10 January 2009	STAFFORDSHIRE CROSS COUNTRY CHAMPS - SANDWELL
	With an increase from last year's 34 athletes to 38 finishers this year the Stoke AC turn-out at this winter's Staffordshire Cross Country Championships also saw a much wider spread of medal winning performances across the categories - a really positive sign when our attendance at this event has been diminishing over recent years. In particular team medals for both the senior men and women was a major advance on previous years when we have struggled to turn out any teams at all in these categories. The U13 girls and boys started first and produced outstanding team packing from the Stoke AC Girls and Boys, to bring home team Gold in both categories. After a typically cautious start Lucy Holt led the way for the girls with a brilliant 2nd. Jessica Heath and Sarah Griffiths were the other team counters with strong runs, and Natasha Clewes, Melissa Harding, Mariad Nolan and Lydia Beech provided excellent back-up in a great all round team effort. Likewise in the U13 boys Ashley Wyatt continued his recent improvement with another brilliant 2nd place, and together with outstanding runs from new-comer Liam Baggley in 4th and Corey Hallett-Blanch in 5th they dominated the team standings. Close behind, Macauley Snutch also ran strongly despite having another year in this age-group, and Nick Stoddard, Charlie Cooke and Callum Griffiths ran well to push other teams down the placings. A great run from Sophie Plant led the U15 girls home in 5th, and with close support from Sarah Lovewell and Sammy Jo Daley Davis the team finished in 2nd. Jade Heath and Jessica Griffiths continued their consistent winter's work with good runs too. In the U15 boys race Dave Sheldon and Tom Guy have had close races all winter, and on this occasion Sheldon yet again did everything that he possibly could to drop the fast finishing Guy. However on this occasion Guy was not to be denied and with blinding speed powered away in the closing stages for a first Staffordshire win. Sheldon's massive effort to blunt Guy's finish meant that he fell back to 3rd at the finish, but this was still an excellent run from the first year U15. Alex Brecker always makes it look too easy and finished in a great 4th with perhaps his best cross country run so far, to give us a slightly deeper glimpse of his potential - if he wants it. Close behind Alex, Callum Hulme also ran really well to give Stoke 4 finishers in the top 5. Sam Botham is improving faster than anyone and he too had his best run so far here. Kieren Lee is just recovering from injury and nearly lost his shoe, but is a talented athlete who will bounce back strongly. The U17, U20 and senior women all started together, but leading U17 Kate Holt took no prisoners as she and Stoke AC's 800m International Emma Jackson quickly built up a big lead on the other women, and in fact competed strongly with the top U17 men too. On the second lap Jackson slowly but surely pulled away and eventually won the senior women's race by nearly a minute. A strong effort by Kate Holt kept her well ahead of the other senior women and 1 minute and 10 seconds ahead of the 2nd U17. Also competitive was Heather Holt as she finished a great 2nd in the U20 age-group and well inside the top 10 women overall. Just to add to a brilliant effort from the women on the day, an astonishing finishing burst from Clare Booker lifted the senior women's team into 2nd ahead of pre race favourites Trentham. In the U17 men Nathan Ainsworth and Joe Broome ran themselves into the Inter Counties team with strong runs, and backed up by a steadier effort from Liam Hendricken another bronze team medal was theirs. The final race of the day was the Senior and Junior Men and for the first time in a few years we turned out a team. Whilst Staffordshire Moorlands juniors Alex Derricott and Matt Clewes fought a titanic duel at the front, Stoke AC's international ultra runner Brian Cole settled for a steadier run in the top 10 at the end of a tough training week. Not far behind Steve Bazell continued his consistent winter cross country campaign with an excellent 12th. I was next man home, still recovering from injury, but closer to the top end of the master's category again. However I have to admit I was amazed at the improvement from youngster Dave Lee as he fought really strongly to stay ahead of me on the 3rd lap. I have no doubt that in a year's time Dave could be a comfortable top 20 finisher in this race. U20 Rob Cook also continues to improve as he ran strongly though-out for a top 40 finish. Final Stoke counter was Ian Milner in his first cross country of the winter, and although Ian is far from fully fit after lots of injury problems he also ran really well to complete the team in 45th. A team bronze was a great return for a club that only had 1 senior male finisher last year. With Matt Clewes winning and Alex Derricott 2nd, local rivals Staffordshire Moorlands really showed their potential this time as they trounced Tipton, and that is no mean feat in the West Midlands club's home territory I can tell you, so many congratulations to them. John Danahay Full Results courtesy of Tipton Harriers Lots of photos from Mick Hall
	U13 Girls - 1st Team 2. Lucy Holt 11. Jessica Heath 14. Sarah Griffiths 19. Natasha Clewes 20. Melissa Harding 21. Mariad Nolan 27. Lydia Beech U13 Boys - 1st Team 2. Ashley Wyatt 4. Liam Baggley 5. Corey Hallet-Blanch 8. Macauley Snutch 14. Nick Stoddard 20. Charlie Cooke 23. Callum Griffiths U15 Girls - 2nd Team 5. Sophie Plant 7. Sarah Lovewell 8. Sammy Jo Daley Davies 13. Jade Heath 14. Jessica Giffiths U15 Boys - 1st Team 1. Tom Guy 3. Dave Sheldon 4. Alex Brecker 5. Callum Hulme 11. Sam Botham 18. Kieren Lee U17 Women  1. Kate Holt U17 Men - 3rd Team 6. Nathan Ainsworth 7. Joe Broome 17. Liam Hendricken U20 Women 2. Heather Holt Senior Women - 2nd Team (incl U20 Women) 1. Emma Jackson 12. Clare Booker Senior Men - 3rd Team 8. Brian Cole 12. Steve Bazell 27. John Danahay (M45) 30. Dave Lee 37. Rob Cook (U20) 45. Ian Milner	15.07 17.07 17.12 17.50 17.57 18.26 19.03 14.06 14.23 14.30 14.51 16.02 16.55 17.19 18.58 19.06 19.20 22.15 22.34 15.40 15.46 16.29 16.42 17.16 18.21 20.26 19.26 19.44 20.52 21.41 19.47 22.58 37.42 38.06 40.36 41.13 43.11 44.02