Northern Athletics Cross Country Championships 2014

For the second successive year the venue for the 2014 Northern Athletics Cross Country Championships was Knowsley Safari Park.  The organisers once again put on a fine event as athletes from all over the north of the country travelled to Liverpool to represent their clubs in this prestigious cross country meeting.

The absence of five inches of snow would have pleased those who tackled the 2013 race but conditions were still testing for the runners facing the undulating course.  The persistent rain which has been omnipresent across the country for the last few weeks made for heavy going.  There was also a piercing wind blowing which further reduced the already chilly air temperature. 

As always, some of the best club runners from the north of England were in attendance in an attempt to land the Championship titles and to lay down a marker for the National Championships taking place in Nottingham in February.

There were over 600 runners in the senior men’s race which ensured the traditional stampede at the start of the race.  In a field of such numbers there is nowhere to hide as the competitors are constantly jostling for positions and fighting for the best line through the inch-thick mud.

There was a tight pack at the head of the field and in a close finish it was Daniel Garbutt of Durham City Harriers who dug the deepest to secure the Northern title.  His time for the 12km route was 41:17, some eight seconds of Andrew Jones of Stockport.  The third placed runner was also from Stockport, Jack Martin, who finished in 41:34.

In the 8km senior women’s race, Katie Walshaw of Holmfirth Harriers took the honours with a winning time of 30:22 in the field of 262 competitors.  Second place went to Rosie Smith of Durham City Harriers (30:37) and third to Susan Partridge of Leeds City (30:46).

Five Keswick AC runners took to the start-line for the senior men’s race.  Despite a troublesome ankle injury, Club Captain Steve Hebblethwaite put in a superb run to finish within the top fifty (46^th, 45:11) and will be looking to carry this form into the National Championships next month.  Having finished third in the Cumbria Cross Country Championship race in Cockermouth, it was no surprise that Phil Winskill was high up the field in the Northern Championship race.  Phil was just over a minute behind Steve finishing 70^th in 46:28.

Another Keswick runner who has had a strong winter of Cross Country racing is Peter George.  Peter finished third in the Cumbria League and would have been confident of a strong performance in the Northerns.  However, his run was to be curtailed due to a nasty hamstring injury and despite a manful effort was unable to complete the race.

Toby Cushion was using the race as part of his build-up towards the popular Three Peaks fell-race which takes place in Yorkshire in early spring.  The cross country would have been a useful speed and strengthening exercise and Toby put in a fine run to finish 285^th in 54:04.  Ian Davies has had a disrupted six months of training so was pleased to come through the race unscathed and finished 209^th in 52:04.

The English National Cross Championships will be taking place on the 22^nd February at Woolerton Park in Nottingham.