Road Race Round Up:

Gemma Connolly finished second female in the Croxteth 10k (38.24) on 27 April, Julia Eccleston taking second V35 (43.40). Stuart Foster was 19th (38.50), Paul Burgess (61: 43.26) and Julian Corfe (75: 45.29). Carl Parry missed three hours by 54 seconds in 51st place in the Blackpool Marathon, Billy Mousdale, running under his real name of Anthony taking 92nd place in 3.09.42.

At Chorley the previous Wednesday Ian Roberts was eighth over four miles in 17.43 while Dennis Wharton took second 050 with 20.09.

Whitley 10k - 27 April

Jamie White won the Fun Run in 17.11 while Louise Hayes was second girl home in 22.45 both athletes improving their previous best by over a minute. Robbie Marsh (31:38.23), Dennis White (38: 32), Ian White (48:39.25), John Skinley (152:45.59), Jo Clisham-Marsh (159:46.30) and Linda White (208:54.27) took part in the main race.

National Junior League - Ellesmere Port - 27 April

The club open its League account with a splendid fourth place defeating Wirral and SouthportWaterloo in a match which saw several club bests. Second claim members Amy Rose Talbot (3000 10.43.8) and Matthew Jackson (2k steeplechase 6.12.1) joined Athlete of the Match, David Forrester (3000 8.25) and Josie Barrow (high jump 1.45 - removing the nine previous occasions when it had been tied on 1.40) and setting an U17 pole vault record debuting with 2 metres.

Thaddeus Anim-Somuah won both sprints (11.3 and 23.1) but was mysteriously placed second in the longer race John Ashcroft set a personal best 4.21.6 in the 1500m. Adam Fackey battled to 2.13.3(800) while Jake Healy opened with 4.35.4 (1500), Danny Griffiths winning the B 3000 in 9.05.3.

Heather Drillingcourt was third in both sprints (113. & 28.3), Natalie Garrity was also third (800 2.33.3), Megan Tyler contributed two fourth places in the long (4.39) and triple (9.78) jumps. There was also a splendid debut from Lauren Bradshaw in the 400(68.2). Results:

Macclesfield Open Meeting 26 April

Liane Bibby achieved a hat trick of wins and two PB's at the Macclesfield Open Meeting running 100m in 13.8 pb (1st) throwing the Javelin 26.50 (1st) and the Shot 7.32 pb (1st).

Trafford Open Meeting: 21 April

Chelsea Jarvis competed in this meeting recording 1.41.8 for 600m.

Ernie Gallagher Memorial Meeting 19 April/Melbourne Trophy Meeting 20 April: Wavertree

There were excellent results at the first Ernie Gallagher Memorial Meeting held at Wavertree on a windy day. Tom Green won the 100m beating Southport's Josh Hughes in 12.0 and took second place behind the Sandgrounder in 24.5. Shelby Jack  recorded 10.9 in the heat of the 75m, taking second place in the final in 11.7, Rachel Woodsey collecting third spot in 12.0.

Jamie White had his usual close finish winning the 1500m in 4.51.7, Liane Bibby maintained her good form in the javelin, winning with in 26.69, recording 14.1 (6) in the 100m and taking third place in the shot with 6.99. Tricia Spark won the latter 7.90m, was fourth in the javelin (16.28) and sixth in the 200, 31.2(6)

Adam Woosey won the 75m (12.7) in which Daniel Elston was recorded as 12.1. Daniel was second in the 600m 2.01.8 and long jump (3.50) in which Adam recorded 2.08.3 and 3.27 in the same events. Rachel Woosey won the 75 in 11.2 and the 600 in 1.59.7, Sally Ashton collecting fifth (12.6) and sixth 2.10.8 in the same events. Rachel contested the long jump (3.09) and Sally the Soft Javelin (8.34).

Heather Drillingcourt recorded 44.3 (300) at the Melbourne Trophy Meeting held at Wavertree.  Results

Weekend Miscellany 12/13 April

Liane Bibby set a new U15 record by throwing 27.57 in the Open Throws Meeting at Wavertree adding almost half a metre to the previous record. On Sunday Julia Eccleston continued her regular racing routine finishing fourteenth in the Bolton 10k in 42.39.

At the London Marathon clubs members recorded the following times: Steve Tate 3.23.49; Tommy Dunning 3.38.26; Sue O'Hanlon 4.12.05; Rob Stiffin 4.14.27 and Rosie O'Hagan 4.16.04. Additional information when available. Thanks to Ian Hayburn for the information.  Results

Officials' Courses - May.

As you know the club is obliged to provide officials at League matches. Failure to do so leads to a loss of points and result in a poorer result than the athletes deserve. Merseyside Officials' Secretary , Ron Scott, is planning to hold a course for track judges, field judges and timekeepers on Wednesday 7 May (6.30 - 9.30). The club will be given two places free of charge and the cost for all other attendees is at a vastly reduced rate of £5. Those of who are interested should contact Phil Thomas as soon as possible. The main purpose of being qualified is not necessarily to officiate at all meetings but to be free to do five meetings in a year although anyone who finds it interesting can do many more.

Warrington Open Meeting - Victoria Park. 6 April

Over 30 athletes braved the weather to compete at Victoria Park with some excellent results which are attached. Many thanks to Colin Sparks for compiling the results on the day. They have been circulated to those on email. Results:

Northern Road Relays at Catterick Garrison 6 April

The senior men's team narrowly missed out on a place in the National Road Relays when they were the 28th.    A team to finish at Catterick while the ladies' team also finished 28th, the first time we have finished mens and womens teams since 2005.. On a day which saw sunshine, cloud and snow during the race there were excellent performances from the 12 men and 6 women who constituted the 2008 teams.

Gemma Connolly opened with 18.43 (17) followed by consistent performances from girls with different degrees of illness or injury: Louise Hogg (blister 20.42), Eleanor Reynolds (achilles 22.08), Chris Dempsey (age - 23.02), Julia Eccleston (don't ask - 20.13) with Sue "Thyroid" Clague running slightly slower after stepping in at less than two days' notice owing to Rosie O'Hagan's running battle with a car while out training. There's also a suggestion that Sue was slowing down to eye the soldiers who acted as marshals on the course but the snow was too thick for that to happen.

Marc Laithwaite (32.12) was fortieth on first leg for the men and the club hovered around this position for the next five laps as Ian Roberts (16.52), John Appleton (17.47), Ian Costello (33.55), Peter Johnson (18.57) and Ian Pass (18.48) brought the club to the halfway point. For those unfamiliar with the relay format Marc and Ian ran the long legs which is why they took longer!!!!!!

Barry Graney (33.38) collected three places on lap seven, which Steve Mayers (17.09) maintained and Steve "Driver" Tate (18.18) improved as teams disappeared from the race. Ian Hayburn did a reasonable Captain Oates impression on lap ten (35.20), by which time the snow was like a Christmas card (only wetter).

Dave Forrester and Ray Vose travelled up from Loughborough, Dave to record the second fastest lap on stage 11 (15.32) for an improvement of five places while Ray (19.09) enjoyed the mass start for the final stage to hold the club's place to the end. David, who has been training with Kelly Holmes at Loughborough this week,  trained earlier in the day but didn't mention that he had won the British Colleges race the previous day

We were second Merseyside club home in both events as Wirral failed to finish a team in the men's race, LPS failed to start and SouthportWaterloo didn't enter. It's a good achievement to get two teams out and with our injured and unavailable athletes ready later in the year we should be able to put in a good show at the September relays.

In addition we beat Salford and Blackpool who were both disqualified ( it can happen to the best of us) and Bolton and Blackburn neither of whom fielded a full team.

Many thanks to Steve Tate for driving the minbus, to those who took their cars and to Tony Raffle who turned up to act as reserve although on this occasion his services were not required. Mens Results  Womens Results

Trafford Open Meeting 6 April

Two U11 boys competed at Trafford, Owen Kennedy winning two golds and a silver 75m 12.1 (1st place), 600m 2:12.5 (2nd place) and long jump 3.48m (1st place).  Ben Walsh won gold in the shot (4.83m) and competed in 75m (12.7) and long jump (2.82m).

Liane Bibby achieved pb's in all three of her events completing the 100m in 14.0 throwing the javelin 25.37m (1st place) and finishing off with shot (7.03m).  Report from Carl Bibby.

Lancaster Three Bridges Race: 10k 6 April

The club's veterans were again out in force, John Appleton (39.45), Pam Appleton (48.12) and Dorothy Fairhurst ( 56.54) completing the course

Coniston 14 : 5 April

Two club athletes who contested this event - Dennis Wharton (96.33) and Sue O'Hanlon (1.58.04)

Chester Spring 5: 2 April

Veterans Stan Erlam (35.56) and Cecilia Schroder ( 41.30), both of whom are on the way back after injury competed in this event