Manchester Area XC League Match 2, Wythenshawe Park, 11th November
Emily Kearney continued her imperious form under sunny skies and challenging underfoot conditions at Wythenshawe Park, Stephen Green Reports.
The Warriors athlete quickly established a lead as the 350 plus field ‘sloshed’ their way through the first small ‘parade’ lap. Onto the third and final lap across a series of knee-deep mud and sapping ‘ankle-deep stuff’. Kearney who has a recent 70:45 HM in the locker, from Valencia, continued to open a lead of over a minute from Sophie Wood of Sale.
Helen Warburton of Sale moved into third place, 23 seconds down on teammate Wood, who led Sale to a comprehensive team victory over Trafford.First V40 home was Laura Lombard, of Salford Harriers in eighth place.
Aaron Doyle, improved from second place in the first match at Heaton Park, to score a decisive win in the adverse underfoot conditions. At the end of the first of three large laps the Vale Royal athlete, whose 5k road best is just under 15 minutes, led the field of 550 plus men with Warrington’s Cameron Field on his shoulder.
Doyle’s upright and short striding style enabled him to glide over the mud ‘lakes’ and he was able to enjoy a victory margin of around 150m from the fast-finishing Peter Taylor-Bray of Chorlton Runners, who edged Sale’s Alex Lawton, with Field a couple of seconds down.
Karl Darcy had a superb run in sixth, to come home as first V40, for Salford Harriers. Host club Sale made it a double team celebration, three points ahead of Salford.
Trafford’s Freddie Meredith dominated proceedings in the U17 boys’ race, 50 seconds ahead of Oberon Kearney, who just stayed ahead of Liam Johnston. Stockport Harrier Freya Murdoch was an impressive girls’ winner 30 seconds to the good from Nia Griffin, who was 30m clear of Rose Parry.
Top U15 boy was Sale’s Alex Fraser, 10 seconds clear of Pio Aron, who held a similar gap over Finlay Dobson Emmas. Oonagh McManus made it a Sale double and came home first in the girls’ section, 13 seconds ahead of Imogen Hill, with Isla Pastor a similar distance in arrears, third.
The closest finish of the day came in the U13 boys’ event in a blanket finish where St Helen’s Bobby Birkett edged Nethaniel Glascott-Hill by a second, with Bobby McEvoy just another stride down. Warrior’s Eve Beddow broke the tape 30 seconds to the good from sister Isobel, with Emily Walton, third, around 70m down.
The new and popular U11’s section saw wins for Salford’s Loxley Schofield, just ahead of Toby Harrison, with Joseph McKenna third. Warrior Daisy McVicar was top of the class in the girls’ section, ahead of Blue Bailey, with Lucy O’Brien third.
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