Announcements

OCTOBER 14 saw the start of the cross country season all around the UK and 10 St Helens Sutton A.C. athletes took to the hills of Heaton Park, Manchester for the first of the Manchester Area Cross Country League.

For three of the younger Sutton athletes, it was their first experience of the mud and ruggedness of cross country, the but the trio of Jessica Bairstow, Rhys Hopkins and Michael Duffy all competed excellently.

In the under 13 boys, Rhys was first home for the club, finishing in 13:27, in 22nd place, shortly followed by Michael Dobson who completed the 3.28km course in 13:46 in 30th. Also in this race were the under 13 girls, Hollie Brussels ran 15:29 to finish in 37th place and Jessica Bairstow finished in 20:34 in 82nd place.

Charlie Roberts off the back of a great track season over 800m stepped up in distance to take on the hills, leading the Sutton under 15 boys team home, he finished in 19:57 in 16th position. Michael Brussels ran 21:42 and finished in 34th, whilst Michael Duffy finished the 4.97km race in 26:12 in 41st.

In the seniors, coming back from an injury that caused her to miss most of the summer track and early road season, the ever-impressive Gemma Connolly finished 3rd against a tough field of senior ladies over a gruelling 8.49km course in 34:51.

While representing the senior men in the 9.84km race, Ian Roberts finished 249th in a time of 47:36 with Ian White a couple minutes behind in 296th place and 49:45.

Over in Lisbon, Sutton’s Ultrarunner Collette Flaherty, returning from injury herself took on the Lisbon marathon and the 30-degree heat on Sunday.