Sat 3 March 2018 The final Mid Lancs league cross country event of the season took place at the new venue of the large sports complex at Glaxo in Ulverston. Perhaps the recent bad weather and the location had put people off, as the competing numbers were down in each race but the roads were clear, and there was no lying snow to be seen.
The journey to Ulverston is relatively direct, extensive car parking was next to the venue and Hoad Hill Harriers, as host club, had selected a good and varied set of courses with something for everybody. Competitors and officials had to contend with a biting and very fresh easterly wind in exposed places although the club tent area was an oasis of relative calm.
Ben Read finished a good season with 30th place in the men’s race over 9.4k. Andy Whaley in his first race of the season was 42nd. Stalwarts Chris Wales, Kevin Hesketh, Roy Parkinson and Michael Brown completed the team effort.
The ladies ran a longer distance than normal, at 6.9k. Marian Hesketh was third vet 55 and 29th overall, and she finished 2nd vet 55 in the individual table for the season. Olga Wiggins and Emily Wiggins ran too. Alan Appleby valiantly chased Ken Taylor of Rossendale in the vet 70 men’s race, also run alongside the senior ladies’ race, but he finished 2nd and was 2nd vet 70 for the season too.
The first races of the day were the under 11s. Grace Wareing-Yeulett was 21st and Ela Sturzaker 47th in the girls’ race and there were runs from Joseph Thompson, and Marty Vickers in the boys’ race.
George Denye had an excellent time in the under 13 boys’ race, finishing 2nd to Isaac Butler of Blackburn. Vladimir Wiggins in 19th and James Hawtin (24th) were the other team counters. Eva Sturzaker was the only competitor for Harriers in the under 15 girls’ race as was Arran Baldwin the u15 boys’ race.