Many thanks to our resident journalist Marian Hesketh for this week's LEP report
Liverpool Cross Challenge - Saturday 25th November 2023
The hugely anticipated British Athletics cross challenge series returned to Sefton Park in
Liverpool on a clear sunny day with large entry fields. Runners had travelled from all over the
UK, which included the far north of Scotland and from N. Ireland. The challenge event also
includes the local cross-country leagues, which over the years has helped boost the
numbers taking part and adds so much to the atmosphere and the occasion.
Conditions were good, although there were a several muddy areas and a few falls saw some
athletes covered in mud! The going was generally fine considering all the rain that had fallen
in recent weeks.
There were 709 finishers in the senior men’s race and 424 in the women`s race. Megan
Keith from Inverness Harriers won the women’s race over 8.1k in dominant style by 53
seconds. Hugo Milner (Derby AC) also had a high margin of victory, 34 seconds, in the
men’s race which was over 9.8k.
Preston Harriers had a good team turnout across the various age group races. The highest
placed club finisher in the women’s race was Emma McColm in a very good 70 th place in a
time of 30.05. She was followed across the line by Nicola Sutton in 103 rd , in 31.53, Jamie
Robinson 129th in 33.31, Charlotte Gregory 133rd in 33.51, Nicola Foster 151st in 34.56 and
Eleanor Palmer, pictured, in 183rd in 37.24 – the women had twelve finishers.
The men`s team were led home by Chris Livesey in 157th in 33.34, and Livesey was followed
by Wes Wilkinson 214th in 35.27, Luke Suffolk - posing below - 224st in 36.25, Simon Collins 254th in 36.57 and Peter Gibson 333 rd in 40.37 – the club had fifteen finishers.
