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The 5th and final North Wales Cross Country League was cancelled this year
due to the heavy snowfalls that affected the Oswestry area at the end of
February. It proved very difficult to find an alternative date so it has
been decided by league officials to decide the final league results from the
four fixtures that took place.
Alun Vaughan the winner at Bangor won the mens individual title, with
Shrewsbury's Mike James, last years league champion, the leading Shropshire
finisher in 5th despite being the only athlete to win two races at Colwyn
Bay and Lilleshall. Telford AC's Chris Davies
won the Wrexham race. Oswestry's Oliver Blake was equal first in the under
20 mens age group.
Telford AC retained their mens team title with 417pts, with Eryri improving
from 4th last year to place second with 568 pts, whilst Shrewsbury Ac
retained their 3rd place with 662 points.Wrexham runners up lasat year
slipped to 4th, with 935 pts, with Abergele 5th, 990 pts, Colwyn Bay were
6th 1195 pts, Buckley were 7th with 1427 and Oswestry Olympians finished 8th
with 1720 pts. In Division Two Maldwyn Harriers were 3rd with 1809 pts
whilst Bridgnorth Ac finishd 11th with 3573 pts.
Telford AC improved from second last year to take the veterans team title
with 71 pts whilst Shrewsbury Ac vets improved from 5th last year to take
the runners up spot with 112 pts, as Abergele pipped last years champions
Wrexham to take 3rd with 165 pts. Oswestry vets finished 8th with 359 pts
with Maldwyn Harriers 10th,435 pts and Bridgnorth finished 11th with 899pts.
Shrewsbury's Kevin Francis got amongst the individual medals for the first
time finishing equal second in the over 40's category. Maldwyn's Hayden
Jones who was second in the over 40's last year finished 2nd in the over
45's this year. Telford's British over 50's champion Greg Wilson won an epic
battle with Wrexham's Mike Weedall to take the Over 50's age group whilst
Shrewsbury's Graham Jones and Telford's Rick Hailey shared the bronze
medals.
Malcolm Dawes who mid way through the season celebrated his 60th birthday
retained the over 55's age group , with Bridgnorth's Bob Walters gained the
bronze medal in the over 65's. Oswestry's Doug Morris retained the over 70's
age group.
Oswestry's Josh Ogden who won three races to comfortably take the under 17's
age group whilst his Oswestry team mate Toby Griffiths won the Lilleshall
race.
Another Oswestry athlete Alison Lavender wasa the leading Shropshire
finisher in the ladies race. Enjoying one of her bests season's, Alison,
from Pulverbatch, last years under 17 champion, not only won the under 20
age group in her first season in that age group, but was also 3rd overall in
the senior ladies category. Wrexham's Anna Frost who won at Lilleshall and
Bangor took the Individual title with her team mate Caroline Harney second
with Colwyn Bay's Isabel Redfern 4th.
Wrexham won the Division One team title with 74 pts, with Oswestry Olympians
improving from 3rd last year took second place with 116 pts, whilst last
years champions Telford were 3rd with last years champion Claire Martin
winning the opening race at Colwyn Bay and her team mate Kim Green winning
the Wrexham race.
Shrewsbury Ac finished 5th in Division Two with 652pts, with Maldwyn
Harriers 8th scoring 783 pts.
Oswestry Ladies completed an excellent season as they took the veterans team
title with 103 pts with last years champions Wrexham finishing second.
Oswestry's Alison Tickner improved from third last year top take second in
the over 35's veteran's section as her team mate Birgit Eyke took third in
the over 40's. Shropshire athlete's dominated the over 45's age group with
Telford's Cheralyn Evans winning, Gobowen's Alison Whitelaw taking the
silver medal and Oswestry's Susie Hancock the bronze in that age group.
Telford's Jane Hailey won the over 50's age group with Shrewsbury's Sheila
Richards taking 3rd in this age group.
Paul Sanderson
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