Here’s our latest round from last weekend’s North of England Cross Country Relay.
North of England AA CROSS-COUNTRY RELAYS, Graves Park Sheffield, South Yorkshire, 19 October
Men
With a strong back four, Salford Harriers rose from second last year to win the senior men’s title in this long-running Cutlers relay.
All four of their runners ran within seven seconds of each other and their consistency gave them a nearly one-minute win over Hallamshire Harriers.
They were led by Alex Ediker’s 9:53 for the two mile round but they were third here behind Alfie Manthorpe’s 9:41 for Hallamshire and Ross Harrison’s Blackburn.
Manthorpe, who is set to run 62 minutes at Valencia next week and did so in preparation for it, said: “Last year I ran 36 seconds slower and here I was in front, competing with the Blackburn runner (Ross Harrison).”
Sam Hopkins soon put Salford ahead midway through the run before David Barratt and Harry Wakefield finished things off.
Hallamshire slipped in the second stage and stayed on the line, but after a steady start, Gateshead stormed into seventh place in the penultimate stage to take the bronze medals.
This was thanks to 2020 England national team and 2024 cross-country winner Callum Johnson’s fastest two-mile lap of the day. His 9:26 comfortably topped Manthorpe’s previous effort.
Johnson said of his walk here. “I’ve never raced here before, but the guys wanted to make a team and it’s more fun to do than some races.” He has also indicated that he prefers cross-country and will compete again at the English National Championships in Sedgefield in March next year.
Men (Cutlers Relay, 4x2M). 1 Salford 39:46 (A Ediker 9:53, S Hopkins 10:00, D Barratt 9:53, H Wakefield 9:58); 2 Hallamshire 40:41 (A Manthorpe 9:41, D Byrne 10:20, J Hayman 10:43, E Broen 9:54); 3 Gateshead 41:00 (L Liddle 10:23, J Blevins 10:09, I McCully 11:01, C Johnson 9:26); 4 Salford B 41:06 (J Wood-Doyle 10:14, J Birmingham 10:23, K Darcy 10:17, R Worland 10:10); 5 Morpeth 41:32 (O Tomlinson 10:43, J Dixon 10:05, M Walton 10:23, W De Vere Owen 10:19); 6 Rotherham 41:39 (J Massingham 10;10, D Reeve 10:22, J Wragg 10:17, B Burton 10:49); 7 Leeds 42:25; 8 Keighley & Craven) 42:57; 9 Lincoln Wellington 43:04; 10 Salford C 43:14
Fastest: C Johnson (Gate) 9:26; The Mandorpe (Halam) 9:41; R Harrison (B’burn) 9:50; D Barratt (Salf)/A Edict (Salf) 9:53; Broen (Hallam) 9:54
Finished 52 teams
Women
There was also a strong women’s field, with Molly Hudson leading the way in the first leg of the winners’ derby, who clocked 11:17 on the leg, second fastest overall.
Hudson said. “We (Hudson and Bethany Reid) were running together, and then she took me into the woods, but I walked myself, and because I’m an athlete with 2:04 800m and 4:13 1500m, I had the speed to win.”
Behind, Birtley started to slip in 19th place but improved to eighth through Amber Lee, while Lydia Turner took silver for her club in the fastest women’s time of 11:06.
Turner said: “I went really well, but I felt the lactic acid and it’s nice to do a short race.” Turner also opened up about her past struggles with an eating disorder that forced her to take a break from the sport for a few years, but now feels that her running has been a big help with her former condition.
Lincoln Wellington also had a steady race for third overall.
Women (3x2M). 1 Derby 35:56 (M Hudson 11:17, E Jones 12:03, A Ita 12:35); 2 Birtley 36:24 (H Linton 13:19, A Leigh 12:00, L Turner 11:05); 3 Lincoln Wellington 36:44 (R Harrison 12:14, F Taylor 12:13, N Burns 12:16); 4 Sheffield & D 37:30 (E Inch 11:41, G Brown 12:58, T McGraw 12:50); 5 Hallamshire 37:37 (C Slack 12:45, N Squires 13:05, L Cardno 11:46); 6 Salford 38:05 (E Russell 12:49, J Wright 12:07, K Reynolds 13:09); 7 Keighley & C 38:14; 8 Rotherham 38:33; 9 Holmfirth 38:44; 10 Derby B 38:47
Fastest: L Turner (Birt) 11:06; M Hudson (Der) 11:17; B Reid (Traffic) 11:22; M Bellward (K&C) 11:28; E Inch (Sheff & D) 11:41; L Cardno (Hallam) 11:46
43 teams finished
Young athletes
There was a surprise in the women’s under-17 race when favorites Lincoln Wellington edged out Rotherham, albeit by just seven seconds.
Keith split the clubs for all three of their 2.3km laps, so such a tight finish wasn’t much of a surprise.
Both were behind York City’s Beth Lewis in the opening lap and her 7:32 leg was the fastest in the age group.
Grace Igoe put Rotherham ahead on the stroke of half-time before Greighough Turner finished things off for them. The win came despite an 8:01 finish for Lincoln’s Ellarose Whitworth, who said: “I went too fast too soon,” but their second runner, Molly Grant’s father Michael, added that “they all got colds.”
It was also close in the men’s under-17 event over the same distance, but it was Trafford who started steadily to take the lead thanks to Theodore Austin and finally Finlay Dobson-Emmas taking the title away from Leeds.
The fastest lap time went elsewhere as Mikey Bacon, whose Rotherham club was only 27th on the first stage, stormed into third with the fastest under-17 time of 6:39. Bacon said: “I’ll take it.”
Tommy Hastings led home the first leg of the Wakefield Under-15 Boys race ahead of Jacob Doe and Ollie Curran for eventual winners Hallamshire and runners-up Darlington. Their three points remained the quickest in the race as Liverpool finished third thanks to Bobby McEvoy on the line.
Sale Harriers came from behind to win the under 15 girls race over three 2km laps and it was their Beatrix Soper who finally gave them the lead in the final stretch.
Earlier, Derby’s Olivia Lee took the first round in 7:15, a time that held the fastest age group. He said: “I went out easy and then took it down the hill, but I was the fastest under-15 here last year.”
Sal secured a second title in the under-13 boys race, but it was Joseph Preston’s first leg win of 5:15 that proved to be the fastest in the age group.
Favorites Warriors Pentathlon won the Under 13 Girls Championship but it was desperately close, down to one second their margin of victory over Bingley, whose Harriet Carter was fastest overall in 5:32.
U17 (3×2.3 km). 1 Trafford 21:01 (A White 7:10, T Austin) 6:53, F Dobson-Emmas) 6:57); 2 Leeds 21:07 (Y Alem 6:56, J Norris 6:59, A Mith 7:11); 3 Rotherham 21:19 (R Hughes 7:43, A Bedford 6:55, M Bacon 6:39); 4 Tynedale 21:30 (J Lonergan 7:07, A Darling 7:22, M Riddell 7:00); 5 Hallamshire 21;32 (T Thake 6:49, E Shkul 7:42, R Keen 6:59); 6 Macclesfield 21:38 (J Ireland 7:04, T Wood 7:15, G Watkins 7:13); 7 Blackburn 21:39; 8 Halifax 21:41; 9 derby 21:45; 10 Southport Waterloo 9:49 p.m
Fastest: M Bacon (Roth) 6:39; T Thake (Hallam) 6:49; T Austin (Traffic) 6:53
29 teams finished
U15 (3×2 mm). 1 Hallamshire 21:10 (J Dawe 6:48, M Taylor 7:15, B Pronesti 7:06); 2 Darlington 21:20 (O Curran 6:52, D Callaghan 7:23, J L’Anson 7:04); 3 Liverpool 21:22 (P Herring 7:05, C Finch 7:17, B McEvoy 6:59); 4 Wakefield 21:32 (T Hastings 6:31, H Tolson 7:48, S Swan) 7:12); 5 Deby 22:03 (O Segal 6:54, T Newboult 7:36, R Harrison 7:33); 6 Leeds 22:07 (C Emmett 7:03, C Holmes 7:43, T Griffiths 7:20); 7 Trafford 22:08; 8 Keighley & C 22:09; 9 Sale 22:15; 10 Warriors 22:16
Fastest: T Hastings (Wake) 6:31; J Dawe (Hallam) 6:48; O Curran (Darl) 6:52
30 teams finished
U13 (3×1.8 km). 1 Sale 16:46 (C Hodgson 5:34, A O’Hare 5:23, J Howell 5:48); 2 Keighley & C 16:54 (J Preston 5:15, F Meikle 5:54, R Schofield 5:43); 3 Warriors Pentathlon 16:56 (B Hughes 5:36, S Baker 5:38, Q McCaul 5:41; 4 Salford 17:01; 5 Bingley 17:03; 6 Wakefield 17:06
Fastest: Jay Preston (K) 5:15; A O’Hare (Sale) 5:23; H McFarlane (Wake)/W Saunders (Der) 5:28
40 teams finished
U11 (3×1.5 km). 1 Blackpool Wyre & Fylde 3.20pm. Fastest: T Morris (BWF) 4:43
34 teams finished
U17 (3×2.3 km). 1 Rotherham 23:54 (M Schofield 7:50, G Igoe 7:53, G Turner 8:09), Lincoln Wellington 24:01 (I Porter 7:57, M Grant 8:02, E Whitworth 8:01); 3 Keighley & C 25:08 (C McKee 7:54, B Buckley 8:38, I Wright 8:35); 4 York 25:15 (B Lewis 7:32, L Davey 8:43, N Hopkins 8:59); 5 Liverpool 25:30 (R Murphy 8:07, E Redmond 8:41, B Hughes 8:41); 6 Salford 25:36 (S Bartallotts 8:41, O McManus 8:16, I Goodman 8:37); 7 Derby 26:21; 8 Hallamshire 26:22; 9 Blackburn 26:53; 10 Warriors 26:57
Fastest: B Lewis (York) 7:32; I Tutt (Wake) 7:43; M Schofield (Roth) 7:50
24 teams finished
U15 (3×2 mm). 1 Sale 23:04 (R Heywood-Young 7:52, M Boyer 7:43, B Soper 7:28); 2 Hallamshire 23;10 (F Hill 7:39, P Foxall 8:01, J Thake 7:29); 3 Leeds 23:35 (E Hofgkinson 7:47, E Keeler 8:01, R Friend 7:46); 4 Liverpool B 23:42 (H Peers 7:51, G Veevers 7:56, M Ford 7:54); 5 Liverpool A 23:50 (D Rushton 7:43, E Worrall 8:15, B Rawcliffe 7:51); 6 Lincoln W 23:51 (E Goulsbra 8:09, F Goulsbra 7:54, F Lilly 7:48); 7 Lincoln WB 24:11; 8 Derby 24:12; 9 York 24:12; 10 Sale B 24:23
Fastest: Oh Li Der) 7:15; B Soper (Sale) 7:28; J Thake (Hallam) 7:29
23 teams finished
U13 (3×1.8 km). 1 Warriors 17:36 (R Khoring 5:43, J Rogan 6:18, D McVicar 5:34); 2 Bingley 17:37 (B Bailey 5:56, C Pedley 6:08, H Carter 5:32); 3 Lincoln W 17:42 (M Porter 5:56, H Gossiel 6:07, H Norris 5:38); 4 Hallamshire 18:07; 5 Liverpool 18:31; 6 Liverpool B 18:15
Fastest: H Carter (Bing) 5:32; D McVicar (Warriors) 5:34; C Bailey (Hallam) 5:37
28 teams finished
U11 (3×1.5 km). 1 Chronicles 16:19. Fastest: S McCreedy (Wirral) 5:09
25 teams finished
