NI/Ulster Senior XC Championchips

Congratulations to all club members who ran, coached, officiated or supported the club at the IAAF Permit International Cross Country held at Greenmount College on Saturday. The programme incorporated the Northern Ireland Senior Championships as well as being part of the UKA McCain Challenge.. In the Ladies Championship, North Down were 2nd with an individual bronze for Lauren Scott. On the way and only needing a couple of points to make it certain, they won the inaugural ANI League with a round to spare. The men were 5th in the Mens Championship. Internationally, recent European form was endorsed when Fionnuala Britton beat arch-rival Gemma Steel in a close womens race while the mens’ affair was another Kenyan cleanup.

Conditions were bright but with a very cold wind and much of the course was heavy and clinging. In the preliminary junior races with ages as per the start of the McCain Challenge, North Down were well represented with good performances from Glen Willis (U17 youths), Abbey Taylor, Claire Francis and Chloe Johnston (U15 girls), Jamie McMeechan (U15 boys) and Lauren Hamilton (U13 girls) but most of all from top ten performances from the two U13 boys – Craig McMeechan 8th and Charlie McNutt 9th.

[Not a valid template]The Senior Womens team had a big lift from the bronze medal by Lauren Scott who was also part of the Northern Ireland team which, reassuringly for the selectors, took the first four places in the Senior Championship. Team results were (1) North Belfast 26, (2) North Down 36, (3) City of Derry 58, (4) Orangegrove 130. Scorers were Lauren 3, Jessica Craig, 7  Julie Balmer 10 and Stephanie Hambling 16. Equally pleasing was the overall strength of the club team which in cricket parlance batted all the way to the last wicket. For the second week in a row a team member struggled in and out of a shoe in the mud (you don’t kick a shoe off when it carries a timing chip).  North Down and City of Derry are now assured of first and second respectively in the ANI League though there is still a round to go.

[Not a valid template]Robin Brown led the mens team home with Francis Marsh (2nd M45) and Chris Bryan next, then James Budde, Alex Donald and Dennis Scott making up the team but the rest of the team were a huge help in ensuring maximum league bonus points. Team results were (1) Annadale 73, (2) St Malachy’s 80, (3) City of Derry 120, (4) North Belfast 128, (5) North Down 216, (6) Letterkenny 280, (7) Willowfield 342 (8) Innishowen 377. North Belfast now lead the mens league from City of Derry with North Down 3rd, 13 behind Derry and 6 ahead of Annadale.

Not to forget the over 60 men who ran at the same time as the senior ladies in a race where North Down took the first 4 places.

Club performances are summarised below.

Results link

 

Pos	NI Pos	No	Athlete	Cat	Time
U13 Girls
38		767	Lauren Hamilton	F13	09:34
U13 Boys
8		162	Craig McMeechan	M13	07:20
9		161	Charles McNutt	M13	07:20
U15 Girls
27		250	Abbey  Taylor	F15	17:29
37		251	Chloe  Johnston	F15	18:37
33		252	Claire Francis	F15	18:24
U15 Boys
30		299	Jamie McMeechan	M15	15:57
U17 Youths
13		428	Glen Willis	M17	20:56
Senior and Master Ladies
17	3	47	Lauren Scott	FO	22:23
21	7	501	Jessica Craig	FO	23:27
25	10	468	Julie  Balmer	F35	24:35
31	16	476	Stephanie Hambling	F40	25:11
32	17	481	Debbie Matchett	F45	25:20
33	18	471	Roberta Dornan	F35	25:32
37	22	462	Ange Perrott	F35	26:30
39	24	509	Rachel Gibson	FO	26:44
Senior and Master Men under 60
39	21	650	Robin  Brown	MO	41:31
47	27	644	Francis Marsh	M45	42:13
53	32	639	Chris Bryan	M35	42:52
58	37	646	James Budde	MO	43:48
68	47	638	Alex Donald	MO	44:40
74	52	643	Dennis Scott	MO	45:43
75	53	640	Darren McKee	MO	46:00
91	69	651	Thomas Simspon	MO	47:09
102	80	645	Stephen Wylie	MO	48:35
109	86	642	David Gray	MO	49:42
128	104	647	John McGarvey	MO	54:18
130	106	649	Nick Irvine	MO	54:47
136	111	641	David Balmer	M35	1:07:36
Master Men over 60
1		513	Terry Eakin	M60
2		515	Brian Smith	M65
3		516	Fred Murdock	M65
4		517	Norman Lellyett	M65