Ricky Stevenson celebrates his birthday with a win

Nov 16 2009 The Journal

NORTH Yorks Moors veteran Paul Lowe found the hilly course to his liking as he won the senior men's event at yesterday's third North Yorkshire & South Durham Cross Country League fixture at Normandy.

Anghared Owen of Loftus, repeated her 2008 victory in the women’s race.

New Marske Harrier Ricky Stevenson celebrated his 21st birthday by winning the senior men’s one lap event at Saturday’s McCain Gateshead International Cross Country meeting at the Riverside Bowl.

The heavy rain the previous evening left soggy underfoot conditions and Stevenson was content to shadow Shettleston’s Erotrian, Tseqi Tewelde, before pulling away in the final 300m. Gateshead’s Chris Parr finished third.

Stevenson’s success was greeted with the biggest roar of the day as he mounted the podium to collect his cheque for £600.

Tewelde gained his revenge, though, when finishing second in the main 9km event, behind Blackheath’s Michael Skinner. Stevenson this time finished fourth.

“It was always my intention to run both races and after that my party can really begin,” said Stevenson.

“I was on a high after winning the short race and it showed when I lined up two hours later against a strong field.

“Top 10 was probably the target but to finish fourth was out of this world for I felt really, really strong the further the race went.”

Sunderland’s Brian Rushworth repeated his 2008 victory in the veterans’ race, pulling away to a 36secs margin over Elvet’s Fell Running specialist, Phil Sanderson.

Three-times European Junior champion, Steph Twell of Aldershot, representing Scotland for the first time but struggling for her best form during the summer, comfortably won the Senior women’s race from seasoned International, Helen Clitheroe of Preston. Former Wallsend Harrier, Sonia Samuels of Sale, finished strongly to take third place.

In the junior women’s race, European 5000m silver medallist, Charlotte Purdue, pulled well away from her rivals on the final lap, with Shildon’s Kate Avery, the European 3000m silver medallist, running well to take second place.

The region’s only other top-three placing came in the under-17 men’s race, when Michael Priestley of North Shields Poly, moved up three places on the final lap, to finish third behind Scotland’s Ross Matheson. Birtley’s Lydia Turner finished fourth in the under-13 girls’ race, behind another Scot, Kathryn Gillespie.