THE FINAL MID-LANCS CROSS COUNTRY, HAWCOAT, BARROW SATURDAY 06/03/10

Furness Abbey

The final Mid-Lancs of the season was at Hawcoat, Barrow, which is a new location for the league.  The last time the Mid-Lancs XC was last in Barrow was 10 years ago, but at a venue a mile away, on a course overlooking the venerable Furness Abbey ruins (above).  The course was famous for Amphitheatre (aka Heartbreak) Hill, which in its time had the notoriety of the ‘Saucer’ at Witton Park and ‘Hill 60’ at Roundhay Park.

 

Before seeing it, I thought the course at Hawcoat was going to be dull and uninteresting.  However although partly around the playing fields, there were a couple of inclines which broke up the flatness and a section that went through a grove of saplings.  The location was agreeable with changing rooms and showers and pleasant views over the docks, Black Combe hill and the snow covered Scafell massif and even the Isle of Man on the western horizon. 

 

With a best of 4 out of 6 format, most issues regarding league positions etc had been resolved and inevitably because of this, the distant location and the imminent track and field season, numbers competing were less then at previous meetings.  However with the balmy conditions of an early spring day and a fast mud free course, the environment was right for a good day of running.

 

In the first race, BWFAC had a good representation of four U11 girls.  Two weeks ago at Hyndburn, Molly Scarr had a classic winning race with Anna Rowe of Liverpool Harriers & AC.  However in the week prior to this race, Molly had not been well and consequently Anna had a relatively easy win.  Molly came sixth behind a smiling, but determined Annie Bradshaw.  Hannah Eadie in her second Mid-Lancs finished strongly overtaking team-mate Hannah Maskill, both of them finishing in 11^th and 12^th places respectively.  Brothers Callum in 10^th and Kyle Preece in 30^th represented the club in the U11 boy’s race.

 

With the U13 girl’s team title already won, just two members made the journey to Barrow.  Kate Lawler was 10^th and Kelly Smith, who held off a determined challenge by an Eden Runner on the line, took 13^th place.  Our U13 boy, Jake Walley, competed as a guest in the U15 boy’s race and, despite losing a shoe shortly after the start, finished an impressive second behind England international, Alistair Nelson of Liverpool, Pembroke & Sefton Harriers  (pictured).

 

Jodie Ferguson, 3^rd and Lucy Minns in 12^th, flew the flag in the U15 girls and Adam Weightman came 5^th in the U17 men’s race.

 

I arrived at the venue at the same time as Bianca Pedersen, who had come with Alison and Dave Titterington.  I was pleased to see that she had recovered from her back problem and was going to have a run out in preparation for the Inter Counties championships in Birmingham.  I said for her to take it easy, but she replied in all seriousness, “I want to win” – a fantastic attitude.  However having lost a month’s training, Bianca had to be satisfied with second place, behind her Lancashire team-mate Beckie Taylor of Blackburn Harriers, with Sam Smith in an encouraging fourth place.

 

Six BWFAC ladies made the journey to Barrow.  The ‘A’ team of Carolyn Robbins was 6^th, Stasia Bligh 12^th and Tania Ashworth 25^th finished 1^st in Division 1, finishing the season in overall third place.  The ‘B’ team of Alison Titterington 28^th, Laura Lawler 33^rd and club captain Karen Dunford 35^th finished 3^rd in Division 2, finishing the season in overall third place.  Unfortunately, despite the valiant efforts of Karen to get a third counter for the L45 team, only Carolyn and Alison ran, which meant that the only chance of a Senior Championship was lost; the L35 squad had already secured the silver at Hyndburn.

 

The Senior Men’s race was won by Junior Man Peter Huck of home club, Barrow & Furness Striders AC  (pictured).  Malc Eadie had another excellent run to come 10^th and 2^nd V40, 2 seconds ahead of Matt Nuttall of Blackburn Harriers.   The rest of the team were John Wright 22^nd, Trevor Uttley 37^th (with another strong run), Chris Lloyd 53^rd, Gary Johnston 67^th and Jeff Wright 125^th.  Peter Gibson 143^rd and septuagenarian John Winter 155^th made up the rest of the squad.  The results did not significantly change the position in the three men’s competitions, leaving us fourth in Division 1, the ‘B’ team third in Division 2, fifth in the V50’s and with the silver in the V40’s.

 

Our main season successes individually are as follows:

 

Molly Scarr second behind Anna Rowe in the U11G,

Jake Lonsdale Ciaran Johnson first and second respectively in the U11B,

Molly Betmead first in the under 13 girl’s,

Lauren Gowland equal second with Megan Davies of Rossendale behind Florie McLeish of Preston Harriers  (pictured),

Bianca Pedersen second behind Laura Riches of Leigh Harriers,

Malc Eadie second behind Matt Nuttall of Blackburn Harriers in the V40’s,

(David, Can you double check the LV45’s – one list shows Ali Titterington in 2^nd place? – Ed.)

 

Overall it has been a less successful season from the team perspective, with just the one major success in the U13G team competition

 

Last year Tony Croft made the radical proposal that as a club we should leave the Mid-Lancs Cross Country League and join the Red Rose League, which completes its fixtures before Christmas.  It was decided though that the status quo should remain.  However it does seem to me that as a club we are becoming less interested in the competitive side of the Mid-Lancs and now treat it more as a training tool, at least team-wise.  Whilst I don’t think we should leave the Mid-Lancs, as several of our members already run as guest runners in the Red Rose, possibly consideration could be given to joining this league as well.

 

Thanks to Barrow & Furness Striders AC for marking out a superb course, the lovely spring day and their friendly welcome.  Finally thanks to Dawn Lock and her able assistant Bill for her meticulous and excellent organisation, this has produced yet another successful season.

 

Nothing really to do with running, but before the start of the cross country I made a sentimental visit to the old course where I visited Furness Abbey.  The grounds of the Abbey were closed because the floods of earlier this year had damaged the foundations of the Abbey and repair work was on going.  As one of our young athletes would have said about repairing ruins – kind of freaky!  

 

Results

 

Individual positions

 

David Wood