The first cross country races of the new season took place on Saturday with the Comber Cup promotion by Ballydrain Harriers at the Billy Neill Soccer Centre. The main focus was on the veterans races with the event seving as a selection trial for the Vets International which is being held this year on home ground at Stormont on 17th November.
[Not a valid template]Members who make the Northern Ireland teams look to be Francis Marsh at M40, Stephanie Hambling at F35, Debbie Matchett at F40, Fred Murdock at M65 and Ken Hawtin at M70. Others in contention such as Brian Smith at M60 will have to wait. In a good club turnout there were several good performances. The first race of the day went to Brian Barron who won the U16 Boys. Leigh McWha was 1st U16 Girl, Niall Robinson 3rd U18 Boy, Lauren Scott and Jessica Craig 4th and 5th U18 Girls, Nicola Simpson 2nd U20 Girl and John Carlisle 2nd U20 Youth.
North Down Results
| Pos | Time | Cat | Num | Name | |
| 3K | |||||
| 1 | 11:49 | B16 | 11 | BRIAN BARRON | 1st B16 |
| 8 | 14:39 | G18 | 456 | LAUREN SCOTT | 4th G18 |
| 9 | 14:40 | B16 | 17 | MATTHEW MCMILLAN | |
| 10 | 14:45 | G18 | 457 | JESSICA CRAIG | 5th G18 |
| 12 | 16:50 | G16 | 469 | LEIGH MCWHA | 1st G16 |
| 5K | |||||
| 3 | 17:12 | B18 | 33 | NIALL ROBINSON | 3rd B18 |
| 6 | 18:40 | B18 | 36 | THOMAS SIMPSON | 6th B18 |
| 14 | 20:17 | F35 | 15 | STEPHANIE HAMBLING | 3rd F35 |
| 17 | 20:30 | F40 | 25 | DEBBIE MATCHETT | 3rd F40 |
| 21 | 21:39 | G20 | 37 | NICOLA SIMPSON | 2nd G20 |
| 23 | 21:46 | M65 | 26 | FRED MURDOCK | 2nd M65 |
| 25 | 22:17 | FO | 65 | ANGE PERROTT | 2nd FO |
| 29 | 23:03 | M70 | 27 | KEN HAWTIN | 1st M70 |
| 30 | 23:04 | F35 | 63 | JILL DOWIE | 6th F35 |
| 33 | 23:57 | F40 | 64 | MAGGIE GIBSON | 7th F40 |
| 8K | |||||
| 6 | 27:25 | M40 | 86 | FRANCIS MARSH | 3rd M40 |
| 31 | 30:43 | M45 | 66 | GEOFFREY WEIR | 10th M45 |
| 51 | 32:56 | M50 | 101 | JOHN QUIREY | 12th M45 |
| 60 | 33:51 | M60 | 12 | BRIAN SMITH | 5th M60 |
| 69 | 36:01 | M60 | 31 | NORMAN LELLYETT | 7th M60 |
| 72 | 39:25 | M60 | 68 | JOHN V MONAGHAN | 8th M60 |
| 6.5K | |||||
| 7 | 21:56 | M20 | 87 | JOHN CARLISLE | 2nd M20 |
| 20 | 26:43 | MO | 16 | JOHN MCGARVEY | 18th MO |