Athletics

The first cross country match in the North Yorkshire League and South Durham League took place on a very muddy and tough course at Barnard Castle with pouting rain and gale force winds.

New Marske Harriers were soon cheering when their only runner in the Under-13 girls, Penny Wilson, finished second. In the Under-13 boys their only runner Graeme McPherson finished fourteenth. The under 15 girls grabbed third team place with Matilda Dunne eighth, Rebecca Livingston 18th, Laura McPherson 23rd, Laura Gibbon 24th and Claire Adams 25th.

The senior women's race included Under-17s, Under-20s, senior and veteran women. Johanna Jackson was seventh overall. (first Under-17). Helen Humphrey 15th (third O-35) Katy Livingston 28th (sixth Under-17); Joanne Hutton 43rd (tenth Under-17); Abi Silcock 46th (seventh Under-20); Isabel Conaghan 63rd. The team finished third.

The senior men's race was last and New Marske Harriers had great expectations. Shaun O'Grady led the team home in fourth place, closely followed by Alan Stimpson in fifth, after an absence of two and a half years. Stuart Dickinson was tenth with Tony Livingston 12th (and second Over-40). Paul Welham was 29th, Andy Sugden 56th, Steven Helm 76th, Geoff O'Grady 108th, Mark 109th, Ian Povey 120th, John Kettle 146th, Andy McLeod 151st, Bernard Foulkes 154th, John Conaghan 158th (first Over-60), Terry Jackson 167th.

The next fixture is at Engish Marty's School, Hartlepool, on November 12.

Shildon Running and AC

A fine turn-out of senior runners continued at the Great North Run, some running their first GNR established fine performances. Leigh Towers, under doctor's orders to have a steady run, finished in 1:15.45. Paul Best gave a fine performance in for 135th position in 1:16.25. Ian Davey also having his first run with a 351st position in 1:22.05. Leading club veteran Bob Davison ran his fastest GNR in 408th position in 1:23.11. First lady back for the club was Myra Meniman in 11,647 position in a time of 2-00-56.

Other Shildon results: 116 L Towers 1:15.45; 135 P Best 1:16.25; 351 IO Davey 1:22.05; 408 B Davison 1:23.11;1130 m Ketley 1:23.11; 1226 J P Hupin 1:28.30;1440 C Griffith 1:30.47; 2449 S Ellwood 1:37.16;1497 S Scott 1:37.30;4540 D Best 1:44.45; 4732 R Halton 1:44.45; 4825 K Chester 1:45.14; 9076 M Horan 1:53.30; 9869 J Gray 1:56.12; 11647 M McMeniman 2:00.56; 15853 J Hewitson 2:09.49; D Borrowdale 2:09.59; 18059 P Lawson 2:24.36; 29686 C Pickering 2:19.39; 23724 J Best 2:22.24; 23727 N Carney 2:22.24; 25735 T Pickering 2:31.20; 30017 B Chester 2:44.18.

At the first fixture of the North Harrier League at Wallsend, Bob Davison finished in 50th position in a time of 35-35, Chris Griffith was only other Shildon runner in 106th position in a time of 27-15.

The following day at the first fixture of the North Yorkshire and South Durham Cross Country League held at Barnard Castle competitors had to endure gale force winds and torrential rain throughout the day, most of the club's senior runners deciding to stay at home with the club having to a dismal turnout, one of which was a non-counter.

Results: U-13 Boys: 2 A Thompson 11-38; 3 M Hewitson 11-38.

U-13 Girls: 14 L Dodsworth 14-04.

U-15 Boys: 8 M Lomax 12-28; 15 A Gibson 13-58; 20 M Costello 16-10.

U-15 Girls: 11 N Owens 14-34; 17 G Reid 15-00; 20 D Robinson 15-20; 29 K Turnbull 16-11.

Inter/Senior Women: 11 K Shaw 20-10; 36 R Howard 22-10; 52 J Robinson 24-15.

Youths: 10 S Brown 22-19; 17 A Ingram 24-32.

Junior/Senior Men: 33 J McCready 30-12; 41 W Tarn 30-46; 131 S Preston 36-39; 142 D Preston 37-32; 146 I Hewitson 37-49.

The club had resumed training again after the summer break at the Sunnydale Leisure Centre and Athletics Track. Anyone from eight-years upwards can join the club which holds training sessions on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday evenings.

The club competes in indoor sprint competition and cross country competition over the winter months as well as road race competitions.

The Friday evening training is for senior. Anyone who is interested and requires more details should contact the club secretary Mr N Stockley on (01388) 776083.

Elvet Striders

At the first Durham Pine Harrier League of the season, in muddy conditions at Wallsend, Striders' ladies were placed second team, narrowly ahead of long-time rivals Houghton and Peterlee by three points.

F Shenton 9th-26.06 R Layton 26.52, J Young 27.38, R Adams 28.19, S Davis 30.06.

Club placings in the men's three-lap race:

M Bennett 35.19, P Loftus 37.20, C White 39.01, D Shipman 40.27,A Young (fast pack) 36.05, M Hall 42.57, A Purvis 44.27, J Shipman 46.52, A Seheult 47.36.

The Great North Run proved as popular as ever with the club. Phil Layton was first home in 1.21.

He was followed by Ian Donnachie 1.22, M Bennett,1.28, C White,1.31, B Evans,1.33, V Kerr,1.54, J Smith,2.00.16, M Elliott,2.00.25, P Kirkup,2.01, J Bradley,2.02, J Hall,2.03, M Thompson,2.03, S Pearson,2.15, M Blackett,2.16, S Corbett,2.39.

Jean Bradley ran the Snowdownia Marathon in 4.47, after a last minute decision to compete. Barrie Evans was the club's sole representative in the Cumbrian half marathon finishing in 1.34.06.

Triathlon specialist Ann Robinson now has her sights set on the Ironman Triathlon, after placing first in her age group in the London Triathlon while European Vets Triathlon champion Mike Hall, placed fourth in his age group in the World Duathlon in Calais.

North-East Harrier League

Results: Senior Men (6m): 1 A Toward (Morpeth, slow pack +5 mins) 28 mins 37 secs; 2 P Groark (Sunderland, sp) 31.51; 3 R Walker (North Shields Poly, sp) 32.00; 4 C O'Connell (Morp, medium pack +2 1/2 mins) 32.21; 5 T McPhail (Wallsend, sp) 32.32; 7 B Rushworth (Sund, fast pack scr) 32.40; 8 R Kay (Morp, mp) 32.41; 9 M Donkin (Sund, sp) 32.42; 10 C Paton (Gosforth, sp) 33.04.

Fastest times: 1 B Rushworth 27.40; 2 T Field (Sund) 29.03; 3 G Lancaster (Sund) 29.33.

Teams - Div 1: 1 Sunderland 68; 2 Morpeth 105; 3 Wallsend 137. Div 2: 1 Gosforth 109; 2 Alnwick 125; 3 Low Fell 149. Div 3: 1 Claremont 78; 2 Blyth 100; 3 Aurora 225.

Under-17 Men (3.5m): 1 A Graham (Gos, sp + 2.40) 20.13; 2 A Dougal (Tynedale, sp) 20.26; 3 C Lamb (Chester-le-Street, sp) 20.26; 4 P Rowntree (Blackhill, sp) 20.51; 5 P Hutton (Gos, sp) 20.52.

Fastest: J Graham (Gos) 19.45. Teams: 1 Gosforth 15; 2 North Shields Poly 21; 3 Quakers 52.

Under-15 Boys (1.5m): 1 L Timmins (Gos, sp +1.20) 10.13; 2 L Kelton (Quakers, sp) 10.32; 3 C Carnegie (Gos, sp) 10.38; 4 D Ritchie (Sund, 10.53); 5 C Breckon (Gateshead, sp) 10.54.

Fastest: B Hannant (Blackhill) 10.01

Teams: 1 Gosforth 11; 2 Sunderland 31; 3 Gateshead 41.

Under-13 Boys (1.5m): 1 M Douglas (Gosforth, sp +1.20) 11.08; 2 L Dixon (Elswick, sp) 11.14; 3 M McBurnie (NSP, sp) 12.13; 4 B Slade (NSP, sp) 12.13; 5 T Batchelor (Tynedale, sp) 12.14.

Fastest: S Brewis (Houghton and Peterlee) 11.03.

Teams: 1 Gosforth 21; 2 North Shields Poly 21; 3 Elswick 27.

Senior Women (3m): 1 Morag McDonnell (Saltwell) 21.55; 2 J Mitchell (Jarrow and Hebburn) 22.22; 3 S Allen (Houghton and Peterlee) 22.53; 4 S Milburn (Elswick) 24.49; 5 J Nutt (Els) 25.14; 6 K Davison (Els) 25.37.

Teams: 1 Elswick 15; 2 Elvet 37; 3 Houghton and Peterlee 40.

Under-17/20 Women (2.5m): 1 L Wallace (Tynedale U17) 17.11; 2 N Batey (Blay U17) 17.41; 3 H Pearson (Tyne U17) 17.47; 4 K Pearson (Tyne U17) 17.57; 5 D Leigh (Sund U17) 18.14; 6 L Brown (Blay U20) 18.54; 11 L Burnie (Gates U20) 20.43.

Teams: 1 Tynedale 8; 2 Sunderland 24.

Under-15 Girls (1.5m): 1 J Orr (Quakers) 11.15; 2 J Page (Durham City) 11.43; 3 M Ward (Tynedale) 11.48; 4 R Simpson (Blackhill) 11.56; 5 H Morley (Blaydon) 11.58.

Teams: 1 Elswick 24; 2 Blaydon 32; 3 Blackhill 44.

Under-13 Girls (1m): 1 E Nesbitt (Morp) 7.43; 2 L Rawlings (Blaydon) 88.15; 3 K Lovell (Unatt) 8.21; 4 J Gilmore (NSP) 8.28; 5 V Beck (Els) 8.30.

Teams: 1 Blaydon 24; 2 Gosforth 29; 3 Sunderland 53.

North Yorkshire and South Durham Harrier League

Results: Senior Men (5.1m): 1 M Scaife (Chester-le-Street, guest) 26.45; 2 S Hepples (Loftus) 27.05; 3 A Shepherd (Army, guest) 27.11; 4 P Bentley (Middlesbrough and Cleveland) 27.16; 5 R Cole (Mandale) 28.09; 6 R Leitch (Army, guest) 28.17; 7 S O'Grady (New Marske) 28.18; 8 A Stimpson (New Marske) 28.22; 9 I Cook (Hartlepool Burn Road V40) 28.29; 10 M Raw (Mand) 28.35.

Under-17 men (3.6m): 1 C Coates (Man) 20.11; 2 Nick Williams (Mand) 20.33; 3 S Wardman (Richmond and Zetland) 20.48; 4 A Tate (Mand) 20.50; 5 Nathan Williams (Mand) 20.53.

Under-15 Boys (2m): 1 R Hughes (Mand) 11.16; 2 A Holliday (Border, guest) 11.24; 3 J Rafferty (Mand) 11.32; 4 N Zissler (R&Z) 11.44; 5 P Aconley (Scarborough) 12.03.

Under-13 Boys (1.8m): 1 P Fitzpatrick (R&Z) 11.25; 2 A Thompson (Shildon) 11.38; 3 M Hewitson (Shildon) 11.39; 4 T Gill (R&Z) 11.50; 5 D Furness (M&C) 11.53.

Senior Women (2.9m): 1 R Brown (Darlington) 18.17; 2 B Taylor (Darl) 18.49; 3 C Hare (Loftus) 18.59; 4 K Matthew (M&C) 19.04; 5 K Summersgill (M&C) 19.21; 6 A Raw (Darl V35) 19.23.

Under-15 Girls (2m): 1 S Hart (M&C) 13.30; 2 A Kirby (M&C) 13.35; 3 S Bates (M&C) 13.44; 4 N Allen (M&C) 13.49; 5 A Bains (R&Z) 13.57.

Under-13 Girls (1.8m): 1 Z Verrill (Mand) 11.59; 2 P Wilson (New Marske) 12.08; 3 N Lampard (Nestle Rowntree) 12.31; 4 J Gibson (Teesdale) 12.32; 5 G Zissler (R&Z) 12.57.

Crook and District

The first cross-country of the Harrier League season was held at Wallsend in dreadful conditions and with a depleted turn-out last place in Division One was inevitable for the club.

Those who gave their all were Peter Shuttleworth (32.50) , John Dennis (32.53), Martin Harbisher (35.52), Dennis Brown (36.34), Ray Partridge (36.39), Colin Everson (37.50), Allen Purdham (43.27) and John Butler (45.05). In the U-15 Boys race Robin Everson ran from the fast pack to finish 34th in (11.31).

The worst weather of the year did not cancel the Karrimorr International Mountain Marathon held over two days and involved approximately 36 miles of orienteering and overnight camping in the SW Lakeland fells.

Mike Mallen and Stuart Ferguson were a team and came back very bruised and battered in a total time of 14 hrs. 45 mins which gave them 65th in class and 200th overall out of 2000 teams.