Sat 13 October 2018 Storm Callum had a dramatic effect on the first Mid Lancs League cross fixture at Ulverston. Rain fell all day, with a few lighter showers, but by the time of the ladies’ race at 2pm, heavy and driving rain was falling. With pools of water having already formed on the course, they soon became larger and the mud was more cloying.
The conditions failed to stop Jacqui Fairchild leading the race almost from the gun and then pulling away from Emily Japp of Blackpool to record an excellent win in 24.55 for the 6.4k course. The other team counters were Jenny Wren and Vicki Sherrington. Conditions were similar for the last race as the senior men tackled 9.1k over deteriorating ground. Lee Foley had a strong run for 24th, and Alex Venables was 51st. The other team counters were Andy Whaley, Simon Robinson, Neil McDonald and John Rainford. Alan Appleby had finished 1st vet 70, well clear of his nearest rival.
Earlier, an enthusiastic set of nine U11 boys had run for Harriers, with Ethan Chadwick (9th) and Hayden Ridgley (10th) leading the others across the line. Anna Thompson was 10th in the u13 girls’ race and in the u13 boys’ race, over 2.8k, George Denye finished a superb 2nd, demonstrating tenacity and stamina throughout the race. William Morehouse and Sam Smalley ran well too for a team placing of 3rd.
With 250 finishers in the senior mens race, and dreadful weather for the finish funnel marshals and recorders to contend with and with being out there all the time, there were some errors and runners missing in the results and for some of the earlier races too. They did, however, a very good job in the most demanding of circumstances.