Stoke AC results - North Staffs XC Parkhall 2007

13 October 2007

NORTH STAFFORDSHIRE CROSS COUNTRY LEAGUE - PARKHALL

If Stoke AC were a traditional male adult dominated running club we might well be a little down after this second North Staffs Cross Country fixture...

However we are not. The senior men will live to fight another day, and the brilliant performances from the Stoke AC youngsters more than made up for our own misfortunes. Not only that, but the female side of the club showed that when they turn out they are more than a match for anyone else in the North Staffs League with 4 individual and 3 team victories in 5 races. And as for team spirit - what other club's athletes had war-paint on?

Having said all that, we are not afraid to admit that we could do with a few more senior athletes... but if you want to join a club with a great future read on.

In the U11 girls Sarah Griffiths showed that her win a week ago was not a flash in the pan, with a superbly judged run to lead the team home again in first place. Strong runs again from Jessica Heath and the rapidly improving Lydia Beech ensured team victory, whilst Lydia Whiston was also very close behind these.

A week ago, suffering from a painful leg injury, a grimacing Lindon Evans finished the U11 boys race well down on his own high standards. This week it was smiles all round as Lindon lived up to his potential with a gun to tape victory. Not far behind it was Macauley Snutch’s turn to suffer a bit, but he dug in and kept his place at the top of the overall leader board. In 4^th place, new recruit Alan Collis, who has only been with the club 3 days showed that the best lads want to run for Stoke AC, and his superb debut helped the team to a comprehensive win.

Grace Mahoney improved to 6th this time in the U13 girls with another excellent run, and with Jade Heath, Jessica Griffiths and Melissa Harding also running well, the team moved up to 2nd.

At U13 boys level, Dave Sheldon had the daunting challenge of facing the UK’s top U15 middle distance girl in Stoke AC’s own Kate Holt. After the first lap of two, Dave was still close on Kate’s tail, but the effort required meant that he inevitably slowed in the later stages. However this is excellent preparation for the higher quality races to come. Kris Washington was 3^rd this time, but closer to Dave than last week, and the ever improving Bradley Sentence completed the Stoke team counters in 4^th. First year U13s Connor Bradbury and Greg Smalley also maintained their performances from the first race to show that we have real strength in depth at this level.

As mentioned earlier multiple National Champion Kate Holt was the star attraction in the U15 girls and she literally ran away from the rest of the field. However Sam Bailey held on strongly for second and has all the potential to improve massively in the next few months. With Rachel Cadagan and Chloe Hardy also running well the girls wrapped up yet another team victory on the day.

Another front of race battle in the U15 boy’s race saw a reversal of last week’s result, as Tom Guy showed that his strength is returning against the dynamic challenge of Nathan Ainsworth. Mike Harding completed the team in 4th, and with Joe Broome in 6^th and Luke Kinch in 9^th this is another age-group with great potential.

Heather Holt yet again showed that her sister is not the only talented Holt with a comfortable victory in the U17 women's race. Supported by strong running from Hannah Gillet, Kate Anderson, Claire Capper and Chloe Green the team proved that they can dominate this age-group locally whenever they choose to compete.

The U17 men’s age-group at Stoke has always had one or two athletes of quality, but we are now starting to see a big improvement in terms of numbers as well.

Josh Kinch had been suffering from a cold all week, but whereas last year he would have faded, this year he held on strongly for second against classy Staffs Moorlands opposition. Dave Clarke also improved on last week, and once he starts training again… Rob Cook completed the team on this occasion to maintain the Stoke AC stranglehold on the team league standings. With Josh Berrisford, Matt Scragg, and the ‘three musketeers’, Martin Cook, Jake Hart and Liam Hendricken, who decided to take a 'scenic' route, as well as new recruit Ryan Salisbury this was the biggest Stoke AC U17 men's participation for some time.

As for Emma Jackson in the senior ladies race - I didn't think she could run cross country - and I was totally wrong as usual! Within the first mile Emma was away, and with new-found strength and confidence, the European Junior 800m silver medalist simply moved further away from some strong, experienced cross country runners - definitely the performance of the afternoon! Not far behind Clare Booker showed that the Stoke AC senior women's team potentially really does have something to offer, and it was also great to see former ladies champion Leslie Degg 'enjoying' the Parkhall hills again.

After last week’s surprise team win, the tiny Stoke AC men’s squad knew that without a further injection of effort, it was unlikely that they could keep the much (numerically) stronger Staffs Moorlands at bay.

Unfortunately, with Brian Cole away on foreign duty (2hrs 44mins this week-end for 46.4km in hot and windy conditions in Sofia, Bulgaria, ie a 2.28 marathon + 4km extra), and likely top 10 placer Carl Shubotham suffering an ankle injury which forced us to stop him (against his will) mid way through the race, we were always going to face an uphill struggle.

In a better quality field, cross country master Andy Allen was yet again Stoke’s best finisher. Close behind Steve Bazell showed further improvement, to indicate that a top 5 placing in one of the later races might be on the cards. Danny Barker’s 13th was I think his best performance so far in this league and also bodes extremely well for the future.

I had been wanting to write that I had improved to a top 15 place myself this time, but an over enthusiastic start (still not practicing what I preach after 33 years running!), a tougher course, and stronger competition put paid to that. I will have to do some proper training if I want to move up this field...

In 37^th Gavin Walters had a much more positive run than a week ago, and knows that if he can just train consistently, a top 10 place is possible at the next fixture in 4 weeks time.

Our 6^th and final finisher was the remarkable Mark Kinch who improved more than 20 places to 61^st despite suffering a calf injury during the race. Not for the first time Mark's commitment not only saved the club from relegation, but gave us just the tiniest glimmer of a chance of retaining the title

John Danahay

Full results on the North Staffs Cross Country League Website: www.nsccl.co.uk

Great photos from Mick Hall

U11 Girls Team 1st - 12 points
1. Sarah Griffiths
4. Jessica Heath
7. Lydia Beech
8. Lydia Whiston
12. Zoe Astley
13. Mirade Nolan
22. Beth Beech

U13 Girls - Team 2nd - 27 points
6. Grace Mahoney
10. Jade Heath
11. Jessica Griffiths
14. Melissa Harding

U15 Girls - Team 1st - 9 points
1. Kate Holt
2. Sam Bailey
6. Rachel Cadagan
14. Chloe Hardy

U17 Girls - Team 1st - 12 points
1. Heather Holt
5. Hannah Gillett
6. Kate Anderson
7. Claire Capper
9. Chloe Green

Senior Woman
1. Emma Jackson
8. Clare Booker
40. Leslie Degg

U11 Boys - Team 1st - 7 points
1. Lindon Evans
2. Macauley Snutch
4. Alan Collis
19. Jake Holdcroft
21. George Steventon

U13 Boys - Team 1st - 8 points
1. David Sheldon
3. Kris Washington
4. Bradley Sentence
6. Connor Bradbury
7. Greg Smalley
18. Mark Northcott
22. Callum Griffiths
25. Connor Haywood

U15 Boys - Team 1st - 7 points
1. Tom Guy
2. Nathan Ainsworth
4. Mike Harding
6. Joe Broome
9. Luke Kinch
14. Rob Wilson
17. Danny Poole
20. Aaron Griffiths

U17 Men - Team 1st - 11 points
2. Josh Kinch
3. Dave Clarke
6. Rob Cook
7. Josh Berrisford
11. Matt Scragg
13. Martin Cooke
14. Jake Hart
16. Liam Hendricken
18. Ryan Salisbury

Jun, Sen & Vet Men - Team 2nd - 146 pts
6. Andy Allen (M40)
8. Steve Bazell
13. Danny Barker
21. John Danahay (M45)
37. Gavin Walters
61. Mark Kinch (M40)

7.56
8.13
8.29
8.31
9.11
9.12
10.00

9.23
9.36
9.41
10.06

8.28
9.46
10.23
11.32

10.38
11.20
11.36
11.40
11.57

19.32
21.41
24.47

7.53
8.22
8.41
10.17
10.25

8.48
9.06
9.08
9.32
9.48
10.36
10.48
11.08

9.33
9.36
9.48
10.08
10.23
10.50
11.20
12.07

18.44
19.02
19.18
20.22
20.53
21.03
21.15
21.54
23.34

34.47
35.06
35.54
37.03
38.30
40.46