World Cross Country Championships

Report: Dave Turnbull -

A group of Stockport Harriers recently travelled to Edinburgh for the World Cross Country Championships. On the Saturday the group cheered on Great Britain International Steve Vernon who was running for England in the home countries race. Steve had his work cut out on a demanding and challenging course taking on the infamous Haggis Hill at Holyrood park where he finished a creditable 4th helping team England to 1st place.

Sunday saw the much awaited arrival of 5 times World Cross Country Champion Keninese Bekele take on the world elite in his bid to win his 6th title, however disaster struck when he lost his shoe in the opening stages, not phased he calmly put his shoe back on and rejoined the race. The great man worked his way through the field to delight the crowds with an emphatic win! Next year sees the race travel to Jordan. Pictured above is the group enjoying a few laughs in their Tam o’shanter hats.

Steve will now be preparing for the European Mountain Championships and takes part in his first race in Basel, Switzerland on May 8th.


Wilmslow Half Marathon Results
Pos Name Cat/Pos Time
40 Richard Marlton V40 7 1:19:16
45 Mike Shaw V40 9 1:20:10
52 James Scott-Buccleuch 1:21:05
54 Dean Matkin JM 1 1:21:18
55 Gavin Astin V45 4 1:21:19
62 Lee Wilkinson 1:21:55
80 James Corden 1:22:52
81 Lee Barratt 1:22:55
146 Paul Johnston 1:26:07
177 Sarah Lomas L 11 1:27:48
181 John McCabe 1:28:00
182 Peter Rogers V40 41 1:28:01
183 Stephen Jones V45 28 1:28:02
238 Kerrie Wood L40 1 1:29:46
290 Paul Atkinson 1:31:42
375 Andy Fowler V40 70 1:33:45
481 William Booth V40 94 1:36:24
546 Simon Heys V50 29 1:37:47
630 Chris Winstanley V50 33 1:39:19
656 Helen Garner L35 16 1:39:46
737 Simon Hilton V40 142 1:41:22
741 Liz Turton L50 1 1:41:24
773 John Delaney V60 7 1:41:55
793 Anthony Ward V45 100 1:42:18
868 Andrew Shirres 1:43:29
900 David Hobson V40 171 1:43:52
1010 Ros Mann L50 6 1:45:29
1051 Helen Todd L50 8 1:46:11
1186 Michael Thirsk V50 58 1:48:29
1241 Breeshey Wood L40 26 1:49:14
1262 Carole Barnes L35 29 1:49:31
1301 Steve Richardson V40 230 1:49:58
1384 Rachel Follows L 203 1:51:06
1385 Victoria Buckley L40 31 1:51:07
1397 Maureen Wilkins L40 33 1:51:18
1426 Kath Ward L40 36 1:51:44
1444 Nicola Logue L40 38 1:52:00
1449 Julie Fairclough L40 39 1:52:02
1473 Ruth Lee L 227 1:52:25
1701 Jayne Lawton L35 50 1:55:35
1741 Vicki Robinson L 299 1:55:56
1750 Steve Tipping V45 194 1:56:04
1900 Chris Bryans V70 3 1:58:04
1968 D Brackenridgejon L45 36 1:59:06
2328 Philip McCann V50 124 2:04:37
2332 Terry Robson V65 10 2:04:40
2441 Jane OHara L35 105 2:06:34
2475 Steven Johnson V45 257 2:07:03
2505 Deborah Cox L45 53 2:07:34
2601 Victoria Healey L 587 2:09:07
2625 Louisa Wright L 599 2:09:32
2794 Ruth Payne L35 138 2:12:48
2988 Ruth Payne L35 162 2:17:37
3054 Richard York 2:19:03
3274 Kathryn Smith L 955 2:29:05
3302 Kath Price L50 55 2:31:39
3303 Richard Price V40 434 2:31:40

Salford Good Friday 10k

Report: Steve Fairclough

A good turn out for Stockport Harriers of 23 athletes hoping for personal bests on this flat fast 10k course of 2-laps.

Conditions were ideal but better for kite flying than running. Though dry and bright there was an extremely strong wind which seemed to get even worse on the 2nd lap making it hard for a sprint finish as all energy had been sapped fighting against the head on gale force wind.

First yellow vest home was Mike Shaw in 34-45. Len Best did great coming 1st Male V55, Dean Matkin came 2nd Junior, Kerrie Wood was 3rd F40, Alexis Dinsmor was 1st F55. Maureen Wilkins was happy with a great personal best of 49-05, also a prize for the lady vets team (Kerrie Wood, Helen Garner and Ann Williams) who were 1st. Well done one and all.

Pos. Name Cat. Cat/Pos. Time
30 Mike Shaw M40 005/067 34:45
35 Stephen McLean M 027/183 35:16
45 Kevan Garner M40 007/067 36:04
46 Len Best M55 001/026 36:05
50 James Corden M 033/183 36:23
54 Gavin Astin M45 006/056 36:40
58 Peter Rogers M40 010/067 36:50
59 Dean Matkin MJ 002/011 36:55
68 Lee Barratt M 039/183 37:22
148 John McCabe M 074/183 40:26
158 Kerrie Wood F40 003/021 40:38
171 Paul Atkinson M 083/183 41:15
195 Andy Fowler M40 035/067 42:23
203 Andrew Shirres M 098/183 42:36
235 Helen Garner F35 004/025 44:02
240 Anne Williams F35 005/025 44:07
285 Barry Thompson M50 017/034 45:53
323 Alix Dinsmor F55 001/007 47:07
363 Julie Fairclough F40 011/021 48:48
371 Maureen Wilkins F40 012/021 49:05
405 Breeshey Wood F40 014/021 51:05
441 Jane O'Hara F35 017/025 53:53
513 Terry Robson M65 006/007 1:01:50

Sainsburys Sport Relief Mile Run

Sport Relief Mile

On Sunday 16th March there were two runs in Woodbank Park as part of the nationwide series of events. The course of just over a mile took in a lap of the track and the 1,000 metre circuit.

Over 300 people took part doing 1, 3 or 6 laps to raise money for Sport Relief on a day when the cold wind encouraged everyone to keep moving.

Thanks to everyone who helped and took part in this event.


Inter Counties Cross Country Championships

Richard Hindley

Richard Hindley consolidated his consistent season with 13th in the under-13s race. More photos on Mick Hall Photos

Report: Dave Turnbull

The highlight of the cross country season at Wooloton Park, Nottingham on Saturday had 10 members of the club through to the UK Challenge Cross Country Final and World Cross Trial representing their Counties.

Steve Vernon who was in form to gain a place on the GB team with third at the National only three weeks ago had to pull out of the race with a back injury.

However, Steve received some good news that he had been picked for England in Edinburgh in a Home Countries International to be run the day before the World Cross.

Andy Nixon in his first representative race for Greater Manchester won team bronze for 86th. Ross Millington continued his good winter form with 14th in the junior men’s World Trial race.

In the under-17 women’s race Bryoney Pearce finished 54th, Luci McLoughlin was 60th for Greater Manchester and Amber Whewell representing Derbyshire finished 212th.

Michael Cooke was 188th in the men’s under-17s race. Jack Morris 66th finished just ahead of training partner Jack Nixon 71st in the under-15 boys’ race.

Richard Hindley consolidated his consistent season with 13th position in the under-13 boys’ race, also Olivia Wilde ran well to finish 106th in her first County outing.

Next up is a club outing to watch the World Cross Country Championships in Edinburgh where the Harriers will join forces with friends East Kilbride Athletic Club to cheer the teams on.


Elle Baker joins the Harriers

Elle Baker has joined Stockport Harriers

GB International Eleanor Baker joined the Harriers as a first claim member this week.

Elle who has competed at two World Cross Championships and two European Cross Championships as a senior and won the bronze medal at the World University Cross Country Championships as a Junior.

She has also represented GB at the European Under-23 Track Championships where she finished 6th in the 5,000 metres.

Her impressive personal bests on the track are 2-08 (800m), 4-17.5 (1,500m), 9-15 (3,000m) and 15-57 (5,000m)


Ross and Steve in good shape

Report: Dave Turnbull

Ross Millington rounded off a great week for the endurance squad with a 12 second personal best over 3,000 metres at SportCity with a time of 8 minutes and 20 seconds.

The under-20 athlete had the benefit of some spot-on pacing by team mate Steve Vernon who finished 3rd in the recent English National Cross Country Championships.

The pair head to the World Cross Trial next weekend at Wollaton Park, Nottingham in good shape.


Club Committee Vacancies

The Club Committee as elected at the AGM last November still has several vacant positions. The most important of these is the Treasurer where we urgently need a replacement.

This role involves the maintenance of records of the financial transactions of the Club and presentation of the accounts at Committee meetings and the AGM. Also involved is the payment of bills and expenses and collection of monies owed to the Club.

Most of the banking of funds is done by the Membership Secretary, Facility Manager and Secretary.

Account records are kept using computer based software.

The role takes about 3 to 4 hours per week.

There are also vacancies for several ordinary members of the Committee.

Anyone interested in any of these roles should contact Alan Dilkes on 0161-494 1604 or via or Mike Durcan on 0161-427 1144 or via .


National Cross Country Championships

Reports: Pete Torrence & Steve Fairclough

Steve Vernon continued his run of good form with a bronze medal in the National Cross Country.

Steve Vernon continued his run of good form with a bronze medal at Alton Towers while Richard Hindley took 5th in the under-13s

When you ask if the junior athletes would like to go to Alton Tower little did they know what they had let them in for, again the under-13 girls’ team turned out in force and showed the team spirit that has been at every outing this winter.

The English National Cross Country was over 3km on a very tight course but the weather was just right for good running.

From the start the pace was fast and when the leaders came over the first rise a Stockport vest was in the lead, Olivia Wild who has had a great winter found the pace to keep in the front group with a great run to take 38th place in 12-28, just behind Imogen Nutter who also has had an outstanding winter took 102th in 13-04. Both will be running for the Greater Manchester team in the Inter Counties Championships at Nottingham on the 15th March.

Under-13 girls at Alton Towers

The next runner in Nicola Berry who loves the National had a great run to take 128th in 13-18 with a very improving Carla Edwards just on her heels in 155th in 13-29 followed by a shoeless Aimee Aikin in 180th in 13-37, then Jessica Shaw in 221th in 13-57 with Emma O’Connell pushing her all the way to take 239th in 14-09 who herself had a great battle with Sarah Tipping who took 262th in 14-24.

The youngest member of the team Keani Jones had a really bad start to the National getting an elbow in the face halfway around the course.

The team finished 12th team out of the 40 teams that finished.

In the under-13 boys’ race the ever consistent Richard Hindley had the run of the club with a great race to take 5th place out of the 350 runners in 10-44 followed by Daniel Lawton 102th place in 11-51 then William Gardner 262th in 13-10 and James Parrott in 324th in 14-11 to bring the team in 31st position.

Ladies at Alton Towers

All the fun of the fair and then some. Out of the 25 Stockport ladies entered for this 8k race, on the day, due to injuries and long run marathon commitments, there was only a hardcore of 6 ladies to compete. Conditions were ideal, dry and overcast with very little mud.

1st lady overall was Liz Yelling in 23.44 out of a total field of 495.

Well done to Carly Davies who was first Stockport lady to cross the line, in 30.18, a brilliant achievement at such a prestigious event, though Carly wasn't over enthralled with her performance, she ran a strong race throughout.

Kaisleigh Greenham was next home in 31.07 in only her second race wearing the yellow vest, though a little nervous before the start, she soon rose to the challenge and ran a great race looking like it had been no effort at all five minutes after finishing.

Helen Garner ran strong and enjoyed her race, she even enjoyed the dreaded hill second time round when most ladies were losing the will to live and had to walk. Helen came home in a very respectable time of 32.18.

Marie Kay and Maureen Wilkins were having their own white knuckle roller coaster ride of ups and downs from start to finish, taking turns to lead, pushing each other all the way shoulder to shoulder. Marie was finally the victor being fourth Stockport lady in 35.41 with Maureen just behind in 36.03.

Julie Fairclough spent most of the race as usual, struggling to keep upright doing her Phoebe from Friends impression finishing in 36.51.

Well done to all the girlies, on a challenging race.

A massive thank you must go out to all the Stockport Harriers’ supporters around the course, especially to our unofficial cheerleader Julie Aikin with most of the junior girls who could be heard above the screams on the most scariest Alton Towers rides. On the day our Stockport ladies’ team came 38th out of 61 teams.


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