Saturday 10th November 2018

Young Athletes

Peter Shaw

JACK SPARK was the club’s star with his 2^nd win in the U13 boy’s event and, with JOSH COLQUHOUN-LYNN and OSCAR SCHOFIELD, again won the team race. We also won the B team competition with GEORGE NOBLE, MATTHEW GARDNER & JACK BATTEN.

SARA CLOUGH had a fantastic run to finish 2^nd in the U13 girl’s race. JASMINE REED can be well pleased with 5^th after a lengthy lay-off due to injury and with AVA CLOUGH having a great run in 6^th place, we had a comfortable team win, beating Northern Relay Champions Stockport Harriers. We also won the B team competition. Well done to CARMEN SAFRANAUSKAS, ANNABELLE BYGRAVE, HOLLY NEWTON and IZZY APPLEBY.

Out U15 girl’s team had a great day. Led home by LAURE KIDIKULE in 4^th place, we finished in both 1^st and 2^nd team placings. Well done to AVA TAYLOR, OLIVIA NOLAN, JASMINE STOCKTON, AKIRA EDGSON and LIBBY HILL. In the U15 boy’s race, we finished 3^rd team and 2^nd in both B and C competitions. Well done to WILL STANWAY, JOTHAM BENABENI, LUKE CHINOY, ROBBIE RIGBY, WILL PARKER, BEN DARGAN, ARCHIE Mc CARRON and HARRY EDMUNDSON.

It was particularly encouraging that 20 members of the Primary section represented the club in the U11 races. In the girl’s race, EVA KARALIUS had a great race to finish 3^rd and, with CHARLOTTE BISCHOF and IMOGEN HILL, finished 2^nd team only one point behind Stockport Harriers. We did have the satisfaction of winning both the B and C team categories. Well done to LILY OLDALE, BETH TITTENSOR, LIZ SINCLAIR, ISOBEL HALL, AVA BYGRAVE, STEFFI BERNDT de La O, LALI BROWN, EMILIA SOUTHWARD and ANNABELLE AYGYROPOULUS.

In the U11 boy’s race, we showed tremendous strength in depth to finish six runners in the first fifteen in a field of 77 runners representing seventeen clubs. We finished third A team and first in both B and C team competitions. Well done to BEN KEELEY, TOM HOBSON, FINLAY GOODARD, LIAM O’BRIEN, JAMES O’BRIEN, JOE SPARK, GEORGE DAVIS, MATTY CULLEN-BROWN and NOAH GRANDAGE

In the U17 age group well done to GEORGE SAFRANAUSKAS, ALEX ARMSTRONG-BOND and LAURA HOLE.

Seniors

Dave Rodgers

Senior Men wins for A, B & C teams B team 7th Overall.

Women 3rd again but with wins for B & C teams in 6th & 12th of all 74 teams.

Both Men and Women's "A" teams move to 2nd in the league table.

Veteran Men beaten in to 2nd for A, B & C teams by Salford, and are now 3rd in the league table.

Veteran Women won A, B & C teams again and were 5th & 15th overall for B & C.

Chiara Young was 3rd U20 woman with a Senior win for Aimee Pratt, 3rd L35 for Harriet Hamilton, 3rd & 4th L40 for Helen Armitage and Clare McCarron, Anne Chinoy 2nd L45 & Jackie Cordingley 2nd L55. Shaun Gee 4th U20 man. & Euan Gilchrist 4th Senior with Matt Barnes being 1st Vet.

MACCL 2 Gallery 2018

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Saturday 3rd November 2018

Dave Rodgers

At the ECCA National CC relays in Mansfield, there were some great runs.

The Senior Women were 4th in 2015, ust missing the medals, with Jenna, Katie and Sonia. Last year as young first year Seniors Emma and Ellen along with Megan Davies, were 11th. Again this year they were just short of the medals with 5th place and closing in on the medals to the line, with Emma Tilley, Ellen Downs and Sonia Samuels.Next year we can win it. There was strong competitive racing in the B team from Lydia Briggs, Julia Reynolds and Sarah Goulden.

The Junior Women were on course to win medals again as in 2017. As Juliet Downsand Aine Cunningham, took the team to 4th place,but with no 3rd runner after losing some a few days before, which couldn't get replaced, the opportunity was lost.

The Under 17 women took Bronze medal. Lara Crawford on first leg put them in a very good position which was our fastest time but against quality opposition, handing over in fourth. Jessica Spilsbury improved our position to second place with a very good run. Stephanie Moss brought us home in Bronze position for a fine team Bronze in a competitive age group.

Under 20 men's team also evaporated in the few days before the race, but Pat Magner ran first leg, just behind the leaders, whilst battling Alex Sutton, 2nd Claim member and also part of the Wythenshawe training group, to the line.

Disappointingly the Men's team were decimated a few days before hand also. Euan Gilchrist had a good run on the first leg catching ex Sale runner Jack Crabtree, on the line. Phil Robertson and James Wignall maintained position with solid runs, leaving Rob Fairbanks to step up from the B team into a new world for him, losing a few places in the initial rush, Rob then more than held his own with a good run.

National XC Relays 2018 Gallery

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Glenn Savage

Saturday 27/10/2018, Long Eaton

West Park Leisure Centre, Long Eaton was again the venue for the British Masters Cross Country Relays, with a flat and fast 3k circuit for the runners to whizz round.

The recent unseasonal mild temperatures gave way to a bitingly cold wind as winter announced its arrival, but the races were as hot as ever.

First up were the ladies races.  Our W35 team got off to a fine start, with Harriet Hamilton coming home in 3^rd place with an excellent 11:53 leg (7th fastest V35 of the day).  It was never going to be easy to remain in medal contention against the cream of the country’s veterans despite the fine efforts of Sinead Roche (13:24) and Tracey Taylor (14:07), but the final placing of 12^th was a very creditable result with such a high standard field on show.

We managed to field 2 teams in the W45 race, and there were high hopes for our A team, led off by team manager Anne Chinoy, fresh from her selection to represent England Masters over 10k in Birmingham next year.  Improving on last year's time, Anne's 12:17 was good enough for 4^th place (8th fastest V45 of the day). Further excellent runs from the evergreen Jackie Cordingley (13:22 for 5^th fastest on her leg even though a W55!) and Helen Reagan (13:53) resulted in a great 8^th place! 

The B team consisted of Carla Ousey (13:52), Lynda Rowlinson (14:13) and Marinda Breddy (16:24); all three girls putting in a great performance to finish 13^th. 

It was a great turnout by the ladies, but they again were left to lament the lack of a 3^rd W55 runner to complement Jackie and Lynda, which would almost certainly have ensured medals for a complete trio. However, this would have left the W45 teams short, which does highlight the difficulty in selecting Masters’ relay teams and the need to juggle with athletes from different age categories to put out the strongest teams possible.

At the same time as our ladies were running, our M65 team were trying to improve on their fine 6^th place from last year, and it was a determined effort from the same trio.

Mike Curley has proved himself to be one of the quickest M65 runners in the country, but found himself in an incredibly competitive first leg, with Salford’s Stanley Owen setting a blistering pace.  Mike’s 12:38 was nevertheless a superb effort.  Further great runs from Mike Dunne (14:35) and Geoff Beattie (14:38) helped secure the team a fine 5^th place.

Our M35 team were next up.  Matt Oldham had the misfortune of falling at the start of the first leg, but recovered well enough to run an excellent 10:40 in 17^th place.  Rob Fairbanks, who along with Matt was using this as a warm-up for the following day’s Oldham Half Marathon, also had a great run with 11:05, continuing his great form.  Rob Marsden, hindered by a recent glute injury, ran gamely to record 13:28.  Another recent recruit, Richard Clancy, showed he is recovering well from recent illness problems with a brilliant 10:44.  The team was completed by M55 runner, Glenn Savage, running a solid 11:42 following an injury hit few months as he brought the team home in 14^th place.

Our M55 team was decimated by withdrawals and Glenn having to make up the M35 team, so it was left to club stalwart Frank Cordingley to run as our sole runner in an incomplete team.  Another one blighted by recent injury/illness problems, Frank’s 13:11 was a fine effort indeed.  It is worth mentioning that Frank made himself available to run in younger age group teams if needed, typifying the kind of spirit we need.  So take a bow Frank!

In summary; no medals, but good solid team performances all round, and certainly something to build on for next year.  Maybe we will acquire the medals our veteran runners are capable of in the spring road relays.

Regardless of results, a great time was had by all who made the journey to Long Eaton; and the team spirit and camaraderie was there for all to see.  Roll on next year!

British Masters XC Relays

Masters ladies

Lynda Rowlinson, Carla Ousey and Marinda Breddy

Sale Harriers Ladies Masters

BM XC relay start

Sale Harriers team men

Sale Harriers Masterful men

Harriet, Sinead and Tracey

Mike Dunne

15th August 2018

Ernie Greenwood

The third Manchester International took place at Sport City and Sale had representation as we have had for the last three years of this relatively new offering. The format is some relay events for young athletes in the afternoon before the main event which is a chance for representative honours for up and coming elite athletes and some who wouldn't get a chance at the main championship events. Each of the home nations provide a team to compete with GB Under 23,a combined BAL/UKWAL team, A foreign team - this year Iceland and a team of various guests. A team of 'celebrities' race with the winners of the afternoon junior relay winners- a great experience for the kids.

Once again Sale girls U13 relay team won their event but the Boys had to be content with fifth place .The 'celebrities' were a bit of an anti-climax after Darren Campbell's medal winning relay team last year as they were not from the Athletics world but were worthy people representing sponsors- not really pitched at kids though. The event itself is good for kids to experience as they see elite athletes wearing their home countries kit competing in a good stadium and they get an idea of top class athletics. Local kids get the chance to be kit carriers too which they enjoy doing. The talented young Dancers from St Francis Primary in Gorton got to entertain the crowd.(Jonah Efolokus Primary School- a source of talent for us.) On the whole it's a good idea and brings more people into Athletics without having to travel to London or Birmingham and having to pay a lot for the experience. It also provides welcome revenue to keep Sport City open and not go the way of Sheffield Don Valley. The legacy of the Commonwealth Games continues a little longer and keeps the Arab Empire across the road at bay for now at least.

Experienced Sale sprinter Andy Robertson raced twice in the 100m ;once in the non point scoring race and again later in the rain battered race that mattered. Incredibly he recorded the same time 10.28.Andy joined Sale in his first year at West Hill School and has remained a member ever since. He was second in his race.

Fresh from Berlin, Kirsty Law represented Scotland in the Discus with a throw of 54.90 giving her country second place. Talented Jumper Abigail Irozuru heads a group of three Sale women athletes in the top six in the North. Her jump of 6.39 was enough for victory.In the Mens event Reynold Banigo went a metre further with 7.76 giving him a win.

We had three Triple Jumpers, two coached by Keith Hunter, all in the top six. Julian Reid won the event from Sean Okome in 5th and Kevin Metzger in 6th.

The event featured the England 10,000m Championships during which the rain we have missed for weeks arrived to keep them cool for half an hour. A very wet Nigel Martin battled the elements to stay with the race leaders for a Bronze medal and a p.b. in 30.07.Nigel has made great improvements under coach Norman Poole at Wythenshawe. 

Appearances by Sale athletes at this level are not unusual but do not happen overnight. It begins when they are children and those fortunate enough to be talented are lucky enough to be able to access good quality coaching but none of this assures success without regular very hard work. All these athletes and their coaches deserve their success because of this.