Mixed fortunes in cross country
Feb 23 2009 The Journal
THE small band of North East athletes had a day of mixed fortunes at Saturday’s Saucony National Cross Country Championships at London’s Parliament Hill Fields.
On a mild sunny Saturday, the hilly London course was in good condition with its usual combination of very dry and very muddy sections.
The best performance came from Shildon’s Kate Avery, who finished second in the Under-17 Women’s race.
Avery held the lead over her great rival Laura Park, now with Kendal, with 1km remaining, but the pair were passed in the closing stages by Aldershot’s Louise Small.
The race was held in conjunction with the Junior Women’s event, where Aldershot’s three-times European champion Steph Twell completed her last outing in this age-group with victory over European bronze medallist Lauren Howarth, of Leigh.
As Avery and Park defeated most of the junior competitors, the pair will hope to gain selection for the World Championships in Jordan, after the trials in Nottingham in two weeks’ time.
In the Senior Women’s race, former Wallsend Harrier Sonia Samuels (formerly Thomas) took the bronze medal behind Hallamshire’s steeplechase international Hatty Dean.
In second place was Kirby Stephen-based and European Under-23 silver medallist Sarah Tunstall, of Kendal.
Former Elswick Harrier Justina Heslop finished in seventh place after lying as high as third at halfway.
Gemma Miles (12th) and North East-based Rebecca Robinson (14th) also gained top-20 places for Kendal.
Cumbria had an excellent day, providing two gold-medal winners.
Carlisle’s Abbie Hetherington won the Under -13 Girls’ race and James Knox, of Helme Hill, gained victory in the Under-13 Boys’ event. The pair had also won the Northern title at St Helens last month.
Another Northern champion, Dan Schofield of Scarborough, took bronze in the Under-17 Men’s race.
Frank Tickner, of Wells, the winner at Penshaw in 2007, took the Senior Men’s title, overhauling Stockport’s Steve Vernon in the final 2km.
Morpeth’s Nick Swinburn ran well in the Senior Men’s event to finish in 11th place. Chris Peverley, of Chester-le-Street (12th in Under-13 Boys), and Sophie Forster, of Birtley (19th in Under-13 Girls), both gained top-20 places.
