While the spotlight fell on the Liverpool Cross Challenge, there were plenty of other events around the country last weekend.
START FITNESS NORTH EAST HARRIER LEAGUE, Wrekenton, November 23
Gateshead’s Lewis Liddle, from the S pack was first across the line but there were faster times set behind from the main M pack.
There, it was Heaton’s Chris Larkin, who was second home in the second fastest overall time of 31:52, but he was just headed by Newcastle University’s Luke Davis who, starting in the F pack had a net time of 31:49.
In turn, he was chased home by fellow F Pack runner Jarlath McKenna’s third best open and fastest M40 time of 32:06.
In the women’s race Maria Catterall was first home and from the main S pack but further back there were three F Pack chasers and Jessica Fox got the better of Jessica Eaton with Anna Pigford also chasing hard for third fastest woman overall.
Overall: 1 L Liddle (Gate) 33:17; 2 C Larkin (Heaton) 34:23; 3 S Jackson (Sund, M40) 35:19
M50: 1 A Hart (Darl) 38:48
M55: 1 M Turnbull (Elsw) 39:14
M60: 1 I Norman (Heat) 41:21
M65: 1 K Maynard (Sund St) 44:22
Fastest (net time): 1 L Davis (Newc U) 31:49; 2 Larkin 31:52; 3 J McKenna (Tyne Br, M40) 32:06
M40: McKenna (Tyne Br) 32:06
M50: Hart 38:48
M55: Turnbull 39:14
M60: Norman 41:21
M65: Norman 44:22
U17: 1 P Hayton-Rowell (NSP) 18:40; 2 W Hart (Darl) 19:01; 3 M Carr (Elsw) 19:57
Fastest: J Lonergan (T’dale) 17:11
READ MORE: Liverpool Cross Challenge coverage
U15: 1 G Hunter (T’dale) 12:09
Fastest: Hunter 10:47
U13: 1 F Hutchinson (Durh) 12:21
Fastest: N Penfold (NSP) 11:20
Women: 1 M Catterall (Elsw, W35) 27:28; 2 J Hunter (Salt) 28:24; 3 S MacIntyre (Jesmond) 28:38
W45: 1 J Knight (Alnw) 30:25
W50: 1 M Stead (Morp) 29:02
W55: 1 N Cameron (Heaton) 30:22
W60: 1 J Cross (C’momy) 32:40
Fastest: J Fox (Sund) 24;40; 2 J Eaton (Tyne Br) 24:45; 3 A Pigford Hought) 24:59
W45: Knight 30:25
W50: Stead 29:02
W55: Cameron 30;22
W60: Cross 32:40
U17: 1 C Owens (Darl) 21:16
Fastest: M Owens (Darl) 20:54
U15: 1 O Murphy (Birt) 13:18
Fastest: Murphy 11:58
U13: 1 IM Carr (Prudhoe) 14:08
Fastest: Carr 12:48
BERKS, BUCKS & OXON CCA CHAMPIONSHIPS, Reading, Berkshire, November 23
Englefield House provided a parkland setting for this long-standing Association’s championships and Ben Wills ran out a comfortable men’s winner over Rob Corney.
In a disappointing small women’s race, it was Windsor’s junior Jaq Heller, the 2024 English National junior sixth placer, who ran out a comfortable winner.
In the age group races, Will Humm and Ben Lucas led Bracknell to a narrow under-17 team win, whilst Tara Ferguson, who was eighth in the 2025 English National under-17 championship took the under-17 women’s race by exactly a minute.
Men: 1 B Wills (Brack) 27:24; 2 R Corney (Read RR) 27:39; 3 C Jardine (Abing) 28:27
M40: 1 M Stone (Newb) 29:22
M45: 1 C Madelaine (Read) 29:52
M50: 1 A Ind (Newb) 30:51
M65: 1 E Southam (Abing) 33:41
U20: 1 O Stocker (Bic) 28:45
TEAM: 1 Abing 96; 2 Read RR 98; 3 Newbury 114
U17: 1 W Humm (Brack) 20:15; 2 B Lucas (Brack) 20:29; 3 J Norton (Newb) 20:29
TEAM: 1 Bracknell 15; 2 WSEH 19; 3 Reading 21
U15: 1 L Blyton (Bic) 15:15; 2 L Moss (Newb) 15:20; 3 N Spruce (Abing) 15:26
TEAM: 1 WSEH 22; 2 Bracknell 31; 3 Abingdon 43
U13: 1 R Gray (Banb) 13:15; 2 J Lindsay (Abing) 13:20; 3 R Webb (WSEH) 13:41
TEAM: 1 Abingdon 16; 2 WSEH 18; 3 Reading 33
READ MORE: Liverpool Cross Challenge coverage
Women: 1 J Heller (WSEH, U20) 33:06; 2 J Franklin (Newb, W45) 33:51; 3 Y Grant (WSEH, U20) 33:27
W55: 1 R Allen (Newb) 39;10; 2 S Francis (Read) 39:35
W65: 1 G Hueter (Oxf C) 48:23
TEAM: 1 Newbury 13; 2 WSEH 13; 3 Reading 22
U17: 1 T Ferguson (WSEH) 22:32; 2 C Campbell (Oxf C) 23:32; 3 R Street (WSEH) 24:31
TEAM: 1 Newbury 21
U15: 1 H Lucas (WSEH) 17:11; 2 E Frost (Chilt) 17:17; 3 M Lennox-Imbastari (WSEH) 18:09
TEAM: 1 WSEH 9; 2 Bracknell 17; 3 Abingdon 37
U13: 1 E Baker (Brack) 14:07; 2 E Larkin (T Kdennet) 14:36; 3 A Pullen (Brack) 14;50
TEAM: 1 Bracknell 8; 2 T ennet Tri 32; 3 Reading 31
ESSEX LEAGUE, Match 3, Hadleigh, November 22
Southend’s Toby Rees-Jones scored a repeat victory as he headed Chelmsford’s Thomas Woodward to take the men’s race over 8km and with three more Southend runners just behind his club took the team honours.
Lauren Reed moved up from second in the previous match to head fellow over-40’s Rachel Wiseman and Sarah Williams as veterans dominated
The biggest win of the day came in the under-15 girls’ race where Brentwood’s Summer Smith won 90 seconds.
Men:
1 T Rhys-Jones (S’end, U20) 28:10; 2T Woodward (Chelm) 28:42; S Norris (S’end) 29:00; 4 S Boxhall (S’end) 29:08; 5 M Stapleton (S’end) 29:23; 6 J Stewart (Hav’g) 29:31
M40: 1 N Filer (Col H) 29:56
M50: 1 L Taylor (S’end) 31:59
M60: 1 S Philcox (Ilf) 34:57
M70: 1 D Butler (Bill’Cay) 40:26
TEAM Div 1 (6 to score): 1 Southend471; 2 Havering74; 3 Orion 255
Div 2 (6 to score): 1 Braintree 245
M40 TEAM: 1 Orion 114; 2 Brentwood Beagles 227; 3 Havering 229
U17:
1 F McLaren (Hav’g) 20:37; 2 J Parrott (Chelm) 20:56; 3 D Pollard (Chelm) 21;12
TEAM (3 to score): 1 Chelmsford 12; 2 Havering 22; 3 Southend 24
U15
1 J Gilbey (Chelm) 13;59; 2 L Berry (Bas) 14:11; 3 J Boarer (Chelm) 14;27
TEAM (4 to score): 1 Basildon 62; 2 C&T 64; 3 Havering 74
U13:
1 R Stringer (C&T) 11:45; 2 D Law (Chelm) 11:51; 3 A Brotherwood (SS) 12:06
TEAM (4 to score): 1 SS Athletics 23; 2 Chelmsford 49; 3 Colchester H 60
Women
1 L Reed (Hav’g, W40) 26:16; 2 R Wiseman (Bas, W40) 26:36; 3 S Williams (Grange F&D, W40) 28:27
W40: 4 K Creak (Col H) 28:57
W45: 1 H Weir (Col H) 30:52
W50: 1 B Aldridge (Bill’cay) 31:27; 2 W King (Chelm) 32:36
W55: 1 D Morley (Col H) 34:01
W60: 1 D Fisher (S’field0 36:44
TEAM Div 1 (4 to score): 1 Havering 39; 2 Colchester H 55; 3 Chelmsford 61
Div 2 (4 to score): 1 Springfield 152
W35 TEAM (3 to score): 1 Colchester H 49; 2 Leigh-on-Sea 89; 3 Chelmsford 92
U17: 1 E Lole (Chelm) 24:21; 2 E Warn (B’wood) 24:28; 3 K Cox (Chelm) 26:14
TEAM (3 to score): 1 Basildon 24; 2 Havering 29; 3 Braintree 59
U15: 1 S Smith (B’wood) 14:44; 2 I Young (B’wood) 16:14; 3 S Owen (SS) 16:33
TEAM (4 to score): 1 Brentwood Beagles 23; 2 SS 24; 3 Basildon 34
U13: 1 R Reeve (Col H) 12:41; 2 E Brewington (B’wood) 13:30; 3 S Davis (Chelm) 13:46
TEAM (4 to score): 1 SS Athletics 33; 2 Havering 57; 3 Colchester H 52 (with just 3)
MIDLAND COUNTIES 5 & & MILES CHAMPIONSHIP, Romsley, Worcestershire, November 22
A grim day on the edge of the Clent Hills greeted the athletes and Alastair Watson, the M45 London Marathon winner, regained the title he last won in 2017 as Jonny Morris chased hard before running out a comfortable second.
Watson, who led his Notts AC squad to a team win and his club also saw 2022 overall winner and now M55, Tim Hartley, 13th overall.
A week earlier, Watson had won the British & Irish Masters International M45 title, whilst eight-time winner there, Tim Hartley was third M55.
The women’s race saw Severn AC’s Alice Tredgett win by getting on for two minutes from Joanne Clamp.
Men (7M): 1 A Watson (Notts, M45) 38:12; 2 J Morris (W&B) 38:35; 3 A Jeavons (Worc) 39:40; 4 N Williams (Notts, n/s) 40:53; 5 A Berhe (Notts) 41:08
M55: 1 T Hartley (Notts) 44:23
TEAM: 1 Notts 49; 2 Tipton 71; 3 Wolverhampton &143 Bilston
Women (5M): 1 A Tredgett (Sev) 32:21; 2 J Clamp (Notts) 34:07; 3 L Collins (Hales) 34:32; 4 K McGonigal (B’ville) 34:31; 5 J Dale (Hales) 34:50
TEAM: 1 Halesowen 30; 2 Bourneville 35; 3 Tipton 52
KENT MASTERS CHAMPIONSHIPS, Dartford, November 22
Elle Baker, who has been in Britain’s winning European senior cross-country championship teams in the past, enjoyed an easy win in her event debut, Steve Smythe reports.
Now in Tonbridge colours, the W40 won by around 200 metres from former overall South of England champion Carole Coulon.
The French-born W50 athlete had set a PB of 36:33 in the previous week’s Brighton 10km and here headed defending overall champion Renate McDonnell.
Two seconds behind was Clare Elms who won a record 14th individual gold medal in winning the W55-64 title by over three minutes from Rose Baker who, like Elms, had run in England’s team in the previous week’s masters international.
Elms is a former South of Thames winner and that event was taking place less than 20 miles away in Croydon unfortunately clashing with this event and another SOT winner and nine-time champion here Ben Reynolds also struck gold in Dartford.
The Tonbridge athlete comfortably retained his M60 title while another England masters international, Andy Bond defended, his M50 title with ease.
After numerous seconds, Paul McCauliffe finally gained a gold with an M70 victory while Barbara Wenham impressed in winning the W65 race and only one male M65 headed her here.
Cambridge Harrier M45s Danny Kendall and Ben Shearer each moved up a place from last year to dominate the M40 race. Kendall, a former Dartford Half-Marathon winner, won by just four seconds.
Men M40 (8km): 1 D Kendall (Camb H, M45) 26:23; 2 B Shearer (Camb H, M45) 26:27; 3 L Cooper (M&M) 26:32; 4 B Day (Kent) 26:42; 5 M Bruce (B&B) 26:44; 6 M Evans (B&B) 26:51; 7 L De Bruyn (B&B, M45) 26:53
TEAM: 1 Blackheath &B 30; 2 Cambridge H 32; 3 Kent 41
M50 (8km): 1 A Bond (Dulw R) 28:13; 2 J Lane (M&M) 28:49; 3 D Varney (B&B) 28:53; 4 N Wright (M&M) 29:00; 5 C Compton (Kent) 29:56; 6 J Addison (Beck) 30:02
M55: 1 O Van Zyl (Sev) 30:07; 2 A Green (Dart RR) 30:16
TEAM: 1 Medway &M 32; 2 Tonbridge 82; 3 Camb H 114
M60: 1 B Reynolds (Ton) 18:43; 2 K Klidzia (Folk) 18:56; 3 K Dowson (Sev) 19:11; 4 M Pitcairn-Knowles (Ton) 19:34; 5 R Beardsworth (Kent) 19:46
M65: 1 M Leat (Camb H) 20:30
M70: 1 P McCauliffe (M&M) 22:30; 2 A Lawes (B&B) 22:33; 3 J Woolley (M&M) 23:55
M75: 1 T Edgley (I&I) 26:57
M60 TEAM: 1 Tonbridge 14; 2 Folkestone 15; 3 Kent 48
M70 TEAM: 1 M&M 25; 2 Kent 27; 3 I&I 39
Women (5km): 1 E Baker (Ton) 18:27; 2 C Coulon (B&B, W50) 19:05; 3 R McDonnell (Inv EK, W50) 19:14; 4 C Elms (Kent, W60) 19:16; 5 E Owen (Ton) 19:32 6 E Skinner (Kent, W50) 19:42
W45: 1 T Murphy (Kent, W45) 20:41
W50: 4 V Buck (Kent, W50) 20:07
W55: 1 C O’Connor (Folk, W55) 22:39; 2 M Hine (Camb H, W55) 23:40
W60: 2 R Baker (Camb H, W60) 22:25;
W35 TEAM: 1 Kent 10; 2 Ton 19; 3 Ashf & D 27
W45 TEAM: Kent 27; 2 Ton 28; 3 Central 42
TEAM: 1 Kent 18; 2 Camb H 22; 3 Folkestone 23
W65 (ran with Men M65): 1 B Wenman (Cant) 23:02; 2 G Arnott (Beck) 25:07; 3 J Daniels (Dov) 25:18
W70: 1 B Ockendon (I&I) 29:29
W65 TEAM: 1 Canterbury 19; 2 Istead &I 26
SOUTH OF THE THAMES CCA 5-MILE TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP, Croydon, Surrey, November 22
Although Ed Chuck and Dulwich Runners came out on top in the individual stakes, it was Belgrave Harriers who dominated the team events as they retained their men’s and women’s titles.
A clash with the Kent Masters championship deprived the event of some participants but this championship is ostensibly for junior or up and coming runners and it was fifth paced Ollie Buck who claimed that honour.
Chuck seemed to have things his own way and established a lead on the first lap but was never completely safe as Gavin Eccles led the Belgrave charge from Dulwich’s Jack Ramm behind.
READ MORE: Liverpool Cross Challenge coverage
For the women and despite the presence of three-time winner Georgie Bruinvels it was Molly Smith who dominated for Herne Hill Harriers. This was her first outing since a 2:34:07 outing in the Frankfurt Marathon and the sister of 2:11:57 marathoner Jake made no mistake here with a two-minute victory.
This was over the W35 pairing of Aldershot’s holder Bruinvels and 2018 winner Saron Haileselaise, who led Belgrave’s team win.
Overall: 1 E Chuck (Dulw R) 26:48; 2 G Eccles (Belg) 26:54; 3 J Ramm (Dulw R) 27:08; 4 S Sommerville (Belg) 27:32; 5 O Buck (Kent, U20) 27:40; 6 C McNally (Belg) 27:46; 7 J Neville (Belg) 27:50; 8 T Rowlands (S Lon) 28:06; 9 H Lawson (Belg) 28:09; 10 C High (G&G) 28:17
M40: 1 M Cummings (Herne H) 29:58
M45: 1 N Henderson (E&E) 30:00
M50: 1 N Tearle (G&G) 30;15
M60: 1 A Roberts (Strag) 33:42
M65: 1 M Fletcher (Strag) 36:45
M75: 1 M Mann (Dulw R) 45:19
M80: 1 G Newton (B’mth) 46:39
U20: 2 J De Souza (AFD) 29:16; 3 B Dakin (AFD) 29:41
TEAM (4 to score): 1 Belgrave 19; 2 Dulwich R 58; 3 AFD 71; 4 S London 96; 5 Guildford & G 102; 6 Cambridge H 147
TEAM (8 to score): 1 Blegrave 70; 2 G&G 285; 3 Dulwich R 349
Women: 1 M Smith (Herne H) 29:33; 2 G Bruinvels (AFD, W35) 31:31; 3 S Haileselsie (Belg, W35) 32:22; 4 A Aherne (Kent) 33:01; 5 E Bowden (Belg) 33:59; 6 B Goddard (Belg) 34:08; 7 M James (S Lon, W50) 34:10; 8 A Karlsson (Tun W) 34:30; 9 E Freeden (Kent) 34:40; 10 K Ellison (Herne H, W40) 34:44
READ MORE: Liverpool Cross Challenge coverage
W55: 1 T Holt (Strag) 41:22
W65: 1 P Iannella (S Lon) 42:03
W70: 1 M Statham-Berry (Ling) 43:23
TEAM (4 to score): 1 Belgrave 29; 2 Kent 36; 3 S London 63; 4 Stragglers 106; 5 Tunbridge Wells 124
