Shropshire AA Cross Country Championships

Shropshire AA XC Champs.
(Full results on the website)
Claire Martin won her 6th senior Shropshire Athletic Association Cross Country Championships in the annual championships at Lilleshall National Sports Centre. The Telford AC athlete, who has won all her senior titles since 2001 and is now closing in on the all time Shropshire record of victories held by Amanda Wright, now Smith, from MUch Wenlock, who has 8 senior victories to her name. Other senior ladies that have won 3 or more titles are Yvonne Hill 3, Heather Anslow 3, and Jenny Pearson 3. Claire won the race in 20.32 and was well clear of second placed Oswestry Olympian Alison Lavender, who was 4th last year, has been in good form recently with victories in the North wales League and the Midland Counties 5 mile championships. Michelle Clarke, was the second Telford AC runner home taking her first county medal as she finished 3rd a big improvement from her 6th last year. Nellie Sanders completed the winning Telford Ac team in 4th, whilst Cerian Lancaster retruned from univeristy in Brighton to retain the junior womens title and 5th overall with the Shropshire womens team manager Alison Tickner from Oswestry taking 6th. Telford AC won the team title for the 10th consecutive year.

Paul Ward continued his current top form as he won the senior mens title for the first time. he crossed the line in 31.46, just 8 seconds clear of his nearest rival his Telford AC team mate, 2008 champion and runner up last year Chris Rimmer. Ward who recently represented England in the masters International cross country had only ever been in the top 3 once before when he finished 3rd at Bridgnorth in 2006. Steven Cale, from Shrewsbury AC, a Wrekin College teacher who is currently leading the Shropshire Fell Running Winter Series was 3rd to take his first Shropshire medal in 33.01. Chris Bagshaw was 4th in 33.28, with Will Joyce, 3rd last year and second the year before taking 5th, Pete Butler a talented fast improving Oswestry runner took 6th in 33.52. Dave Mansbridge was the second veteran home in 8th whilst Greg Wilson, now an over 50 was 3rd. Telford AC took the team title for the 28th consecutive year. Dennis Gardner of Telford AC won the under 20 title in 35.40, 12th overall with Ryan Ordidge of Wrekin College taking second and Harry Hobson of Adams School third.

Isobel Bradley from Wellington, the Shropshire league champion, comfortably won the under 13 girls race the largest of the day with 49 finishers.The Telford AC athlete finished in 10.51 and had a 25 second winning margin with Ludlow Runner's Emma Clarke taking the silver medal in 11.16. Telford AC's Molly Brown taking 3rd just one second behind. The impressive Wrekin College team, that earlier in Decemeber had been Shropshire's only representatives in the English Schools Cross Country Cup Final in Cornwall easily won the team race as they packed 4 girls into the top 9, led by 4th placed Emma Draycote. Telford Ac were second with Shrewsbury Girls High School third.

Alex Burrows won his first Shropshire AA cross country title as the Broseely boy representing William Brookes School, who had finished second overall in the Shropshire league took the under 13 boys title in 10.04, just 4 seconds ahead of last years bronze medallist Connor Jones from Ludlow. Oswestry Olympian James Morris took the bronze medal a further 2 seconds adrift. Wenlock Olympians won the team title with Thomas Telford School second and Oswestry Olympians third.

Ludlow's Megan Turner who has been improving throughout the season and had finished third in the final Shropshire league race ,took the under 15 girls race by storm to take her first County title in 15.26. Megan has made a most dramatic improvement in the last 12 months having finished just 16th in the under 13 girls age group last season. Daisy Tickner from Oswestry took the silver medal just 6 seconds behind with the early leader Lauren Pestana of Telford AC taking third and leading her team to the team title with 16 points. Ludlow Runners were second and Shrewsbury Girls High School 3rd.

Wrekin College student Hayden Gleave took the under 15 boys title after finishing 4th in the same race last year. He had a 13 second winning margin over second placed Ben Ashcroft just holding off his Shrewsbury AC team mate George Speakman who was third just 2 seconds behind. Adams Grammar School, Newport dominated the team race with 6 boys in the top 16 as they took the fisrt two team plaings with Abraham Darby School 3rd.

It was a North Shropshire clean sweep in the Under 17 girls race as Harriet Grandfield, from Thomas Adams School, Wem continued her unbeaten start to the season by taking the title in 19.45 following up her victory in the under 15's last year. Ella walker, from Oswestry Olympians and Ellesmere College last years champion was second in 19.59 with Holly Climo from Whitchurch taking 3rd in 20.22.

Tom Buckley from Adams Grammar School, was a surprise winner in the under 17 boys age group coming home 30 seconds clear of the Shropshire league champion Guy Gregory from Ludlow Runners with Telford Ac's Ryan Heath taking the bronze medal.

Shropshire teams will now be selected to represent the county in the National Inter County Cross Championships to be held this year at Cofton Park, Birmingham on Saturday 13th March. This is a new venue, as the championships have previously been held in Nottingham since 1999.

Paul Sanderson