Northern Athletics Cross Country Championships

Steve & Phil do the business in Sunderland. Results:

http://www.race-results.co.uk/results/2011/naxc11s.htm

Two Keswick runners made the trip east for the 2011 Northern Athletics Cross Country Championships this year being held at Herrington Country Park in Sunderland. This is a prestigious event that always attracts a high calibre field.

The course distance for the senior men measured 12Km and proved a muddy affair for the 488 taking part. The representatives from Keswick AC put in excellent performances finishing high up the field and mixing it with top athletes from prominent Northern clubs. Steve Hebblethwaite admitted he had never run so hard in his life and this was reflected in an excellent 37th placed finish (42:37). Phil Winskill, off the back of some excellent early season training, also placed well finishing 56th (43:48).

The race winner for the senior men was Tom Lancashire from Bolton United Harriers & Ac who clocked a victory time of 38:09. In a strong field with tight packing Lancashire pulled ahead of Steven Vernon (Stockport Harriers) who finished runner-up in 38:22.

In the 8.2Km senior women’s race, Susan Partridge of Leeds City Ac took the honours with a winning time of 30:38 in the field of 190 competitors. Second place went to Victoria Wilkinson of Bingley Harriers & Ac (30:59) and third to Rosie Smith of Durham City Harriers (31:11).