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Under 15s again among the medals 26 January
Liverpool Pembroke Sefton were at the notoriously hilly Roundhay Park,
Leeds for the Northern Cross
 Country
Championships. The Under 15 trophy, won convincingly twelve months ago,
was returned and a new squad prepared to defend the title. As usual the
competition was fierce and although performing strongly Toby
Loveridge(20), Mike Bride(49), Chris Hatton(54) and Ed Rimmer(61) saw
they were out of contention and gathered for the trek home. An
announcement that they had indeed finished third team sent them
scurrying back to the presentation stand for the bronze medals, an award
which will boost their confidence ahead of the National Championships
later in February. As usual there was a good supporting crew of Sean
Kirkbride(64), John Meakin(84) and Adam Goldfarb(159).
The Under 13 team has edged forward this season and again they packed
solidly led in by Kyle Nicholls(36) followed by George Curran(49),
Warren Turner(61) and Andrew Hutchinson(91) with David Reece(127) and
Jonathan Bride(183) also in attendance. A seventh team placing was their
reward. The Under 17s were frustratingly short of a counter as David
Forrester(38), Chris Hesketh(72) and Paul Roberts(95) ran solidly and
the club could only field a single competitor, Clark Roberts(83), in the
Under 20 race. LPS also fell short in the Senior event but can take
heart that Bernie Murphy(79), Adam Clansey(94), Sammy Rashid(109) and
Jon Dudley(217) all finished in the top third of the field.
Courtney Birch tackled the Senior Women`s event, over the same course
where she had won a National title
as a youngster. Still some way off her best she will deem 19th
satisfactory. Kirsty Longley`s 58th looks less impressive on paper than
the actual achievement. She has her own goals and is steadily ticking
off the list of local rivals she has overtaken in the last 12 months.
This is now down to single figures. Elsewhere in the U15 girls Jane
Hyslop(115) and Nicole Garner(164) ran well and there was a courageous
performance from Erin Devlin(215) in the U13s.
Results
Another Northern Bronze
While the cross country runners were battling it out in Leeds not far
away in Sheffield the Northern Indoor Championships were being held
where under 17 Callum Burns was tackling the two lap 400m. After winning
his heat in 53.87 he took the initiative in the final grabbing the lead
and was only fractionally overtaken by two other athletes in a blanket
finish to record 53.39. His courage and tactical awareness indicate he
is yet another powerful addition to the super-400m club based at Edge
Hill University.
Northern Under 17s Indoor Results
Report Charles Gains
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Ashall confident and assured at Sheffield 20
January
 The
400m is a tough sustained sprint outdoors but indoors, on a banked track
with runners breaking on the second lap, is even more demanding. The
Liverpool Pembroke Sefton squad has demonstrably mastered this technique
over the years and none better currently than 17 year old Wayne Ashall.
Having collected last year a Under 18 European Gold relay medal he was
full of confidence for the opening rounds of the indoor season including
the Northern Under 20 Championships at Sheffield. Running with maturity
he broke first after the initial lap and held off his opponents with
assurance recording an impressive 49.13 to collect the gold medal.
Already voted the West Lancashire Sports Personality of the Year he
continues to improve. The strength of LPS was demonstrated by two other
athletes making the final, Danny Higham 5th in 50.94 and Jack McGinn 6th
in 52.31.
 Wayne was not alone on the rostrum. Senior colleague Phil Taylor,
another European Indoor Relay gold medalist from last year was up
against one of Britain`s best 400m prospects Richard Buck(York) but
closed in to take the silver medal in 48.49. He later added a bronze in
the 200m with a time of 22.02. Having already posted a 21.8 his
expectation might have been a little higher but he`ll be content with
two medals at his first serious outing. Harry Doran was another finalist
clocking 23.30 in the U20 200m to finish 5th as was Alex Stokes, another
5th in the Senior 60m with 7.14.
Results
Report Charles Gains Photo John Taylor
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Loveridge back on course 12 January
 After
a disappointing result from the recent Merseyside Cross Country
Championships when Under 15 Toby Loveridge could only manage 3rd place
after running off course while in the lead, he was determined to make no
such mistake in a Mid-Lancashire Cross Country League match at Lancaster
University. He positively revelled in the muddy conditions, immediately
stamping his authority on his rivals and soaring away from the field.
The only late challenge came from Liverpool Pembroke Sefton team mate,
Mike Bride, recovering from injury and working his way determinedly
through the field. Both look excellent prospects for the forthcoming
Northern Championships. LPS cemented its reputation in this age group as
Ed Rimmer(8), Chris Hatton(10), Sean Kirkbride(23) and Adam Goldfarb(26)
closed in for a comfortable team win.
The club is again `building from the back' with Under 11s Nathan
Browne(4) and Aaron Quinn(16) plus Under 13s Kyle Nicholls(6), Andrew
Hutchinson(11), Warren Turner(13), George Curran(19), Ben Haines(31) and
Jonathan Bride(39). The under 13s also took their respective race. The
Under 17s were not at full strength although Chris Hesketh(5), Sean
Dignam(15) and Tom Hanlon secured 5th team spot. In the senior race the club`s two Edge Hill University runners Jon Dudley(45) and Clark
Roberts(80) both ran soundly.
Kirsty Longley's bubbling confidence received yet another boost as
having collected a bronze medal in her county championships the week
previous she finished a remarkable 4th in the Senior Race. Barely 12
months ago she could hardly make the first 20 in this event, now she
looks increasingly like a class act. Rebecca Harrington(53) was her sole
team mate on this occasion. Elsewhere the LPS girls were also in action
with Under 11s Charlotte Haines(19) and Lauren Donaldson(35), Under 13s
Scarlett Collins(28 and Erin Devlin(50) and a trio of Under 15s, Jade
Hislop(190, Eve Fellows(26) and Nicole Garner(27).
Report Charles Gains
Results
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Courtney storms to County title 5th January
Three times winner of national cross country titles at 13 and 15 years
of age Ormskirk's Courtney Birch demonstrated her talent over difficult
courses had not deserted her as she stormed to the Lancashire County
Senior Women's championship title at Blackburn. Currently a
post-graduate research student in physical chemistry at Oxford
University she has set her sights this season on the Northern and
National events and her performance will have been noted by her rivals
elsewhere.
 Other
local Liverpool Pembroke Sefton athletes to tackle the Witton Park mud
were Under 13s, Eleanor Mitchell(8) and Scarlet Collins(15) and Under 15
Nicole Garner(24). The Under 15 Boys have a great record in their event
but this year Chris Hatton(6), Sean Kirkbride(17), Adam Goldfarb(27),
Stephen Biggs(28) and Jack Hobson(33), had to settle for fourth team.
Hatton's run was exceptional as were other equally good performances
from Under 11 Nathan Browne(8), Under 17 Paul Roberts(7) and Under 13
Kyle Nicholls(5). In the latter event Kyle had support from David
Reece(20) and Adam Dible(22).
It was hard to choose the best LPS performance in the Merseyside
Championships at a well organised and demanding course at St Helen's
Sherdley Park. It could have been Kirsty Longley`s strong run in the
Senior Women's race to collect the bronze medal which she delightedly
spent the rest of the
afternoon proudly wearing round her neck, Bernie Murphy's experienced
7th spot in the Senior Men's event also collecting the first Over 40
award or perhaps to Toby Loveridge who ran off course while leading in
the Under 15 race but courageously got back in to finish third. Bernie
was supported by senior colleagues Adam Clansey(13), Graham Cairns(21st
and second Over 50), Greg Callaghan(31) and John Dobie(75th and third
Over 60). Toby's team mates were Ed Rimmer(10) and Joe Meakin(19) and
but for the absence of injured but spectating Mike Bride would surely
have been among the team medals. Also incomplete were the Under 17 team
of David Forrester(5), Chris Hesketh(8) and Sean Dignam(19).
Additionally Danny Gordon ran a sound 8th in the Junior race and
Charlotte Haines(27) and Elizabeth Cooper(30) flew the flag for the club
at Under 13.
The club has had better years at the county championships but it still
looks like at least 8 members will receive call-ups for the prestigious
inter-county championships in March.
Report Charles Gains
Results
Merseyside
Lancashire
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