury squad with Oswestry and Maldwyn only 20 points behind.
Colin Lancaster
The addition of two Welsh teams to the second round of the Shropshire Star sponsored Shropshire Young Athletes league cross country added a keen competitive edge to the races with the fast dry Oswestry course providing some exciting racing.
Before the Under 13 girls’ race, Newtown based Maldwyn Harriers posed for a team photo and it must have inspired them as with 5 runners in the top ten they led the team race easily from Shrewsbury High School and Oswestry Olympians. It was pre race favourite Isobel Bradley who won the 2000m race in 7 minutes 20 seconds from Emily Thomas of Aberystwyth AC closely followed by Sarah Williams, Emily Baldwin and Rosie Unwin all from Maldwyn.
All the races started off up a sharp hill but this did not slow down the normal fast start of the Under 11 girls. It was local athlete Hannah Price of Oswestry Olympians who slowed down the least, finishing the 1500m course in a fast 6 minutes and 3 seconds. Jessica Morris of Maldwyn was second just beating Katherine Smith of Shrewsbury AC. It was Oswestry who took the team race on 172 points with Maldwyn on 162 just one ahead of Telford AC.
In the under 15 girls’ the rapidly improving Evie Bentley of Telford AC beat all those that raced in the first fixture but this time had to settle for second place behind Welsh newcomer Megan Turner of Aberystwyth AC. Only 2 seconds separated the next three finishers, Daisy Tickner of Oswestry, Amy Partridge of Wenlock Olympians and Lauren Bathers also of Oswestry. Defending champions Telford AC seem to have a commanding lead in this age group.
However it was the home team who had five in the first six in the Under 17 girls. In the absence of Harriet Grandfield from Telford, the winner of the first race was Ella Walker who claimed first position from Chloe Barton with a spirited performance from Chloe Murphy in third just managing to prevent an Oswestry clean sweep.
In the boys races the Welsh clubs were not so well represented. In the under 17 Boys the pace for the 5000m course was unrelenting. The lead changed several times until, with a little over a mile to go, Guy Gregory of Ludlow Runners hit the front and pushed hard to move slowly away from his main rival Ryan Heath of Ludlow. Another Ludlow Runner Russell Adams came in third to clinch the team victory. A win in the next round at Much Wenlock could clinch the title for Guy, who up to this year had always been frustratingly just out of the medals.
The field in the Under 15 boys was the strongest of the day and a group of 5 seemed to break away. Wrekin College’s Haydn Gleave took the lead at the half way point and he finished 17 seconds in front of the rapidly improving Ben Ashcroft of Shrewsbury AC. Stephen Williams was third for Aberystwyth with Seb Pope, in his debut in the league, staying in front of the county 800m title holder Josh Burrows. The team victory was secured by Oswestry Olympians with 4 runners in the top 10.
Alex Burrows won the Under 13 boys’ race with a sprint finish from his fellow Telford team mate Jack Forrester, with Arthur Charlesworth of Wenlock Olympians just 5 seconds further back. It was Wenlock Olympians, whose numbers are increasing each year, who look set to be Telford AC’s biggest rivals in this age group.
Perhaps the most talented performer of the day ran in the Under 11 boys’ race. Telford’s Freddie Fielding, from Condover, steadily pulled away from the field and on a course of only 1500m managed to finish over 30 seconds ahead of his nearest rivals, Will Evans and Joseph Crutchley of Maldwyn Harriers. The team race was very competitive in this youngest age group with Telford just ahead of the rapidly improving Shrewsbury squad with Oswestry and Maldwyn only 20 points behind.
Colin Lancaster
Masters Home Countries Cross Country International
Good luck to all Telford athletes who are representing their country in this years Masters Home Countries Cross Country International at Perry Park Birmingham 14th Nov 09.
Races kick off at 12:15 when Nellie will be running like a wild crazy pony for Wales in the V40 category.
Paul Ward & Greg Wilson represent England. Greg's M50-M64 race is at 1pm. Paul will compete in the M35-M49 event at 1:450pm.
Photos now available
Photos now available
More information at http://www.bvaf.org.uk/fix/xcint-history.htm
Sportshall Match 2 08-Nov-09
SHROPSHIRE SPORTSHALL LEAGUE 2009-2010
Match 2 Wenlock 08 November 2009
Match 2 Wenlock 08 November 2009
Results
Here are the latest results from the Shropshire Young Athletes' Sports Hall League. We did much better this time. last month we were half a point behind Oswestry. Still very short of U15 Boys. This is the same problem as with the Cross Country League.
Margaret Cooper
Margaret Cooper
2 Nov 2009
Shropshire YA Cross Country - Newport
Aiming for Rio ?
The 2016 Olympics have been awarded to Rio and on Sunday’s Shropshire Young Athletes League Cross Country, young runners who are looking beyond London 2012 had their first race of the season. 150 athletes took part in the Shropshire Star sponsored event and this season the older runners race first so that the crowd can watch them over the longer courses. The lack of rain and hard conditions made racing even faster than normal and in the Under 15/17 girls race it was race favourite Harriet Grandfield who led from the front. The field of runners split after the first lap and it was in the Under 15 age group where the closest race was to be. It is a strong age group and it was triathlete Lauren Pestana of Telford AC who led the field home with a strong run, behind her Amy and Zoe Partridge of Wenlock Olympians kept the battle for second place in the family, with Zoe beating her sister by just 6 seconds. Another triathlete from Ludlow Runners, Eilish Gilbert, held off county athlete Evie Bentley for 4th place. This year it is definitely going to be very close for individual medals in the four race series in this age group. Telford are very strong in this section but on the day Shrewsbury High School, competing in the league for the first time, came a close second. Harriet Grandfield of Telford won the Under 17 race by 9 seconds from team mate Chloe Murphy and with Harriet’s sister Emily in 5th it looks like a good year for Telford in this age group as well.
The small Under 17 boy’s field provided the most exciting race of the day with the group of leading runners staying together for the first two laps. It was only at the beginning of the third and final lap when Guy Gregory of Ludlow Runners took the lead. Last years league champion Ryan Heath of Telford AC suffered with cramp in the hot conditions and rallied to finish 3rd behind another Ludlow Runner Russell Adams. The team title looks to be between Ludlow and Telford and the next race will be interesting to see if Ryan can regain last year’s dominance. The Under 15 boys saw two runners break away early and it was Joe Morris of Oswestry who secured the win by 6 seconds form Wrekin College’s Haydn Gleave. Ben Ashcroft the county 1500m champion moved up an age group this year to come 3rd and he looks likely to challenge the older boys as the season progresses. Seven teams contested the race and it looks too early to say who is likely to emerge as champions but Telford won here from Oswestry Olympians with Shrewsbury AC close behind.
In the Under 11 race the crowd thought that it was going to be a close race but Hattie Jones of Ludlow Runners, who came third last year, was running brilliantly, and giving a worried hare a run for their money. Hattie ran the mile course in 6 mins 12 seconds and won by eight seconds from Katherine Smith of Shrewsbury AC and Meg Davies of the Newtown based Maldwyn Harriers in third. In this age group it is not unusual for different athletes to win each race and so team race results are unpredictable. This time it was Oswestry Olympians with 168 points to Telford AC with 165 and Wenlock Olympians third.
The Under 11 boys’ race normally starts with a mad dash as the youngsters jostle for the early lead and this race was no exception. This time the leading two runners never seemed to slow down and it was a sprint for the line with the judges finding it difficult to separate the first two. In the end, newcomer, Joel Roura of Telford was given the decision over Joseph Crutchley of Maldwyn Harriers by just one second in a time of 5 minutes 43 seconds with Will Evans also of Maldwyn taking the bronze medal position. This time four teams seem to be in contention for the three medal positions with Maldwyn and Shrewsbury joining Telford and Oswestry in the top group.
Many of the parents and supporters stayed to watch the last two races of the day and the warm weather meant that support was spread out all around the course. The Under 13 boys had to run 3000 metres and all the field were home in 15 minutes. It was Telford dominating the front end of the field with six runners in the first ten places. It was a Telford one, two with Alex Burrows holding off his team mate Jack Forrester with Oswestry Olympian, James Morris, sprinting home in third. Not surprisingly Telford look set to dominate this age group but they didn’t have it all their own way in the last race, the Under 13 Girls. Isobel Bradley of Telford ran from the front to win the 2000m race in 6 minutes 12 seconds but Emma Tilley of Oswestry and Emma Clarke of Ludlow will be training hard to try and close the gap in the next race. It is Oswestry who have taken the early lead in this age group, and with four runners to count in the team it is often the fourth place runner who makes the difference. This time it was Oswestry’s Emily Ball who brought her team home with eleventh place.
Colin Lancaster
The small Under 17 boy’s field provided the most exciting race of the day with the group of leading runners staying together for the first two laps. It was only at the beginning of the third and final lap when Guy Gregory of Ludlow Runners took the lead. Last years league champion Ryan Heath of Telford AC suffered with cramp in the hot conditions and rallied to finish 3rd behind another Ludlow Runner Russell Adams. The team title looks to be between Ludlow and Telford and the next race will be interesting to see if Ryan can regain last year’s dominance. The Under 15 boys saw two runners break away early and it was Joe Morris of Oswestry who secured the win by 6 seconds form Wrekin College’s Haydn Gleave. Ben Ashcroft the county 1500m champion moved up an age group this year to come 3rd and he looks likely to challenge the older boys as the season progresses. Seven teams contested the race and it looks too early to say who is likely to emerge as champions but Telford won here from Oswestry Olympians with Shrewsbury AC close behind.
In the Under 11 race the crowd thought that it was going to be a close race but Hattie Jones of Ludlow Runners, who came third last year, was running brilliantly, and giving a worried hare a run for their money. Hattie ran the mile course in 6 mins 12 seconds and won by eight seconds from Katherine Smith of Shrewsbury AC and Meg Davies of the Newtown based Maldwyn Harriers in third. In this age group it is not unusual for different athletes to win each race and so team race results are unpredictable. This time it was Oswestry Olympians with 168 points to Telford AC with 165 and Wenlock Olympians third.
The Under 11 boys’ race normally starts with a mad dash as the youngsters jostle for the early lead and this race was no exception. This time the leading two runners never seemed to slow down and it was a sprint for the line with the judges finding it difficult to separate the first two. In the end, newcomer, Joel Roura of Telford was given the decision over Joseph Crutchley of Maldwyn Harriers by just one second in a time of 5 minutes 43 seconds with Will Evans also of Maldwyn taking the bronze medal position. This time four teams seem to be in contention for the three medal positions with Maldwyn and Shrewsbury joining Telford and Oswestry in the top group.
Many of the parents and supporters stayed to watch the last two races of the day and the warm weather meant that support was spread out all around the course. The Under 13 boys had to run 3000 metres and all the field were home in 15 minutes. It was Telford dominating the front end of the field with six runners in the first ten places. It was a Telford one, two with Alex Burrows holding off his team mate Jack Forrester with Oswestry Olympian, James Morris, sprinting home in third. Not surprisingly Telford look set to dominate this age group but they didn’t have it all their own way in the last race, the Under 13 Girls. Isobel Bradley of Telford ran from the front to win the 2000m race in 6 minutes 12 seconds but Emma Tilley of Oswestry and Emma Clarke of Ludlow will be training hard to try and close the gap in the next race. It is Oswestry who have taken the early lead in this age group, and with four runners to count in the team it is often the fourth place runner who makes the difference. This time it was Oswestry’s Emily Ball who brought her team home with eleventh place.
Colin Lancaster
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