Cheshire Cross Country Championships 2004 Enjoyed By All At Winsford

Vale Royal Athletic Club played host to the 2004 Cheshire Cross Country Championships at Winsford on Saturday 3rd January.  The weather was kind to the course, after many days of hard frost, which meant the runners could run on soft and damp ground, not forgetting the heavy mud around the course.

Many thanks to Shaun McGrath who has devoted well over 6 months planning for the championships, with a very well marked out course and a strong gathering of marshals from the club.  Members of Vale Royal AC were out at 8am in the morning, placing posts, tape and completing various other jobs to ensure safe passage of the runners round the course.

Many athletes from Vale Royal Athletic Club were in action on Saturday 3rd January 2004 for the Cheshire Cross Country Championships with some very good running indeed.  The club produced 4 County Champions of 2004.

In the Under 11 boys age group Alex Strachan, Andrew Miles and Kyle Weedall all participated in the muddy course with lots of energy being expended on the hilly sections of the course.

The Under 13 girls were out in force with Katie Howard, Charlotte Matthews, Kathy Stringer, Danielle Jones and Charlotte Hickson all running in the bright yellow and blue colours, which contrasted with the colours of the course.

Again, a strong contingent of Under 13 boys who all endured the cold and heavy mud under their feet.  The boys battled away in the race with Robert Platt coming home 8th, followed by Kieran Kinvig, twins James and Ryan Stringer, followed by Callum Muir and Jacob McCellan.

The under 15 girls were a dominant force in the age group with Stevie Stockton winning the championship and Laura Lambert coming a close second place.  Hannah Weedall was 5th which gained the three girls the 1st place team prize.  Vicky Jones, Lorna Timms and Louise Bosson also ran well to collect the 3rd place team prize (bronze medal).  Emily Deamen, Leanne Jones and Corrine Kinvig completed the running for the under 15 girls section of Vale Royal AC.

The Under 15 boys of Vale Royal AC were also out in force with James Griffiths winning the championship as well as the Gold medal team prize. 

Tom Heaward, running in his first cheshire cross country championships enjoyed the course, followed by Ryan Smith, Chris Perry, Michael Carroll and Warren Bolas.

The under 17 ladies team again showed their potential with Becky Ellis winning the championship, again winning the team prize as well.  Becky was followed by Vicky Ward, Lucy Knight, Emma Coxon, Gemma Lievesley, Kate Spilsbury and Vicky Green.

In the under 17 boys championship race Steven Mitchell encountered the hilly and muddy course to come home in fourth position.

In the Under 20s men`s race Andy Ellis lead from the front with dominant running skills to claim his cross county championship gold medal.

In the Under 20s women`s race Beth Carter, Fiona Rudkin and Caroline Winder all competed in cold and damp conditions in a competitive race.

Senior Athletes were out in force at the championships and more information will be added tomorrow (Sunday) as Neil Templeman has not received the results from Cheshire AA.

Sincere apologies to anyone whose name has been omitted from this report.  It is now 11pm now and I did spend all day marshalling and then taking down fencing etc....