Cross country Successes
Traditionally the cross country season finished on 31st March or Easter Monday if later. Today cross country has a 12 month season.
During March and April, Cheshire ahletes achieved a number of notable successes at the higher level. On March 11th at Wollaton Park, Nottingham which is becoming the home for the UK Inter County Championships, Cheshire’s Under 17 Ladies team won the team race, with Stevie Stockton of Vale Royal leading the team home for a third place individual medal. Stevie was well supported by Heather Timmins (Warrington), Hannah Weedall (Vale Royal) and S Cartwright (Warrington) completing the scorers. The Under 15 Boys team were just outside the medals in 4th place despite having 3 runners in the first 17, Matt Jackson finishing 14th just ahead of Daniel Cliffe and Steve Broadhurst. The under 13 Boys team was 8th, while in the Under 15 Girls race Rebecca Craigie (Macclesfield) was 12th.
Two weeks later at nearby Mansfield the cheshire schools teams performed well at the English Schools championships. The senior Boys team was 4th, the inter-boys team 6th, with Lawrence Walker in 12th position, the Inter-girls team were 4th with Heather Timmins 15th, while the junior girls team was 7th, with Rebecca Craigie 4th (Age groups are one year different from the age groups we use!).
In the International Schools Cup at Riccione, Italy on 10th April, Stevie Stockton and Hannah Weedall were part of the England Under 18 Girls team which were 4th, while in an inter-schools competition at the same venue a team of Boys from Helsby High School representing England were 5th, led home by Lawrence Walker.
Finally although not strictly cross country, Cheshire Schools, based on their performances in the 2004 English schools cross country, had been invited to send teams to take part in the London Mini-marathon races which take place while the London Marathon is in progress. Did anyone see the interviews on BBC TV with several members of the boys Cheshire team?
The Future :
NW Regional Council (England Athletics).
All clubs, leagues and associations should have received nomination papers and details for the NW Regional Council. The period of time for return of nominations has just been increased to 31st May.
All clubs, etc will then be invited to vote (by post) for up to 6 of the nominated persons for the NE Regional Council.
This will be the clubs opportunity to influence who they wish to be on the NW Council which in its first year will probably have a budget of £200,000 to allocate to athletics in the North West. Charles Gains has already indicated what he sees as priorities (coaching, communication, competition) but it will be up to the elected council to decide probably within a broad framework set by England Athletics. Charles has listed a number of additional items which he has asked his advisory group to comment on - if you have any comments, or wishes for the future please feed them back to Charles. This is a substantial change of approach from the present way of doing things and you, the clubs, have the opportunity to become involved and influence the direction and development of the sport. It is the first time we can directly decide how money should be spent.
A few details of the North of England’s proposals for its future role as a competition provider were revealed at a General committee meeting at the beginning of April.
Forthcoming County Championships
Entries have now closed for the
Track & Field Championships 2006 - Warrington, 13/14 May (Championship Secretary ; John Ashton)
Track Relay Championships 2006 - Macclesfield on SATURDAY 1st July. (Championship Secretary : John Driscoll - entry forms and details are being finalised. We received no comments on the proposals mentioned in the last Newsletter; the committee have agreed to reduce ALL 800 metre relays to 3 runners; to introduce medley Relays for Under 15 and above; to introduce a veteran 4x100 relay for Ladies and reduce the age for the Veteran Men,s event to 35 in line with the UK Athletics Rules with effect from 1st April (not a joke!). In addition a Junior and Senior Ladies 2000m Steeplechase Championship race will be held during the relays as we are unable to hold this at Warrington during the Track & Field championships.
Young Athletes Combined Events : 10 September at Macclesfield
NoEAA Inter-county T&F Championships : although in previous years held at Cudworth, South Yorkshire, this year they have been moved to Gateshead, on Sunday , 30 July. The County is looking into travel logistics,
North West Counties Road Relays : 16th September at Stockport (Hosts ; greater Manchester).
Cross Country 2007 - Knights Grange, Winsford on SATURDAY 6th January.
Dates for Inter County and English National CC Championships in 2007 have been reversed compared to recent years : Inter County 24 February (venue?) and National on March 10th (at Sunderland)
Road Running Championships 2006. 10km at Guilden Sutton, nr Chester, 24 September 2006 and Half marathon at Macclesfield on 1st October 2006
Cheshire Schools Championship Dates :
Cheshire Schools T&F Championships : June 10th at Macclesfield.
Cheshire Schools Minors : provisionally 27 June at Ellesmere Port (Stanney Oaks track).
Cheshire Road Running Grand Prix.
Four races have now been held, with the 5th (Christleton 5K) taking place in just over a week’s time.
Contact details for the co-ordinator, Adrian Thiemicke (e-mail : roadracegp@cheshireaa.com Tel : 01270 569012)
Road Race Fixtures (in Cheshire).
Forthcoming road races in Cheshire which have been notified to Adrian Thiemicke and Permits have been/will be applied for are :
12 May Christleton 5K Ches GP (R Bailey, 01244 300571)
21-May South Cheshire 20 mile, near Crewe (D McGrath 01270 841351)
21 May Chester ½ marathon (Chester City Council 01244 402273) FULL UP
3 Jun Pete Lowe Mem 5K (J Spencer 01925 818807)
11 Jun Capehurst 10K (Roger Knight 0151 200 3943)
23 Jun Tattenhall Tough Team Race (L Woodley 01829 770770)
24 Jun Lymm 5K (Dr J Spencer 01925 818807)
25 Jun South Cheshire 10K (“On your Marks” 01270 652388)
29 Jun Warrington RR 10K (M Molloy 01925 243993)
5 Jul Forest Park Ladies 5K (A Garnett 01606 888319)
2 Aug Pie & Peas 5 mile MT (Vale Royal AC)
20 Aug Birchwood 10K Ches GP (A Garnett 01606 888319)
23 Aug Capenhurst 5K (S Blaylock 0151 356 4299)
24 Sep Antrobus 10K (Rosie Harris 01565 733487)
24 Sep Sutton 6 10K, nr Chester County Champs & GP (R Batterham 01244 300107)
1 Oct Macclesfield ½ marathon County Champs (R Lynch 01625 829229)
8 Oct Congleton ½ & ¼ marathons (P Doyle 01270 270160)
15 Oct D Lloyd 10K, Ellesmere Port (R Knight 0151 200 3943)
4 Nov Langley 7 mile, nr Macclesfield (R Pleeth 01625 502939)
Cheshire Cross Country League
At the League AGM on 11 April, it was agreed by the small group of persons present to suspend activities for 12 months due to lack of volunteers to run the League. A meeting will be held on 4 April 2007 at Frodsham to reassess the situation.
UKA Coaching Courses :
Below are local ones to Cheshire.
Level 1
29/07/06 Sportcity, Manchester (NW082)
27/01/07 Widnes (NW086)
Children in Athletics
4/11/06 Widnes (NWCiA037)
Fitness in Running & Walking
8/10/06 SportCity (NWFIRW05)
Level 2Core
03-04/06/06 Cumberland Arena, Crewe (NW228)
Please book your place with Tony Airnes (Tel : 01253 358168 or e-mail : tairnes@ukathletics.org.uk) well before the date of the course.
Details of courses at other venues can be found on www.ukathletics.net
Eddie Gore (Tel : 0151 513 5606), is he Cheshire County AA Coaching Co-ordinator
Officials.
A message from Joe Shellhorn - if you have not yet applied for your UK Athletics Officials pass, please do so as by next year you need one in order to officiate.
Clubs.
New Club : Styal RC; secreatry : Rachael Charlton : rachael.charlton@nwpnhs.org.uk
Change of Secretary : Ellesmere Port RC : Nicky Bird, 21 Fenwick Road, Great Sutton, Ellesmere port CH66 4EU. E-mail ; nickybird79@hotmail.com
Contacts
Michael Hunt, Regional Development Co-ordinator for NW England. He is based at Sports City, Gate 13, Rowsley Street, Manchester M11 3FF. Tel : 0161 230 8184; Mobile : 07968 498710; e-mail : mhunt@englandathletics.org
A Request : this Newsletter is much later than intended, but due to other involvements in athletics I have less time available. Again I ask if anyone out there is willing to take on producing the Newsletter?
Communications
Please ensure your club members see this Newsletter.
The next County committee meeting is : May 17th at Knights Grange, Winsford at 7:30pm.
Subsequent meetings will be :
14th June and 19th July at Knights Grange, Winsford all at 7:30pm
ALL clubs are entitled to a representative at these meetings.
Editor - John Driscoll (0151 339 5341 or, preferably, jld@sunnyfield.co.uk).
Remember to look at : www.cheshireaa.com
Ójohndriscoll (04/05/06)