SYA Cross Country 3 Much Wenlock 15-Nov-09

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