Great performance at the Nationals.

Great performance at the Nationals.

It’s a long journey for a cross-country race but seven Horwich RMI Harriers made the long trip to Parliament Hill in London on Saturday for the National Cross Country Championship. Horwich were the only club from the Bolton area to field a team in the national championships and the proud red and black vests, despite lacking the club’s two most successful athletes of the season, finished an excellent 32nd of the 145 teams to complete teams of six. The race attracted over 2000 runners and was won by Charlie Hulson of Sale Harriers in 39:12.

Leading the way was Joe Mercer with a fine run in 67th place, closely followed by Greater Manchester silver medallist Nick Leigh in 79th. Making the trip over from his home in Dublin, Irish international fellrunner Ian Conroy was next home in 156th. Alastair Murray in 419th, Ryan Stevenson in 538th and Tom Cowling 643rd completed the team with Chris Essex-Crosby only a couple of minutes further back in 833rd.

67 Joe Mercer 42:37; 79 Nick Leigh 43:01; 156 Ian Conroy 44:32; 419 Alastair Murray 48:23; 537 Ryan Stevenson 49:47; 643 Tom Cowling 50:56; 833 Chris Essex-Crosby 52:52.

GS.