Athletics: Galloping Steve James is first in Garstang

Apr 24 2008 by Nick Smith, Liverpool Daily Post

EVERGREEN Steve James (SouthportWaterloo) won the over-65 award at the Garstang Gallop 10k recording a splendid 42.23, finishing 13 seconds ahead of Chris Slavin (Penny Lane) who took the over-60 award.

Warrington’s Liam Thompson was fourth at the Salford 5k in 16.17 while clubmate Jennifer Smith was second female to Horwich’s Katie Ingram with a time of 18.35. Stan Erlam (St Helens-Sutton) was first over-65 in 21.49.

Saints battled with Halton and Frodsham in the opening Cheshire League match at Crewe. Halton winning the men’s contest, St Helens the women’s and under-11s matches finishing 12 points clear of the Cheshire team in the overall scores.

Elsewhere Wirral failed to score at Ashton Under Lyne while West Cheshire won the overall match at Connah’s Quay.

James Armstrong (SouthportWaterloo) returned to competition with victory over Wigan’s Adam Forrest in the 200m, both recorded through the 200m in 22.6. The Sandgrounders’ Andrew Starkey won the 400m in a personal best 52.7.

Becky McLinden (Wirral) took the women’s 200m in 25.6, West Cheshire’s David McKay the javelin with 61.96 and there were doubles for Liverpool’s Michael Bomba (59.66 hammer), (39.10 discus) and Rebecca Linney (Mile – 5.09) and (300m 42.secs).

Jack McGinn (LPS) won the 400m race in 50.1 while David Forrester won the under-17s 800m in 2.01.7. Chris Hesketh, Toby Loveridge, Michael Bride and Jake Helm all recorded under 2.13.

The League season swings into full action this weekend with the National Junior League taking place at various venues, Ellesmere Port playing host to the Mersey Division.

The match will be contested by the composite Cheshire Tigers and North Wales outfits, Liverpool Pembroke Sefton, SouthportWaterloo, St Helens-Sutton and Wirral.

Liverpool travel to Gateshead fo the Northern Premier Division match where they will meet composite teams from Scottish teams Kingdom Athletics and Team Edinburgh together with City of York, Leeds City, Sale Harriers and Trafford.

Wigan-Horwich stage the Pennine division fixture at Robin Park against Bingley, Bolton, Harrogate, Preston, Ribble Valley and Spenborough. The event clashes with the Lancashire Multi-Events championships at Blackpool.

Cheshire County AA have issued a reminder that the closing date for the county championships is tomorrow. To date only 149 individuals have entered the championships, of which West Cheshire have provided 40. No equivalent information was available for the Merseyside event which has the same closing date as the website link was in accessible and no reminders have been sent out to clubs.

LPS are staging the Croxteth Park 10k on Sunday and there road races throughout the region including the Wrexham 10 mile on Saturday while on Sunday there is the Whitley 10k near Warringon, Radcliffe 10k and the Blackpool Marathon and Half Marathon races.