Handforth Wilmslow Alderley Athletics Club

MAXC - Match 4 Woodbank Park - 13th January Race Report

The course was very wet and soft underfoot after a heavy night of rain but the weather was reasonably mild for January. It is probably the hardest course of the series with a steep hill to pull up half way round.

Holly James was our only Girl racing again having a steady run in the U11 category. With 50m to go however the Stockport Harrier girl who had been shadowing her all race decided to pass her. Holly was having none of this and similar to last week, put on a burst of speed to secure her position.

We had a team of U13 Boys with Kevin, Joel & Harry. With all the mud, Kevin decided to ditch his glasses for the race and soon found himself in the thick of things with the U15 girls towering over him! Joel had another great race sprinting for the finish with a smile on his face. Harry completed the team again successfully battling out the last 50m with a sprint to the finish line ahead of his closest rival.

Ian Hare made his debut (for this year) in the U17 boys. With 6000m to race and little training, this was always going to be tough! Ian however rose to the challenge completing the race strongly.

Photos on this website can be found here: Woodbank Park 2008 and official photos may also be found here: www.hsphotos.co.uk

Full Results can be found here: www.bbresults.com

       Name                       Cat         Distance    Pos    Time

• Holly James          FU11       2400m       28th    14:54
• Kevin Acton          MU13      3000m       13th    13:56
• Joel Norman         MU13      3000m       16th    14:25    MU13 Boys Team 5th!!
• Harry Stobart        MU13      3000m       26th   16:39
• Ian Hare               MU17      6000m       23rd    27:42

Graham Taylor

NW Sports Hall League Widnes 27th Jan

At Kingsway Leisure Centre, Kingsway, Widnes. For a map click here
Final match of the season starts at 12:00 noon, but please be at the centre by 11:30

Cheshire County XC Championship - Race Report

5^th January 2008

Great day for Handforth at the Cheshire County XC Championships. Alas we had only 5 runners with winter colds and injury laying a couple low. The course was really good with lots of steep little hillocks, turns and runs in the wood. Thankfully the weather was dry although breezy and very soft underfoot.

The first race was the U11’s Girls and Boys. Mathew Penney had a good race clearly enjoying himself. Molly James was our only Girl racing but she did well with an impressive sprint past a fellow runner at the finish. You can see this on the photos!

Kevin tumbled over and Joel had his calf spiked at the start of the U13’s but they both quickly put that behind them and pressed on. A good effort by both these boys put them well up the field.

James was our final runner in the U15’s. At nearly 4000m this was a tough race. Again a good strong run and he is starting to identify his immediate competitors which will help that competitive drive.

All the athletes did very well, this is County competition after all. Hard work at our sessions will improve their performances further and additional running outside of the club is essential for the older ones to progress.

Photos can be found here: Photos

Full Results can be found here: Cheshire County Athletic Association

Name                       Cat         Distance    Pos    Time

Holly James          FU11       1625m      18th    9:40

Mathew Penney     MU11      1625m      11th    7:47

Kevin Acton          MU13      3100m      17th   14:28

Joel Norman         MU13      3100m      22nd   15:24

James Grannan     MU15      3930m      20th   17:30

Graham Taylor

MAXC - Match 3 Sherdley Park , St Helens - 13th January Race Report

Sherdley Park was a new venue for the MACCL this year and what a treat it was for the boys! Yes we had no Girls representing Handforth, where are you all?

Sherdley Park is probably delightful in the summer but with a biting cold wind, horizontal rain sweeping through every few minutes and standing water on the open areas it was the hardest conditions I've seen at a XC for many years. But the boys seemed positively excited by the fact, smiling far more than their encouraging parents! Mathew Penney was up first in the U11, then Joel Norman & Harry Stobart in the U13 & finally James Grannan in the U15.

The course twisted back and forth on open, undulating, slippery ground giving us spectators lots of vantage points to encourage them round. All the boys ran really well coming in soaking wet, covered in mud but smiling. They can be justly proud of themselves.

James had a great finish having shadowed a Sale Harriers runner the entire course, he put on a burst of speed over the last 50m to clinch another place.

• Cat        Name                    Pos      Time       Appx Dist
• MU11     Mathew Penney      14       11.33       2200m
• MU13     Joel Norman          8         15.15       3000m
• MU13     Harry Stobart        15        17.02       3000m
• MU15     James Grannan     13        17.18       4000m

Full results can be found on www.bbresults.com

Graham Taylor

Boxing Day Dash

Good turnout for this years Boxing Day run with a mixture of young athletes and adults. A New course record was set for the 1.25mile dash with David breaking his previous record set 2 years ago at 6:40. There are also photos of the event posted on the site: PHOTO ALBUMS

1. 6:27     David Henshaw    CR
2. 7:25     James Grannan
3. 7:52     Kevin Acton
4. 8:05     Joel Norman
5. 8:30     Harry Stobart
6. 8:32     Harry Stobart's Dad
7. 8:49     Fergus Taylor
8. 9:11     Andrew Fyfe
9. 9:28     Sophie Grannan
10. 9:28     Mr Grannan
11. 10:00   Ian Hare
12. 10:00   Mark Carey
13. 10:55   Jack Sleeth
14. 10:58   Mark Norman
15. 11:50   Jamie Champness
16. 13:08   Alistair Fyfe
17. 13:10   Colin Fyfe
18. 14:33   Louise Champness
19. 14:34   Susan Champness

Thankyou to Rosalie for providing marvelous Mince Pies and warm drinks.

Graham Taylor