The third Mid Lancs cross country event that took place at Sefton Park, Liverpool last Saturday is one that is always eagerly looked forward to, especially as the event didn`t take place in 2020. The races are included in the British Athletics cross challenge, which is a series of four high profile races aimed at encouraging top level competition for cross country; Liverpool was the second event. Competitors take part in the series, Liverpool being no exception, from all over the UK and it`s an event that Liverpool City Council is happy to support. With the damage all over the country wreaked by Storm Arwen on the Friday night, the organisers and officials had to rebuild sections of the course before the first mid-morning races as tape and barriers were strewn all over the grass. Some of the runners had had difficult journeys too and a couple of fallen trees had been cleared very early from some approach roads. Through the morning the winds eased down, and the sun shone although it was a bitterly cold day. The courses were dry and, with no mud, they were traps for the unwary if runners set off too quickly.
The first events were to select the teams for the European short course relay in January, with the first two being selected. Over a distance of just 1500m, the pace was fast! Dan Bebbington finished 7th in 4.33 in what was a very high quality field.
The U17 women had a good day, finishing second team over 4.4k in the Mid Lancs league with the three counters being Millie Walton, Isabelle Cunningham and Imogen Blackwell. The u17 men, too but over 5.5k, were second team, with counters being Jenson Warren, Zack Taylor, & Billy Reid.
The ladies ran 8.1k, further than the normal Mid Lancs distances and overall 269 runners finished. Mhari Maclennan (27.39) was first Harrier counter, in 17th overall, and the other team counters for a Mid Lancs team win were Carla Davies (30.31) and Sophie Rotheram (31.49) The overall winner was Jess Judd in 26.29 (Blackburn Harriers.) There were good performances again from Kate Lakeland (35.40) and Katey Markland (35.43)
The men ran 9.8k, and there were 516 finishers with the winning time of 28.05 posted by Jack Rowe (Aldershot Farnham and District AC.) Harriers’ first finisher was Chris Livesey in 32.58, and the other A team counters were Wes Wilkinson (34.45), Will Metcalf (34.48), Ben Naylor (37.13), Rob Worsey (38.54) & Steve Hallas (39.56).
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