Schools’ Cross Country League Race 3

Report: John Wharf -

Report of 3rd Event – 10 December 2016

The turnout for the event was slightly down on the first two events, which is perhaps not surprising given competing seasonal events and the current crop of winter infections. Conditions underfoot were soft but not particularly muddy and the temperature was well over the long-term average maximum for December.

Again, we have allocated times of 50:00 minutes to runners who had to drop out races for one reason or another. This is to allow us to account for them more easily when determining which runners have done 5 or more races and are eligible for an endeavour medal.

As usual, please advise me of any questions that you have about the results.

Girls Years 3-4:

There was a close-fought competition for 1st place, with the first 3 girls finishing within 3 seconds of each other. After two successive 3rd places, Niamh Mackintosh of Ladybrook claimed her first win in the League in a time of 6:31, just 2 seconds ahead of the winner of the 2nd event, Rosie Philbin of St Mary’s Marple. One second further back was Aisling Brooks of Ladybrook who finished 3rd. Alexa Billman of Cheadle claimed 4th spot and Ellena Walker of Tithe Barn finished 5th.

Niamh and Rosie now share 1st place in the League table with 7 points each and Aisling lies in third place with 11 points. 4th place is shared by Alexa and Ava Richards of St Philip’s (16 points). Further down the table, Ella Buckley of Pownall Green has 3 points from the two races she has competed in and will no doubt rise well up the table once she has completed 4 races. Similarly, Ellena Walker with 10 points from 2 races could also rise well up the table.

In the team competition, Ladybrook, with 3 runners in the top 15, won the team competition with 19 points to retain their overall lead in the League table with a score of 61 points. High Lane came 4th in the race which was sufficient for them to stay 2nd in the table with 103 points. Lady Barn finished 3rd in the race and moved up to 3rd in the table, supplanting Pownall Green whose team was absent from the race. St Mary’s, Marple, had 3 runners in the top 12 and finished 2nd in the race just behind Ladybrook and move up to 4th in the table.

Boys Years 3-4:

Josh Garrone of Vernon Park achieved his 3rd win of the season in the fast time of 5:51, while his brother, Matteo, came 3rd in 6:14, 4 seconds behind Will Bailey of Buxworth who gained his third 2nd place of the season. Will’s fellow pupil, Oliver Ecob , finished 4th in 6:20 and Isaac reed of Rose Hill gained his second 5th place of the season having missed the 2nd event.

Josh leads the League table with 3 points, Will lies second on 6 points and Oliver lies 3rd on 11 points. Of the runners who have competed in 2 races only and have a good point score on which to mount a challenge for a high League ranking, Matteo Garrone has 6 points and Isaac Reed of Rose Hill has 10 points

Vernon Park won the team race with 32 points, 2 points ahead of Lady Barn. High Lane finished 3rd with 39 points and Buxworth Primary 4th with 45 points. This means that Buxworth hold onto the top position in the table but are now tying with Lady Barn. High Lane move into 3rd place on 137 points ahead of Romiley on 190 points.

Girls Years 5-6:

Jasmine Reed of Rose Hill and Freya Murdoch of Pownall Green who were absent for the 2nd event continued where they left off at the end of the first race with Jasmine taking the win in a time of 10:12 and Freya finishing 2nd in 10: 26. Mary Seymour of Romiley finished in 3rd place in 11:35 and Saffron Meade of Great Moor finished 4th in 11:42, just ahead of Emily Whitworth of Lady Barn.

Mary Seymour now leads the League competition with 10 points, with Saffron Meade 2nd (17 points) and Ava Walsh of Ladybrook in 3rd place (20 points) just one point ahead of Emily Whitworth. Further down the table with 2 races each lie 3 runners who have finished within the top 3 on both occasions, Jasmine Reed, Freya Murdoch and Charli Barnett (Stockport Grammar). If they maintain consistency in their next two races we can expect them to emerge near the top of the table again.

In the team competition, Romiley Primary again won the race with 18 points and increased their lead at the top of the table. Lady Barn House came 2nd with 40 points and stay 2nd in the table. Romiley’s B-team came 6th in the race and drop back from their tied 2nd place to third overall. St Simon’s had their best race of the season and now lie 4th just 8 points behind Romiley’s B-team.

Boys Years 5-6:

Luke Carrington of Gee Cross won his third race of the season, this time dipping under 10 minutes with a time of 9:56, no doubt spurred on by his main challenger Finlay McLaughlin of Lady Barn House who finished in 10 minutes exactly. Sol Barlow of Romiley has shown steady improvement as the season has progressed and today finished 3rd in 10:13, 2 seconds ahead of Patrick Doohan of St Winifred’s who gained a hat-trick of 4th places. Behind him, Harry Ahearn of St Christopher’s and Dylan McGrath of St Ambrose had a close tussle for 5th place with Dylan coming out ahead.

Luke and Finlay have good lead in 1st and 2nd places at the top of the League table, while Patrick and Harry hold on to their 3rd and 4th places and Sol and Dylan both move up to 5th place just ahead of Harvey Murphy of Romiley and Joshua Stutchfield of Torkington.

In the team Romiley continues to hold spot with 119 points after another fine win. Lady Barn (3rd in the race) and Gee Cross (4th in the race) now lie 2nd and 3rd in the table with 242 and 251 points, well behind Romiley. St Peter’s were third in the race with 54 points, but with only two counting races so far they lie further down the table just behind St. Winifred’s who were absent for the race.

Next Event

The next event takes place on Saturday 28 January 2017.

Please remember that the race times changed this year to:
Race 1 Girls, years 3 & 4 at 10:30
Race 2 Boys, years 3 & 4 at 10:45
Race 3 Girls, years 5 & 6 at 11:00
Race 4 Boys, years 5 & 6 at 11:25

I would like to thank and congratulate to all the children who took part in the league races and to express my appreciation to their managers, family and friends for supporting them, St John Ambulance for tending to those needing medical attention and members and supporters of Stockport Harriers who helped put on a successful event. I hope to see you again at the next event.

I wish you all a merry Christmas and an excellent new year.


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