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 The UKA recommended date for county cross country championships was moved to 14th December this year, I presume to help with some of the fixture congestion in the New Year. Maybe that is helpful but I'm not sure county championships so close to Christmas is ideal for families or will do much to improve participation but time will tell. In any event this pre-Christmas championships had 319 finishers. Excluding the non-championship Under 11 runners, we had 267 this year which is more than last year when we had to re-convene in February after the course was flooded, but is pretty much the average over the last 10 years or so.
So the 2024_25 Merseyside Championships were held on Saturday in Arrowe Park on the Wirral on a fairly pleasnt day, other than the odd shower. Southport Waterloo was well represented with 38 runners - 10 Seniors and a very impressive 28 Juniors! - and I reckon we took one of our best haul of medals this year; 6 individual championship medals, 4 individual medals for 1st runner from a club not finishing in the top three teams, and 5 sets of team medals.
And many of our runners Under 13 and above have secured automatic selection for the Inter Counties championships at Woolaton Park, Nottingham, in March.
From Merseyside web site: "Automatic selection to the CAU Inter Counties is granted to the first six Senior Men
and the first four finishers in all other age groups at the County Cross Country Championships. The
Senior Men’s Inter Counties team comprises 9 runners and there are 8 in all other age groups. The
remaining 3 Senior Men places, the remaining 4 places in other age groups and all reserves will be
determined by Team Managers looking first of all at current form from the Northern Athletics Cross
Country Champs and then at performances in other recent but usually shorter cross country races."
 First up then were the Under 11 Boys running over 2 kms where we had four runners. Thomas Delamere had a really good run to finish 4th of 23 in 8:03, just 4 secs from winning a medal! Matthew Ndjambula was impressive in 7th in 8:13, then Sam Coughlan 14th in 8:32 and William Paybody 15th in 8.33. The team finished 3rd so all the boys took home a bronze medal. The four running today were all at Sefton Park last month so if they stick with it we should have a strong team as they develop through the age groups.
The club was not so well represented in the Under 11 Girls' race, however, with just Dora Loxham-Keenan running. Dora finished 16th of 29 girls in 9:08 for her 2 kms, taking took the medal for the highest placed runner from a non-medalling team; so all our Under 11 had a medal to take home.
In the Under 13 Girls' race, we had an impressive 7 girls running, more than I can recall for many years. Many had not run XC before but they all managed the course and finished well! Lucy Delamere has, of course, run plentty of XC and finished today 5th of the 31 girls in 12:55 for the 3.3 kms in a closely contested finish. Lucy will hopefully go forward to the Inter Counties. Great cross country running from the girls! Phoebe Broadhurst was 25th in 16:29, Alisa McCann 26th in 16:48 and Caitlin Webster 27th in 17:15. These four counted for the team that finished 3rd today so they won bronze medals. Our other finishers were Lauren Sinha, 17:28, Renee Coulson, 17:42, and Emily Paybody, 19:55.
Our Under 13 Boys' team was also well supported with five running today. James McGrory led the team home finishing 5th of 30 boys in 11:58 for the 3.3 kms. Again, I would hope a 5th place finish today should see James selected for Inter Counties. Oliver Kimball was 17th in 13:30, George Hawthorn was 20th in 13:46 and James Silcox 25th in 14:48 That team finished 4th and so just missed out on team medals. And Lucas Lewis finished in 15:56.
 Disappointingly, Lauren Silcox was our only runner in the Under 15 Girls' race. Lauren finished strongly in 4th place of 21 girls in 16:02 for her 4 km course. A 4th place does, however, automatically qualify her for a place in the Merseyside Inter Counties team.
There was little doubt that our Under 15 Boy road and xc relay team would continue their success through this cross country season and they didn't disappoint. Will Delamere was 1st of 22 to finish in 12:52 for the 4 kms. Caleb Still was remarkably close behind, taking 2nd place just 2 seconds adrift with Eddy Clark 5th in 13:54. Evan Thomas made up the 4-man team, 11th in 15:08 with Richard Berry finishing 14th in 15:30. As well as Will and Caleb taking the gold and silver individual medals; and Will, Caleb, Eddy and Evan took the gold team medals. Will and caleb are selected for the Merseyside Inter Counties team with Eddy almost certain to be added.
In this championships, mainly because of few numbers in the age groups, Under 17 Women and Under 20 Women run together, over 4.5 kms. They run as individuals in their age groups but combine as a single team. Sydney Monahan Clarkson continues to impress as a distance runner and was 3rd Under 17 Woman today in 18:18. Emily Dean was 2nd Under 20 Woman in 19:26 with Amelie Scott 11th Under 17 Woman in 21:02. In additional to individual medals Sydney, Emily and Amelie took 3rd place bronze team medals behind Liverpool Harriers and Warriors Pentathlon.
Liam McCormick and Will Rothwell ran in the Under 17 Men's race over 6.6 kms. Liam was 6th of 17 in 23:30 and will 14th in 26:26.
In the Senior Women's race we only had Michelle Spencer and Carole James competing in club colours. Both ran well, Michelle finishing 29th of 45, 7th LV45, in 41:06 with Carole 36th in 43:41, 6th LV55.
 The Under 20 Men 's race was poorly attended with only 7 entered and 6 finishing. They ran with the Senior Men but over 2 laps, rather than 3, for 8 kms. Reuben Donnelly looked comfortable here and finished 4th in 28:31, enough to win an Inter Counties selection - and take a medal for 1st runner from a non-medalling club. Only Wirral AC managed a team in this age group!
Finally, eight of our Senior Men competed in the final race of the day over a long 3-lap 12 kms. Francois Rafferty was first home for the club, 13th of 79 finishers and 1st MV55, in 44:24. Alex Vernon was 17th in 45:27, George Ingram 20th in 45:57, John Delamere 24th and 3rd MV45 in 47:18, Andrew Veevers 27th in 47:37 and Marc Singer was the final team counter, 32nd in 48:31. The team took 3rd place team medals behind Liverpool Harriers and Wirral AC. Our other finishers were Steve Wilkinson, 49:15, and Lee Coupland, 65:18.
Altogether a great day's cross country running and thanks to team managers for such good SWAC representation.
Standing by the Finish awaiting the runners return I was reminded how much of a social event cross country running is, with old and new running mates and adversaries meeting up and exchanging stories of the day and over the years. Our next cross country race is at Lawsons Ground, Blackpool, on 11th January. In the meantime, we wish all readers a good Christmas and a successful New Year.
My thanks to Graham Boreham for many of the photos used here
Results
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