New Year Results
The first weekend of the new year is the date for many county cross country championships up and down the country and many of the results are now in. Meanwhile, the fastest parkrunners of the year were recorded in Southsea and Cardiff whilst others were racing at some of the traditional races held across the UK at the turn of the new year.
In the county cross country championships, Andy Heyes (handicap -5.5) and Bronwen Owen (handicap -0.2) sealed the senior men’s and women’s Yorkshire titles respectively, whilst Lily Partridge (handicap -0.9) and Dane Blomquist (handicap -5.5) took the honours in Surrey. Meanwhile, Former European cross country champion Gemma Steel (handicap 0.8) won the senior women’s race at the Leicestershire and Rutland championships.
More results from the county cross country championships can be found in the results link here.
Alex Teuten (handicap -5.4), was the fastest male parkrunner with a 14:42 performance at the Southsea parkrun and Jenny Nesbitt (handicap -1.4), became the third fastest female UK parkrunner ever with 15:54 at the Cardiff parkrun.
On Sunday, at the BMC Sheffield Grand Prix, Piers Copeland (handicap -5.1) kicked off 2020 with victory in the men’s 1500m A race in 3:43.78, holding off European Cross Country Championship gold medallist James McMurray (handicap -5.4), who clocked 3:44.33 for second place. Steeplechaser Jamaine Coleman (handicap -1.0), took a comfortable victory in the men’s 3000m A race, winning by almost eight seconds from Ricky Harvie (handicap -5.0) in 8:04.93.
On the boards (or indoors), the Scottish 3000m championships took place on Friday 3rd evening, with James McMurray (handicap -5.5) winning gold in 8:00.38 ahead of Stephen Mackay, 8:13.19 (handicap -4.2) and James Donald, 8:14.88 (handicap -4.1). The women’s race was won by Dorottya Csuta (handicap 9.4) in 9:42.96. Holly Little (handicap 2.5) was second in 9:47.93.
The Cleethorpes 10k has been a long-standing New Year's Day race and, this year, Lucian Allison (handicap -3.6) went under the 30 minute mark to win in 29:40 to win the race.
On New Year’s Eve, the Nos Galan 5k race, takes place around Mountain Ash Town Centre in South Wales. Kristian Jones (handicap -6.0) was back again and with a 14:15 clocking top spot was his this year. James Hunt, 14:37 (handicap -5.2) and Ciaran Lewis (14:41 handicap -4.8) completed the podium. Issy Morris ran an impressive16:43, followed very closely by Anna Bracegirdle (handicap 1.4) in 16:48. Lucy Marland (handicap 0.9) ran 17:02 for third.
At the Lough 5, in County Tyrone, the ever-improving U20 athlete, Matthew Neill (handicap -2.9) won in 25:00.5 and put himself 4th on the all-time list for the race. Eoin Mullan (handicap -3.1) finished 2nd in 25:03.7 and goes 5th on the all-time whilst Eoin Hughes (handicap -3.2) ran 26:05.5 to for 3rd and 9th all-time. Hannah Oldroyd (handicap 0.7) was fastest female with a winning time of 29:58. In second was Natalie Hall (handicap 3.1) in 30:46.3. Cassie Lagan (handicap 5.5) finished third in 31:14.1
Other results from the weekend are on the following links: