Mike James of Shrewsbury Athletic Club won the 5th and final Majestic Travel North Wales Cross Country League at Oswestry,in 31.34, on Saturday and that victory gave him the overall senior mens league title. James, has made an amazing impact in his first cross country season and was delighted with his league title which he immediately dedicated to his father Robert, who is very seriously ill. It was his second win of the season, having won the other league race on Shropshire soil at Lilleshall in November,in the other three races at Bangor,Colwyn Bay and Wrexham he has finished second. This victory follows on the back of an impressive run in the Midland Championships at Leamington where he finished 11th and the Shropshire championships where he was 2nd, he now heads to run in his first ever National Championships to be held at Parliament Fields, London a week on Saturday.

Telford Ac's Paul Ward, in second place, in 32.52, his highest ever league position, led the club's mens team to a victory and with it the overall team title. Oswestry's Harry Matthews was just 7 seconds behind Ward in his best finish of the season to give the 3 of the Shropshire club's a very rare 1,2,3.Clive West from Buckley was 4th,33.12 with Menai's Andy Walling repesting his 5th place from the previous race. Telford AC's Ioan Ilie, ahieved his highest position of the season in 6th,34.00 which rounded off an excellent season that saw him take the 5th overall league award. Rick Hailey in 9th, 34.20, ist over 50 and kevin Fisher 10th,34.25 saw the Telford AC pair record their highest placings of the season.

Maldwyn Harrier's were led home by David Cheshire the former Bishops Castle Commuinty College student in 14th,34.55 and the first under 20. Shrewsbury AC's second scorer was Ashley Gray in 15th,35.01 an improvement on his 40th position at Lilleshall.Their third scorer was Graham Jones in 17th position,35.27 who also collected the second overall over 45 award. Jones who is 50 next week, was delighted to collect this award and has his eyes on a Welsh vest as he moves into the higher age group category. Oswestry's second finisher was Oli Blake who was 31st, but did enough to win the under 20 award overall as well as finishing second in the Shropshire Schools Championships at Lilleshall in the morning.

Telford Ac's Rick Hailey retained the over 50's league award as his team mate Malcolm Dawes won the over 55's section.Bridgnorth's Roger Griffin was third in the over 65 section and Oswestry's Doug Morris won the over 70's title.

Telford AC won the overall league title, by 226 pts, for the 8th time but for the first time since 2001,as the trophy has been won for the last 4 years by Wrexham AC, who were second. Mike James has inspired Shrewsbury Ac to their best overall league position for years as they claimed 3rd place with 731 pts but some 443 points better than last year when they were 4th. Oswestry Olympians enoyed a massive turn out of runners on home soil and equalled their highest league position of 4th this season and finished 6th overall.Bridgnorth Ac were 4th on the day, 6th overall, in Division 2 as they continue their recent improvement fielding a full scoring team, whilst Maldwyn were 2nd on the day and 2nd overall.

Womens Race
The tension before the start of the womens race was there to touch as the Telford womens squad had to claw back some 20 points on Wrexham to retain the league title. With just 3 runners to score this was always going to be a big ask.

Claire Martin fresh from her superb 4th place in the Midland Championships last week, inspired the team from the front as she continued her unbeaten run in the league this season and collected her 4th consecutive victory winning in 18.56. Amanda Wright, made her league debut for Telford having been cleared to compete for her new club from the beginning of February and finished second in 19.13. Kim Green came home third in 19.45 whilst Louise Taylor gave Telford the first 4 places in 20.22. This gave Telford 6 points to Wrexham's 30, and their 4th league title by just 4 points, one of the closest contests for years.

Alison Lavender looked remarkably fresh as she led the Oswestry team home in 8th place, 21.43, after winning the Shropshire Schools title just 3 hours earlier on the other side of the county.She also collected her second trophy of the day as she won the overall under 17 award. Shrewsbury's Sam Hutchinson, made a welcome return to competition after a 12 month lay off finishing an impressive 11th,22.18. Oswestry's Birgit Eyke was 13th on the day and won the over 40's overall league award. Gobowen's Ali Whitelaw was the first over 45 on the day in 9th and the second Wrexham scorer and won the overall over 45 league award. Whilst Oswestry's Susie Hancock was third in this section.

Claire Martin took the overall league title with her team mate kim Green taking equal,2nd with Wrexham's Caroline Harney as both had two 2nd's and two 3rd places. Telford's Denise Sanders won the over 35 woomens overall award, whilst Oswestry's Alsion Tickner,14th in the final race, was 3rd overall in this section. Oswestry's Barbara Ward was 32nd on the day and took the silver medal in the over 50's category.

A large Oswestry team were just 5 points behind runners up Wrexham on the day were 3rd overall in the league with 210 points and were 2nd in the overall veterans category to league winners Wrexham.

North Wales Cross Country League at Oswestry.

Leading local results

Men
1. M. James SAC 31.34
2. P. Ward TAC 32.52
3. H. Matthews Osw 32.59
6. I. Ilie TAC 34.00
9. R. Hailey TAC 34.20 V50
10. K. Fisher TAC 34.25
14. D. Cheshire Mald 34.55 U20
15. A. Gray SAC 35.01
17. G. Jones SAC 35.27 V45
18. S. Needs TAC 35.32 V45
22. P. Plant TAC 35.40 V40
26. T. Smith SAC 36.15
29. C. Kirtley Osw 37.22 V40
31. O. Blake Osw 37.32 U20
33. J. Davies TAC 37.42
36. S. Turk SAC 38.09
38. C. Wakeman SAC 38.14 V45
42. D. Wilde BAC 38.30 V45
43. M. Dawes TAC 38.32 V55
45. N. Eyke  Osw 38.34 V45
49. P. Jones Osw 38.40
51. G. Manson Osw 38.56 V50
52. N. Blake Osw 38.58 V45
62. B. Ridley Mald 39.50 V40
63. J. Hancock Osw 39.59 V50
70. B. Llewellyn TAC 40.45 V45
71. G. Fletcher Mald 40.47 V40
72. A. Edwards Osw 41.00
75. V. Griffiths Mald 41.36 V40
76. D. Green TAC 41.38 V40
81. D. Rose SAC 42.18 V50
82. D. Venables SAC 42.21
86. P. Davies Osw 41.30
87. N. Ballard Osw 41.38 V45
91. J. Hughes Osw 41.55
92. S. Young BAC 43.04
97. A. Stockwell SAC 43.48
98. G. Parton SAC 43.54
102.K. Banyard BAC 44.30 V40
103.I. Beattie TAC 44.52 V40
105.D. Davies TAC 45.08 V45
108.A. Hodgkiss TAC 46.36 V60
111.R. Jones SAC 47.30
112.W. Davison Osw 47.38 V50
116.B. Walters BAC 52.31 V60
118.N. Alford BAC 53.46 V45
120.R. Griffin BAC 60.19 V65

Teams on the day - overall league points and positions in brackets)
First Division.
1  Telford AC   67 (1st - 383)
2. Wrexham      83 (2nd - 606)
3. Shrewsbury  133 (3rd - 731)
4. Oswestry    208 (6th - 1606)
Second Division
1. Abergele 260 (1st - 1705)
2. Maldwyn 322 (2nd - 1970)
3. Denbigh 401 (4th - 2478)
4. Bridgnorth 590 (6th - 3607)

Vets Teams
1. Wrexham 7 (1st - 57)
2. Telford 17 (2nd - 84)
5. Oswestry 65 ( 10th - 504)
7. Shrewsbury 75 (5th - 332)
10. Maldwyn 88 (8th - 450)
11. Bridgnorth 159.

Senior Ladies
1. C. Martin TAC 18.56
2. A. wright TAC 19.13  V35
3. K. Green TAC 19.45
4. L. Taylor TAC 20.22
8. A. Lavender Osw 21.43 U17
11. S. Hutchinson SAC 22.18 V35
13. B. Eyke Osw 22.34 V40
14. A. Tickner Osw 22.44 V35
20. S. Hancock Osw 23.45 V45
28. J. Jarvis Osw 24.34 V40
32. B. Ward Osw 24.56 V50
40. T. Davies Mald 26.45 V40
43. L. Blagden TAC 27.19 V35
45. J. Hailey TAC 27.44 V50
51. J. Hillman Mald 29.12 V40

Teams
Division One
1. Telford 6 (1st - 90)
2. Wrexham 30 (2nd - 94)
3. Oswestry 35 (3rd - 210)
Division Two
5. Shrewsbury 161 ( 6th - 1125 )
6. Maldwyn 166 (5th -797)

Veterans Teams
1. Wrexham 16 (1st - 94)
2. Oswestry 27 (2nd - 133)
7. Telford 59 (3rd - 234)



Overall League positions

Senior Men
1. Mike James. SAC
5. Ioan Ilie. TAC

U20 Men
1. Olli Blake. Osw
2. David Cheshire. Mald

Vet Men O/40
2 Haydn Jones. Mald

Vet Men O/45
2. Graham Jones. SAC

Vet Men O/50
1. Rick Hailey. TAC

Vet Men O/55
1. Malcolm Dawes. TAC

Vet Men O/65
3. Roger Griffin. BAC

Vet Men O/70
1. Doug Morris. Osw

Senior Women
1. Claire Martin. TAC
2 = Kim Green. TAC

Under 17
1. Alison Lavender. Osw
2. Gina Paletta. Wrex

Vet Women O/35
1. Denise Sanders. TAC
3. Alison Tickner. Osw

Vet Women O/40
1. Birgit Eyke. Osw

Vet Women O/45
1. Alison Whiteman. Wrex
2= Susie Hancock. Osw

Vet Women O/50
2. Barbara Ward. Osw


Paul Sanderson