CHESHIRE COUNTY ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION 
NEWSLETTER  -  April 2008

Apologies from Ellen Molloy for the delay in Newsletters – her PC expired due to overheating in March and her new one is not yet fully “up and running”.  I offered to get one out to show we are still in business.  Some of the comments therefore are down to me and no one else!
John Driscoll

ROAD RACE FIXTURES in CHESHIRE	
2008
27 April
7 May
9 May
11 May
17 May
18 May
31 May
1 June
15 June
15 June
21 June
2 July
19 July
20 July
6 August
10 August 
17 August
17 August
20 August
13 Sept.

21 Sept.
28 Sep
5  October
12 Oct	
Whitley 10K  GP
Mobberley 5 mile MT
Christleton 5K
Sth Cheshire 20 mile
Victoria Park, Warrington 5K
Chester Half-marathon (ENTRIES CLOSED)
Peter Lowe, Hollins Green, 5K  GP
Inter-County 10K, Venue TBC
Capenhurst RC 10K
“On your Marks 10/5K”, Crewe
Lymm 5K
Forest Park Ladies’ 5K, Birchwood
Burtonwood 5 mile
“On your Marks 10/5K”, Nantwich
Pie and Peas 5 mile, Whitegate (Multi-terrain). GP
10 mile at Great Warford, near Knutsford  GP
Birchwood 10K
“On your Marks 10/5K”, Crewe
Capenhurst 5K (Ellesmere Port RC)
NW Counties Road Relays - Marbury Country Park, near Northwich 
Sutton 6, nr Chester – County Champs and GP
Macclesfield Half Marathon
Congleton Half Marathon,  County Champs
“On your Marks 10/5K”, Nantwich	

NOTE : the introduction of a 10 mile race in the County in August, the first at this distance for several years, thanks to Malcolm Fowler.  It has been decided to include it in the Cheshire GP series and hopefully Cheshire club members will support the event in big numbers.

After 3 races the Cheshire GP series is proving very competitive this year.  Full results and those of the associated endurance handicap are on the Cheshire AA web site. The 4th race is imminent (tomorrow as this is compiled at the Whitley 10K)

As part of an attempt to get a feel for participation at senior level, John Driscoll is trying to collect ALL road running performances by Cheshire club members.  Already this has shown that over 50% of all road running performances in the first 3 months of the year were at the half-marathon distance.  Will that picture change by the end of the year?  Ranking lists at 7 different distances containing all performances by Cheshire club members are available from him : jld@sunnyfield.co.uk

CROSS COUNTRY
Two national events brought the season to a conclusion.  Cheshire runners did well in both.
In the English Schools championships at Sefton Park, Liverpool the senior boys team was 4th with Daniel Cliffe 7th and Laurence Walker 18th. In the Inter-boys, Harry Ellis finished 11th.  Heather Timmins picked up a bronze individual medal in the Senior Girls race with the team finishing 10th.  Rebecca Craigie was third, running for Cheshire schools and not Hampshire as indicated in AW in the Inter girls race with the team 11th.
A week later, the Inter-Counties championships at Nottingham again provided some medals for Cheshire. The U17 Mens team took silver team medals only 6 points behind Yorkshire (who should really take part as 3 separate counties in my view) with Harry Ellis 11th and Daniel Cliffe 17th. Tim Pattison was 8th in the U20 Mens event with the team in 9th place.  With the first two senior ladies (Olivia Walwyn and Charlotte Roach) coming home together in 30 and 31st position the team was 15th.  Heather Timmins finished a good season with 9th place in the U20 womens race and with Stevie Stockton 14th, the team finished an excellent 6th.  In the younger age groups M Huxley was 9th in the under 15 girls and D Wallis 11th in the under 13 girls event.

A personal observation on the cross country season is the varied support at senior level by Cheshire clubs for this discipline.  A number of clubs who have traditionally given strong support and had success were noticeably absent or had very limited participation.  In contrast it was very pleasing to see another club take the opposite direction.  South Cheshire H had large numbers at the County championships and picked up medals; they then had the most runners of any Cheshire club at the Northern and National championships.  Perhaps there is a strong connection between that and their improved success so far in the Cheshire RR GP this year.  In addition, Mike Hatton from South Cheshire was the fastest Cheshire male runner in the 117 who took part in the London Marathon

FELL RACING

2008		
10.5.08	Inter-Counties Fell-Race, Belmont (Bolton)	

Track & Field - Fixtures
4 May	Young Athletes’ League	
10-11 May	Cheshire T&F Championships, Stanney Oaks, Ellesmere Port	
18 May	Young Athletes’ Leaague	
24-25 May	U15 & U17 Northern Championships, Wigan	
25 May	National Junior League	
25-26 May	CAU Inter-County Championships, Bedford	
1 June	Young Athletes’ League	
1 June	Bedford International Games	
14-15 June	Northern Senior & U20 Championships, Manchester	
22 June	Young Athletes’ LEague	
29 June	National Junior League	
11-12 July	English Schools’ Championships	
11-13 July	UK Championships, Birmingham	
20 July	Young Athletes’ League	
27 July	National Junior League	
15-24 Aug.	OLYMPIC GAMES	
8-16 Sept.	PARALYMPIC GAMES	

NOTE – a plea : a championship secretary is required for the track relays to be held later this summer.  Offers as soon as possible please to the County Secretary, Brian Warren.

News from the County T&F championship secretary (John Ashton) shows that entries came in rapidly as the closing date approached and are at same the level as recent years.

UKA Coaching Courses (local to Cheshire)

Subsidised places are available - funding information is available from Katie Jones kjones@englandathletics.org.   (Cheshire). 

Details of courses at other venues can be found on www.ukathletics.net

Course entitled ‘How to develop an effective grant application’ is to be held at Connexions HQ on 6 March, Prestbury Village Hall on 11 March. Details are available from Stephen Wright on 01244 973331.

Information on Funding Opportunities for U23s is available via a link from the Northern Athletics website.

Eddie Gore (Tel : 0151 513 5606), is the Cheshire County AA Coaching Co-ordinator 

PLEASE NOTE that all enquiries about athletics should now be directed to the NW Regional Office at Sport City. 
 Specific enquiries re affiliation and membership should be sent to Athletics Services, details having been sent to ALL affiliated clubs, leagues and associations.  The new NW Region administrator is Debbie Beresford at Sports City (0161 230 8184, dberesford@englandathletics.org)  and the new Regional Manager (Andy Lee) started on March 3rd  - although the England Athletics web site still gives Michael Hunt as Regional Managaer.  

New Club secretary :
Ellesmere Port RC : D Nalder, 4 Dolphin crescent, Great Sutton, Ellesmere Port  CH66 4SZ (Tel : 0151 339 5392) e-mail : david.nalder@yahoo.co.uk

New e-mail address for County Secretary : Brian Warren : bjwarren@talktalkbusiness.net

PLEASE send any items for the next Newsletter direct to the Editor (Ellen Molloy): jamesandellenmolloy@btopenworld.com
ALL CONTRIBUTIONS WILL BE GRATEFULLY  RECEIVED.

COMMUNICATIONS 
Please ensure your club members see this Newsletter. 
Cheshire AA Newsletters can be viewed on the Cheshire AA  website.

The next County committee meeting will be held on 28 May and will be held at Frodsham Community Centre, Fluin Lane, commencing at 7.30pm.  ALL clubs are entitled to a representative at this meeting.

 Remember to look at:	www.cheshireaa.com