Results on Wrexham Atletics Web Site

Shrewsbury Athletic Club's senior mens team enjoyed their trip to the seaside as they scored an impressive team victory in the first of this season's North Wales Cross Country League held at Eirias Park, Colwyn Bay. After finishing third for the last two seasons, the Shrewsbury team, led by team captain Graham Jones, has been getting stronger in depth each year. Current team members are delighted with the victory and are sure it must be some 20 years or so since they have won a N Wales League team race. They have previously been inspired by the superb form of Mike James, who was always in the top 3. However in this race James was not there, but the team still won scoring 121 points with 35 points to spare over last years runners up Eryri (156 pts), from Snowdonia, with hosts Colwyn Bay 3rd with 212 points.

Peter Ball was the first scorer in 9th in 33.29, followed by Kevin Francis 15th,34.28, the 5th over 40, just 3 seconds ahead of Snailbeach's star fell runner Andy Yapp, the 3rd scorer and 6th over 40 in 34.31. Team captain, Graham Jones was next in 23rd, 2nd over 50 in 34.50 and 4th runner home whilst S Waters was 5th, 26th overall in 35.06 and Mark Bollom, second in the recent Stretton Skyline Fell Race in 32nd, 35.49 to complete the scoring 6.

The Shrewsbury club also scored well in the veterans team race as they finished second behind with 23 points behind leaders Wrexham.

Richard Roberts from Eryri, 4th overall last season, won the mens race overall in 31.53 getting the better of Telford AC's Chris Bagshaw over the final lap. Bagshaw,recently second overall in the Silver Sexarathon Series, enjoyed his highest ever North Wales placing as he finished a clear second in 32.08, whilst Buckley's Clive West was third in 32.20. A weakened Telford AC team, last years champions, led home by Bagshaw in second and Paul Williams, enjoying his highest ever finish in 20th, had to settle for 8th in Division One with a massive 426 points, more than they scored over the whole 4 race season last year !!! Nick Blake led the Oswestry Olympians team home in 65th, as the team finished 6th in Division 2 with 583 points. Dave Wilde, in 76th was the first of a much stronger Bridgnorth team who scored 805 pts finishing 12th in Division 2.

Anna Bartlett, Shrewsbury's Welsh international fell runner showed her speed over a gently undulating Eirias Park course to score her highest ever North Wales finish, coming home 4th in 17.55, behind winner Caroline Harney of Wrexham, last years overall runner up, in 17.34.Eryri's Sarah Kleeman from Eryri was second just 8 seconds adrift with Tammy Lewis-Jones from host club Colwyn Bay 3rd in 17.45. Oswestry's promising under 17, Kate Keenan made her N orth Wales debut to finish a superb 5th in 18.44. Sarah Mackness, was the first Telford AC runner home 9th in 19.09. The Oswestry team ran well to finish 3rd overall with Alison Tickner the second scorer, 13th in 19.35 and Jackie Jarvis 24th in 20.49.

Telford's CHris Lewis was the only Shropshire under 17 boy taking part he was 5th in 20.53.

Other Shropshire finishers
Men
39th T. Smith SAC 36.13
46th C. Wakeman SAC 37.06
70th A. Lewis SAC 38.56
78th G. Lloyd SAC 39.09
79th J. Hancock OO 39.50
81st S. Nicholls OO 39.43
85th T. George SAC 40.16
86th D. Newton OO 40.17
93rd D. Owen SAC 40.48
99th P. Sanderson TAC 41.36
107th D. Rose SAC 42.37
110th C. Copus Maldwyn 42.49
117th B. Nash SAC 43.36
119th E Austrum SAC 43.57
122nd N. Ballard OO 44.31
135th A. Hodgkiss TAC 47.50
137th T. Scales SAC 48.57
140th B. Walters BAC 49.21
142nd C. Barcroft TAC 50.09
143rd N. Alford. BAC 50.23
145th P. Hillman Maldwyn 51.26
147th C. Bevan BAC 53.00
149th R. Griffin BAC 56.40


Women
28th S. Hancock OO 21.10
77th S. Richards SAC 30.31.

Paul Sanderson