MUDDY DAY AT ROSSENDALE

It was no surprise that the renowned cross country course of Marl Pits was very muddy and slippery. Many runners losing their shoes in the deep mud in the final Red Rose League meeting for 2009 at Rossendale.

The course for the U11’s was a small lap which fielded a good number of runners. In the Boys Matthew Brindle continues his good performance being the first RMI home in 20th. Jacob Barlow ran a good race in 33rd and Max Dacre wondering what his dad had put him through coming home in 35th.

The Girls also had a slippery race however showed good spirit. Kelly Wainwright continued his impressive first year at cross country coming home in 30th, than came Isobel Dean in 31st closely followed by Emma Rayner in 33rd. Finally Olivia Bannister coming home bravely in 42nd, which made for a good team outing for the U11’s.

The U13’s Boys and Girls had yet another good day out. The Girls team made 2nd place with some fantastic performances from Phoebe Howe, certainly her best of the year in 4th place. Martha Gills best run of the season in 14th and following her in 15th place was Sophie Myers. Grace Shelmerdine having another solid performance in 22nd.

The boys race was slightly tainted with Joe Howe certainly having a storming start in second place when losing his shoe in knee deep mud made it impossible to get back in contention. That left it to Nathan Townsend being first home in 4th just behind his arch rivals from Blackburn. A solid performance from Cameron Critchley in 16th looked good for a team finish, that was down to Jonathan Powis finishing in a strong 23rd and gave the boys 3rd place in the team scorings only 2 points behind second place Rossendale.

In the Under 17 boys, Zac Howe is building on his last performance at Bolton finishing in 10th place gave him another steady result.

Andy Townsend

Horwich RMI Harriers

06/12/2009