DAVID FORRESTER (St Helens-Sutton) led Great Britain’s Juniors to the bronze medals at the European cross country championships in Belgium.
Forrester, who has been unable to train since winning the trial race at Liverpool, finished fifth.
Forrester’s club colleagues took part in a well attended Manchester Area League match staged on home soil at Sherdley Park. Chelsea Jarvis won the under-13s girls’ race, Gemma Connolly was fifth in the ladies’ event, the under-17s trio of Natalie Garrity, Heather Drillingcourt and Siobhan Hattersley were second and the U13s team including Jarvis, Emma McCartney and Rachel Woosey were third.
The senior and veteran ladies and men’s teams maintained their push for division one status next season with top-six placings, Louise Hogg and Barry Graney leading the veteran teams and Marc Laithwaite and Connolly the women.
Amanda Crook (SouthportWaterloo) served noticed she will be a force to be reckoned at the County Championships by winning the Mid Lancs League competition at Blackpool. Crook won by a considerable margin. Angela Delaney and Tracy Peters gave the Sandgrounders third place on countback ahead of Liverpool Pembroke Sefton led by Rhea Ellis.
The Sandgrounders produced an excellent result in the senior men’s team race. Led by seventh-placed Rob Berry, supported by Richard Shearer, Steve Wilkinson, Robert Ashworth, Peter Roome and John Sprackland, they defeated the host club by 11 points. With Stephen McLean also running well Southport took the veterans team race too.
This weekend sees an Open Indoor meeting at SportCity, Manchester and the Red Nose Run at Blackpool. Elsewhere the traditional Christmas club handicaps are taking place this weekend or Boxing Day. The main race just after the break is the Chester Round The Walls event, which is already full.
