St Helens Sutton March 07 News Page

Weekend Races: 24/25 March

Sarah Charnock and Sue O'Hanlon competed in the scenic Coniston 14. Sarah recording a very fast 10k before she remembered there was another 8 miles to run!!! She finished 110th in 95.13 while Sue recorded 1.57.59 in 638th position. Results

Madam O'Hanlon was apparently in action the following day recording 1.58.12 in the Liv erpool Half Marathon as 26th over 45, Billy Mousdale finishing 10th in the equivalent men's age group in 88.35. Other competing included Carl Parry (67 - 82.51), Mark Glynn ( 92 - 84.15) and Julia Corfe (157 - 87.39). If anyone else ran can they please let me know. Results

Ian Hayburn was 11^th veteran in the Stafford Marathon finishing 36^th male in 80.29. Rob Marsh was 48^th male in 82.32 while Jo.Clisham-Marsh was 61^st lady to finish in 1.43.46. Karen Jarvis took 64^th place (7^th over 45) in 1.44.27 while Chris Dickinson was 69^th (8^th vet over 45) in 1.45.08. Results

At the Wilmslow half Marathon Gill Laithwaite was fourth lady in 78.32 and Gemma Connolly 13th in 85.33. If we can get a third one out next season we could take the team prize. Results

World Junior Cross Country Championships - Mombassa - Kenya 24 March

Dave Forrester succeeded in his pre-race objective of making the top 100 in the searing heat of Mombassa when he finished 89th, finishing fifth British counter, just two seconds short of the counting four. Competing after being called up as reserve - and while still an Under 17 - Dave was 105th on the first two laps, moved up to 100th on the penultimate circuit and took eleven on the fourth and final lap. Leading British hope, Adam Hickey failed to finish while the rest of the junior team was Lee Carey (27.17), Andrew Livingstone (27.47) Connor McNulty (28.10) and Ben Lindsay 28.31. Dave recorded 28.33 in his first Great Britain call up. The team was 13th. Well done to all involved, including coach Ray Vose. Results (IAAF website).

ESAA Cross Country Championships - Temple Newsham - Leeds 24 March

John Ashcroft and Gemma Shaw represented Merseyside at the ESAA Championships in Leeds on a course used for the National a few years ago. John finished just outside the top 200 while Gemma finished 196th in their respective junior category races and will benefit from the experience of competing in such a big field (of athletes, not the field itself!!!!) Congratulations to both on their ESAA and county debuts.

Blackpool Open Meeting: 18 March

The dynamic duo of Mike and Danny Hughes braved the cold Blackpool winds to compete in the Winter Track Meeting, Mike shot putting 7.84 while Danny putted 8.91 (1) and ran the 600 1.42.3 (3) and 200 27.7.

Sports Hall NW Final: Wigan 18 March

The under 11's competed brilliantly in the North West Final today finishing second to Crewe and Nantwich by a mere two points. The over and under team of Lucy Renshall, Sophie Cummins, Lauren Pike and Chelsea Jukes, the 4 x 1 team of Chelsea Jarvis, Lucy Renshall, Chloe Rigby and Katherine Mousdale, and the 6 Lap Paarluf pairing of Chelsea Jarvis and Chloe Rigby all won their races with Katherine Mousdale and Sally Shacklady making the final in the 2 x 2 relay to set up a challenge to retain the trophy St Helens Sutton won last year. With some athletes getting pb's in the field events the girls pushed Crewe & Nantwich all the way.

The full team for the 2007 final was Chelsea Jarvis, Lucy Renshall, Chloe Rigby, Katherine Mousdale, Sally Shacklady, Alicia Cain, Sophie Cummins, Vicky Lamb, Lauren Pike, Chelsea Jukes. Res: Elle Shacklady. Res: Elle Shacklady. Unfortunately no field results are available yet but congratulations to the athletes from all the Sportshall coaches. Carl Bibby, Colin Spark, Matthew Pilling, Jessica Drillingcourt , Julie Patton, Pauline Picton and Andy Drillingcourt.

In addition, athletes in the invited events Patricia Spark (U13 shot), Sophie Rigby (U13 Speed Bounce) and Samantha Fraser (U15 Shot) won their events while Louise Hayes was a creditable fourth in the Speed Bounce. Report from Andy Drillingcourt with additional information from Colin Sparks. Results:

National and Northern Under 15 Pentathlon Championships - Sportcity 17 March

Samantha Fraser set a new club indoor best of 2903 pts, to finish third in the Northern U15 Pentathlon Championship and fourth in the National event. Sam also putt the shot 10.78 (further than the existing outdoor record), cleared 1.56 in the high jump, 4.59 (long jump), and ran 9.90 secs for the 60m hurdles and 2.51.25 over 800m. Results

National Cross Country Championships - Sunderland - 10 March.

Dave Forrester won the National Cross Country title finishing over forty metres clear of the field in the under 17 race, despite falling over, in an impressive nine seconds' victory. Charlie Straw (Sutton Harriers) won the senior title in 1906 and Chris Sweeny was junior champion in the 1980's with St Helens A C. Dave thus becomes the first National cross country champion since St Helens-Sutton A C was formed and gets to keep the Bill McMinnis Trophy. Hopefully, there will be others.

The senior ladies also had their own celebration, finishing sixteenth (Sarah Charnock (72), Gemma Connolly (110), Julia Eccleston (179) and Karen Jarvis (194), as the leading Merseyside team. Louise Hogg (220), Chris Dickinson (264) and Sue Clague, 27 years after her last National, (290) all completed the course. Delighted with their performance captain Julia said they were all getting pizza tonight.

The under 15 Boys quartet of Adam Fackey (113), Jake Healy(148), John Ashcroft (188) and David Griffiths (191) took twentysecond place with Danny Hughes providing team support (220).

Greg Williams (181), Barry Graney (294), Ian Hayburn (332), Robbie Marsh (399) and Ray Vose (412) and Ian Pass (655) completed the course for the senior men to earn 36th position, again ahead of Wirral A C as in the local championships.

Other results included Jemma Shaw (114), Heather Drillingcourt (179) and Lauren Bradshaw (199) in the under 15 Girls race, John Dumbell and Steve Clague 143rd and 181st in the Under 17 contest while Loughborough based John Appleton took 119th in the junior event, while Louise Hayes (248) competed in the under 13 girls.

Congratulations to all who ran, to the coaches for their hours of unstinting work and many thanks to those who travelled in support and provided transport. It's been an historic day and hopefully the first of many. Results .

Late News: David has been called up to run in the World Junior Cross Country Championships in Mombassa in two weeks time. After agonising for one-tenth of a second whether to go or travel to Leeds for the English Schools Dave decided to show the Kenyans what to expect in future years. Many congratulations.

Weekend Round Up 10/11 March:

Craig Knight was in action recording 7.32 in the 60m at the BUSA Indoor Championships in Sheffield and was timed with a split 21.9 in the 4x 200m relay. Karl Allender was 138th (2.39.16) in the Trimpnell 20 at Morecambe. In addition, Rob Stiffin recorded 1.35.29 (chip time) in the Fleet Half Marathon in Hampshire.

Trafford 10k: Partington and Other Events : 4 March

The ladies' endurance runners made full use of the Grand Prix series to notch up an individual and team success in the Trafford 10k at Partington. Gill Laithwaite was first home in 35.40, Gemma Connolly seventh in 38.31 and Julia Eccleston anchored in 14th position in 43 mins. This gave the girls a three points winning margin over Sale with Stockport third. Karen Jarvis and Chris Dickinson, fresh from a two hour training run the previous day, were fourth and sixth in the over 45 age category in 48.00 and 49.37 respectively. Results

Elsewhere Russell Barron (5th 59.31) and Carl Parry (15th 61.36) competed in the Ultra Fit 10 at Blackpool while Tony Smith was fifth in the Congleton C loud Nine Race in 59.47. Sarah Charnock took the opportunity to experience wet weather training by taking part in the Haweswater Half Marathon finishing second lady in 87.08 as a warm up for this weekend's national.