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A good day at Roundhay 27 February
The National Cross Country Championships were held in Leeds over the
tough and muddy Roundhay Park circuit. From a Liverpool Pembroke Sefton
perspective one of the best individual performances came from Rhea Ellis
in the Under 20 Women who was never too far off the main group and
finished a gallant 22nd with team mate Toria Swift on 70th. Alistair
Nelson(25) was again highly placed and barely a minute off the winner in
the U15 race but such was the quality around him he could only finish
25th leading a team of James Grundy(103), George Curran(143) and David
Reece(284) to 17th team slot. Rob Parkinson(322) was in support. Kirsty
Longley was the club's only Senior Woman but a tremendous effort carried
her to 78th, her finest position ever in this highly competitive
championship.
Not unexpectedly the best team result of the day came from the U17 men
with Toby Loveridge(44), a particularly outstanding effort from Mike
Bride(74), Sean Kirkbride(127) and Michael Wilson(173) who were 8th
overall but first local and third Northern club. There was a scattering
of determined U13s Katie Walker(285) and Charlotte Haines(294) and Ben
Haines(300) and Jonathan Bride(345) in their respective races. But
perhaps the most heart warming moments came in the Senior Men's race as
the club resurrected itself from some mean years turning out 8
stalwarts. Led by the still class act Bernie Murphy(269) the remaining
squad poured in like a steam train, Greg Callaghan(490), Sammy
Rashid(516), Mark Salter(542), Chris Pedder(573) and Clark Roberts(624)
with Jeff Mason(668) eager to get in on the act and Keith Lester(1169)
ready to sweep up. In the great scheme of things 42nd team in the
National will not raise eyebrows but the more discerning will note that
the club finished third locally and is poised to step up a gear or two
in the next season or so.
Results
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Hannah Roberts, Mark Salter, Clark
Roberts, Sammy Rashid, Kirsty Longley, Keith Lester, Greg Callaghan,
Chris Pedder |
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| Alister Nelson |
Ravid Reece |
George Curran |
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| Mike Wilson |
Mike Bride |
Rob Parkinson |
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| Sean Kirkbride |
Toby Loveridge |
Under 15 Boys with John McCarten |
Report Charles Gains
Photos Steve Nelson & Keith Lester
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Fab four storm Parbold Hill 13 February
The 40th anniversary of the classic Parbold Hill Race provided an
unexpected bonus for Liverpool Pembroke Sefton. The team of vets ran the
race in perfect harmony. Greg Callaghan(11) had at his heels Graham
Cairns(14), Mark Salter(16) and Chris Pedder(17). This close packing out
manoeuvred other more fancied clubs and LPS took the team title for the
first time ever. To cap their day Mark O40, Greg O45 and Graham O50 took
vet awards home as well. In addition Robbie Wood(84) and Keith
Lester(218) were available to confirm the club's mini resurgence.
Results
Not to be outdone the Senior Women replicated their male colleagues at
the Mid-Lancs Cross Country League match in Hyndburn. Rhea Ellis(3),
Kirsty Longley(5) and Toria Swift(21) edged home ahead of their
opponents and demonstrated again the advance of senior distance running
in LPS. But the club's fine weekend was far from over. At Under 17 Toby
Loveridge(1) led home Jai Vernon-McGuigan(3) and Mike Bride(10) to a
comfortable team win and confirmation that they have retained the league
title won equally convincingly the previous season. The Under 15 group
also had an excellent victory. James Grundy(5), Warren Turner(6), Robert
Parkinson(17) and Dave Reece(21) stole the show from their opponents
with George Curran (25) also available. The league title race will here
go to the wire at Barrow for the final encounter.
Under 11 Jack Crook has had a season long feud with some useful
Blackpool lads and once more he split them in second spot a mere couple
of seconds away from victory. Brothers Paul(21) and Colin
Bousique-Green(34) also piled in to raise expectation for next season.
The Under 13s will welcome their influx as only Ben Haines(22) and
Jonathan Bride(25) and Dillan Bousique-Green (27) completed. Three girls
also made the trip and performed well, U11 Charlotte Mawdsley(26) and at
U13 Charlotte Haines(19) and Katie Walker(22).
Results
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 Colin
Bousique-Green |
 Paul
Bousique-Green |
Report Charles Gains
Photos John Crook |
Liverpool & District Championships 7
February
The Liverpool and District Cross Senior Country Championships were held
as usual at Clarke Gardens and attracted a slightly larger than normal
field. There have been signs this season of a mild recovery in Liverpool
Pembroke and Sefton's fortunes and this was again in evidence. Fifth
team overall did not tell the entire story as eleven LPS men faced the
starter. The club's old stagers led the charge with Bernie Murphy(17)
first home, followed by Graham Cairns(26) and Sammy Rashid(31). Clark
Roberts(33) and Chris Pedder(34) came next in tandem and Mark Salter(43)
closed down. Jeff Mason(55) was not that far adrift and there was a
further bonus of Tom Hanlon(59), Robbie Wood(87), Keith Lester(111) and
Kevin Carroll(112). The season has seen a bigger turn out in league
matches than for several years and there is a feeling growing that the
club can re-establish itself once more in the top echelon locally within
a season or two.
Results
Merseyside Schools Championships 6 February
There does seem to be a decline though in school numbers. At the
Merseyside Championships in Arrowe Park the fields were thin. In the
Junior Boys James Grundy was 5th, Jordan Esmaellie 16, Ben Haines 43 and
Jonathan Bride 44th both the Inters and Seniors
provided a trio of LPS members. Warren Turner(4), Michael Wilson(6) and
George Curran(7) for the former and Toby Loveridge(2), Michael Bride(7)
and Ed Rimmer(10) for the latter. In the Junior Girls Charlotte Haines
was 11th this was excellent she is bottom age group , Georgina Hannaway
27 Alicia Burke 29 and Beth Deary at 36th. Things looked better numerically at
the parallel Lancashire Championships in Blackburn. Seniors Toria
Swift(8) and Paul Roberts(29) were in action while there was a
sprinkling of Inters in the shape of Alistair Nelson(8), Sean
Kirkbride(14), Kyle Nicholls(21), David Reece(53) and for the girls
Katie Walker(18) and Eva Staunton-Turner(49). The Junior Boys had Samuel
Staunton-Turner(29) and Nathan Browne(44) while Sarah Wroblewski was our
only Junior Girl in 28th spot. Overall some decent performances but the
club has had more successful times in these county championships.
Report Charles Gains |
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