Greater Manchester Cross Country Championships

Report: Pete Torrence & Dave Turnbull -

Stockport Harriers held the Greater Manchester County Cross Country Championships at Woodbank Park on a chilly Saturday using a very wet and muddy course but it did not take long to warm up as the Harriers took medals in most of the events and it was the Under-13 and Under-15 girls who show how strong the Harriers are in these age groups.

The first girls race was the the Under-13 girls who really showed what a great team sprit they have with a great team display. First Harrier across the line in 2nd place was Lucy Donaghy, with Katy Whiteoak just behind in 4th place and then Leah O'Connell having a great run to take 9th place, this was good enough to take the first team and the gold medal.

Not to be out done in the next girls race the Under-15 girls again showing how strong the girls teams are on the country the team took first place with Mollie Williams taking third place with Evie Carter right on her tail in fourth place, making up the team was Olivia Wild on her return from injury in sixth place.

Jack Nixon won the men's Under-17 race and Jack Morris took the men's Under-20 title.

The senior men's race saw Loughborough student Michael Cooke 8th edge out Jamie Loxam 9th who had travelled over from Welshpool to represent the Harriers. With Andy Nixon 18th and Dean Matkin 23rd the men took the team silver medal, also Adi Nutter came in 24th place.

In the senior women's race Jenny Knass finished 6th leading the women's team home in 2nd position helped by Kerrie Wood-Doyle and Helen Walch.

Next up for the teams will be the Northern Cross Country Championships at Sunderland where the men's team will be strengthened by Alex O'Gorman and international Peter Riley and on the women's side international track and cross country athlete Elle Baker will make a welcome return after two years out.

Ross Millington returns to the University of New Mexico and will race indoors for the Lobos hoping to break the 4 minute barrier for the mile.

Greater Manchester Cross Country results
UNDER-13 GIRLS 1st
2 LUCY DONAGHY 9-38
4 KATY WHITEOAK 9-54
9 LEAH O CONNELL 10-16
11 EMMA DONAGHY 10-21
17 ELIZA BRACKENRIDGE JONES 10-28
24 KARLEY JARRETT 10-39
27 BRITNEY SHARPLES 10-43
28 GRACE BOWER 10-47
31 JASMINE HANNAN 10-51
36 OLIVIA CARTER 11-07
40 EMILY HUGHES 11-15
44 JULIET DOWNS 11-21
UNDER-15 GIRLS 1st
3 MOLLIE WILLIAMS 12-02
4 EVIE CARTER 12-07
6 OLIVIA WILD 12-53
9 CARLA EDWARDS 13-07
16 ELLEN DOWNS 13-43
18 AIMEE AIKIN 13-54
19 ALICE HUGHES 13-58
22 SOPHIE WILLIAMS 14-24
UNDER-17 GIRLS 3rd
11 IMOGEN NUTTER 21-22
15 NICOLA BERRY 22-48
18 SARAH TIPPING 24-09
SENIOR LADIES 2nd
6 JENNY KNASS 30-31
14 KERRIE WOOD-DOYLE 33-00
18 HELEN WALCH 33-43
21 JAYNE LAWTON 34-33
29 GILL DOOLAN 36-39
34 HELEN GARNER 37-39
36 MAUREEN WILKINS 38-23
37 HELEN TODD 38-58
38 MANDY HALL 39-02
39 VICKY BARRETT 39-06
40 ALEXIS DINSMOR 39-42
41 SOPHIE SEINGIER 40-05
44 AMY BARTER 41-16
46 HELEN NANCE 42-28
UNDER-13 BOYS
13 JAY HORNBY 9-43
18 JAY WOOD 9-59
UNDER-15 BOYS 5th
9 ROBERT WARD 11-21
16 MATT BURGESS 11-37
21 SIMON CHADWICK 12-15
27 WILLIAM GARNER 13-34
UNDER-17 MEN
1 JACK NIXON 21-37
UNDER-20 MEN
1 JACK MORRIS 26-04
SENIOR MEN 2nd
8 MICHAEL COOKE 42-02
9 JAMIE LOXAM 42-10
18 ANDY NIXON 43-34
23 DEAN MATKIN 44-21
24 ADRIAN NUTTER 44-57
38 PAUL NUTTER 49-38
48 ROBERT TAYLOR 50-59
83 MARTIN NANCE 63-02
» Full Greater Manchester Cross Country Results

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