Cross-country round-up includes news from the Start Fitness NE Harrier League and Ron Hill University of Manchester Relays.

ESSEX LEAGUE, One Tree Hill, September 25

Jacob Hurrell, the England under-20 1500m bronze medallist, added to his Essex title from last January with a league win.

For the women, it was Grace Burrell came out on top in her first UK race since returning from college in the USA. However, before that the Chelmsford runner had a number of age group wins in this league up to 2019.

In the age group races, the boys and girls of each age ran together and Brentwood Beagles’ Madison Kindler was second fastest under-13.

Men: 1 J Hurrell (Chelm, U20) 25:40; 2 T Rhys-Jones (S’end) 25:54; 3 B Coates (Brain) 26:43; 4 S Boxhall (S’end) 26:47; 5 K O’Hara (Hav’g) 26:54; 6 R McGavock (B’fleet) 27:02

TEAM

Div 1: 1 Southend 93; 2 Colchester H 97; 3 Havering 147

Div 2: 1 Basildon205

Div 3: 1 Brentwood RC 571

M40: 1 Orion 148; 2 Havering 252; 3 Brentwood Beagles 294

U17: 1 O Eaton (WG&EL) 21:44; 2 S Horsley (Hav’g) 21:47; 3 H Stockhill (WG&EL) 22;14

TEAM (3 to score): 1 Havering 17; 2 Chelmsford 19; 3 Southend 38

U15: 1 J Gilbey (Chelm) 13:26; 2 C Calver (W Suff) 13:33; 3 C McGurk (Bas) 14:04

TEAM: 1 Basildon 33; 2 SS Athletics 53; 3 Chelmsford 66

U13: 1 M Sanford (Chelm) 11:33; 2 D Law (Chelm) 11:49; 3 R Stringer (C&T) 11:51

TEAM: 1 SS Athletics 34; 2 Chelmsford 39; 3 Colchester H 43

Women

1 G Burrell (Bas) 24:11; 2 C Brooks (E Ex Tri) 24:42; 3 M Barker (Hav’g) 24:56; 4 H Rex (Bas) 25:29; 5 M Williams (Chelm) 25:33; 6 S Williams (Grange F&D) 25:36

W45: 1 Z Oldfield (Lought) 26:15

TEAM

Div 1: 1 Chelmsford 49; 2 Havering 67; 3 Colchester H 101

Div 2: 1 Springfield 169

Div 3: 1 Basildon 51

W35: 1 Grange F &D 94; 2 Leigh-on-Sea 98; 3 Loughton 98

U17: 1 Z Morley (B’wood) 25:22; 2 O Friel (Hav’g) 26:29; 3 D Bakler-Kugler (Bas) 26:53

TEAM: 1 Havering 15; 2 Brentwood Beagles 19; 3 Basildon 33

U15: 1 H Woodley (B’wood) 14:21; 2 I Kehoe (Chelm) 15:09; 3 L Sanford (Chelm) 15:26

TEAM: 1 Chelmsford 15; 2 Brentwood Beagles 33; 3 SS Athletics 41

U13: 1 M Kindler (B’wood) 11:4r3; 2 L Esterhuysen (B’wood) 12:39; 3 R Reeve (Col H) 13:00

TEAM: 1 Brentwood Beagles 26; 2 SS Athletics53; 3 Basildon 100

START FITNESS NORTH EASTERN HARRIER LEAGUE, Lambton, October 25

Newcastle University’s Jamie Swindale was first home overall but, starting in a different pack, Duncan Hughes was over a minute quicker and second home overall, after making up much ground from his starting position.

Further back and starting even further down, former winner Adrian Bailes was even fastest on net time with a 34:50 return.

In the women’s race Megan Stenhouse was also the fastest overall by well over a minute but, deeper in the field, W45 Justina Heslop was not only first home in her age group but on net time was fourth quickest overall.

Overall: 1 J Swindale (Newc U) 36:57; 2 D Hughes (B’hill) 38:02; 3 L Gardner (Jesmond) 38:38

M40: 1 M Stott (Blyth) 39:24

M50: 1 S Potts (Sund) 40:47

M55: 1 K McPhearson (Tyne Br) 43:13

M60: 1 P Clough (Elvet) 44:24

M65 (Alt Start): 1 P Tominey (Durh) 35:36

Fastest (net time): 1 A Bailes (Birt) 34:50; 2 Hughes 35:26; 3 L McDonough (Alnw, U20) 35:34

M40: Stott 39:24

M50: Potts 40:47

M55: McPhearson 43:13

M60: Clough 44:24

M65 (Alt Start): Tominey 33:10

U17: 1 N Williamson (NE Proj) 19:37; A Cook (Gate) 19:49

Fastest: Cook 17:13

U15: 1 T McCann (Wallsend) 13:05

U13: 1 L Thompson (Morp) 14:54

Fastest: J Hopper (J&H) 13:30

Women: 1 M Stenhouse (Durh U) 28:08; 2 C McDonald (Morp) 29:52; 3 L Potts (Newc U, U20) 30:48

W40: 1 S Hawdon (S Shields) 33:17

W45: 1 J Heslop (Elsw) 32:55

W50: 1 L Short (T’dale) 34:55

W55: 1 K Anderson (T’dale) 34:44

W60: 1 J Turner (Birt) 34:15

Fastest: Stenhouse 25:42; 2 A Pigford (Hought) 27:23; 3 McDonald 27:25

W45: Heslop 27:39

W50: Short 29:39

W55: Anderson 32:18

W60: J Murdy (S Shields) 30:45

U17: 1 E Collingwood Gate) 22:05

Fastest: M Roche (Morp) 21:59

U15: 1 A Blight (Elsw) 14:43

Fastest: O Murphy (Birt) 13:47

U13: 1 I Cosstick (T’dale) 16:13

Fastest: M Carr (Prudhoe) 14:45

NORTH LONDON CHAMPIONSHIPS, Parliament Hill, October 25

Men: 1 B Kelly (Lon H) 25:55

TEAM: 1 London Heathside 56; 2 Serpentine 80; 3 Highgate 175

Women: 1 K Kasterton (Sertp) 30:25

TEAM: 1 VP&TH 25; 2 Serpentine 34; 3 VP&TH B 58

SURREY MASTERS CHAMPIONSHIPS, Nonsuch Park, Ewell, October 25

Former Surrey senior champion Phil Wicks headed all of the younger runners to take the M40 county title but the team race in his age group was a little low on numbers, unlike the older age groups where entries were significantly greater.

Chris Blackburn retained his M50 title, heading all of the younger M45s on the way, whilst Terry Booth led his Guildford & Godal ming club to the M55 team title from the front.

Over a shorter distance, David Ogden dominated the M65 race to help his South London club to an easy team win.

The women’s race saw Emily Wicks, another former Surrey senior champion, make it a family double by again heading all of the younger W35 entries to win the W40 title.

It was a similar story in the W45 team race where W50s Mary James and Nikki Sturzaker headed their younger W45 sisters.

M35: 1 P Wicks (Belg, M40) 29:57; 2 A Ramsier (S Lon) 31:17; 3 J Ludlow (Wok) 31:35

M40: 2 J Craner (Vets) 32:21; 3 R Joines (E&E) 33:34

M35 TEAM: 1 S London 6

M45: 1 C Blackburn (Holl Sp, M50) 32:05; 2 B Harrold (S Lon) 32:10; 3 D Lipscombe (E&E) 32;39

M50: 2 B Paviour (Herne H) 32:35; 3 S Winder (E&E) 32:43

M45 TEAM: 1 Epsom & E 16; 2 Holland Sp 31; 3 Guildford &G 42

M55: 1 T Booth (G&G) 33:33; 2 D Gillett (S Lon) 35:33; 3 D Williams (G&G, M60) 34:28

M60: 2 M Tennyson (G&G) 34:38; 3 S Corfield (SoC) 36:35

M55 TEAM: 1 Guildford & G 6; 2 Dorking & MV 12; 3 S London 40

M65: 1 D Ogden (S Lon) 24:46; 2 M Fletcher (Strag) 26:17; 3 G Quarton (S Lon) 27:16

M70: 1 M Crocker (Wimb W) 30:17; 2 R Turner (THH) 30:20; 3 M Banfi (Wimb W) 30:36

TEAM: 1 S London 8; 2 Stragglers 13; 3 Wimbledon Windmilers 34

M75: 1 J Quaintance (S Lon) 33:21

M80: 1 P Giles (HW) 31;37

Women W35: 1 E Wicks (AFD, W40) 22:43; 2 C Davies (Herne H) 23:32; 3 S Overington S Lon) 23:53

W40: 2 E Stringer (26.2RRC) 24:50; 3 D Madhi (DMV) 26:27

TEAM: 1 Wimbledon Windmilers 6

Women W45: 1 M James (S Lon, W50) 23:57; 2 N Sturzaker (Herne H, W50) 24:24; 3 J Vickers (S Lon) 25:15

W50: 3 N Cahusak (G&G) 25:53

TEAM: 1 S London 9; 2 G&G 15; 3 E&E 21

Women W55: 1 N Richmond (Dulw R) 26:07; 2 V Filsell (THH) 26:29; 3 A Smith (S Lon) 27:12

W60: 1 L Woolhouse (Vets) 27:39; 2 R Hutton (S Lon) 28:30; 3 S Harrison (G&G) 28:56

TEAM: 1 S London 11; 2 Dulw R 11; 3 Stragglers 25

Women W65: 1 P Iannella (S Lon) 30:26; 2 P McHutchon (STrag) 30:31; 3 M Davies (Strag) 31;24

W75: 1 J Davies (E&E) 34:10

THE RON HILL MANCHESTER RELAYS, Wythenshawe Park, October 25

After 19 years away The Manchester University Relays returned to Wythenshawe Park and 219 teams finished in total over the three races, Chris Paul reports.

Most of the fastest men’s laps were recorded on the first 3km leg and there, four or five teams were still locked together as the first race returned towards the changeover point.

At the line, Arlo Ludewick, who had been flirting with the lead, prevailed by bursting through from third to first in the last 30 metres. Trafford’s Finn Prophet edged Archie Patterson on a dip for the line with the University of Leeds’ Harry Hewitt just a second back in fourth.

After the fireworks on leg one it was a case of consistent steady legs from Leeds Beckett, University of Leeds and University of Sheffield, with Beckett's Abdimalid Darwood coasting to a comfortable win over Leeds who had lost contact on leg five.

Sam Greenstein made a valiant effort to close down Sheffield's wafer thin five seconds advantage over Birmingham at the start of the last leg and did get up into third place, but Kay Davies rallied and took the place back on the line for a Yorkshire one-two-three.

In the women's race, University of Birmingham dominated the early stages with the first three teams back and two in the top three for most of the distance. Manchester Metropolitan would have figured strongly in the race too but allocated their strongest runners Lucy Armitage and Ty Brockley-Langford to the mixed race because of its significance as the Varsity circles.

University of Manchester President Beth Ansell was the fastest final leg by some margin, moving the University of Manchester Past runners (into third place).

The mixed race saw team managers perming their three male and three female legs as they wished, the detailed placing only becomes clear in the closing stages. This year was no exception with Cam Davies of York less than 10 seconds off overhauling University of Birmingham for the win.

Men (6 x 3000m): 1 Leeds Beckett 55:14, course record  (H Yelling 9:06, J Blevins 9:06, J Salt 9:10, A Burgess 9:15, J Ali 9:24, A Darwood 9:13); 2 University of Leeds 55:45 (H Hewitt 8:50, W McAlinden 9:21, P Clisham 9:17, H Maxwell, 9:18, J Sampson-Wallace 9:42, A Dunn 9:17); 3 University of Sheffield 56:02 (G O'Connor 9:05, J Hayman 9:33, A Engster 9:27, I Battye, 9:11, J Wood-Doyle 9:23, K Davies 9:23); 4 University of Birmingham 56:04 (D Fisher 9:05, W Nuttall 9:04, S Hopkins, 9:25, J Vaughan, 9:46, A Parkinson. 9:27, S Greenstein 9:17); 5 University of Birmingham B 57.33 (J Geddes 9:12, F Whitelock 9:33, I Rothwell 10:21, W Strictly 9:14, N Bennett 9:33, R Lennoire 9:40); 6 Lagan Valley AC 57:39

Fastest: A Ludewick (Man U) 8:47; A Pattinson (Birm U)/F Proffit (Traff) 8:48; H Hewitt (Leeds U) 8:50; S Hopkins (Birm U) 8:56; N Kavanagh (Laggan V) 8:57

Women (3 x 3000m)

1 University of Birmingham 31:55, course record (E Powell 10:32, H Kinane 10:29, W Baker 10:54) 2 University of Nottingham 32:42 (A Wallace 10:46, F Kimber 10:36, E Jones 11:20); 3 University of Manchester Past 32:58 (K Fitzpatrick 11:14, M Savill 11:11, B Ansell 10:33); 4 University of Birmingham B 33:05 (A Clough 10:29; S Clough 10:42, E Yelling 11:54); 5 University of Durham 33:16 (G Kuhn 10:36 K Sutcliffe 11:41, L Chance 10:53)

Fastest: L Armitage (Man Met) 10:24; Clough/Kinane 10:29; T Brockley-Langford (Man Met) 10:31; Powell 10:32; Ansell 10:33

Mixed (6 x 3000m)

1 University of Birmingham 63:10, course record (S Greenstein 9:35, L Saxon 10:53; S Myers 9:37, A Nicholas 11:51, K Johnson 11:23, S Clarke 9:51); 2 University of York 63:19 (W Walker 9:19; N McLaughlin 11:04, J Bemand 12:03, L Haynes 10:28, J Dover 11:03, C Bryson 9:22) 3 Lancaster University 63:28 (J McKenny 9:19, C Almond, 9:45, M Wood 11:51, A Bloomfield 10:58, C Daley 9:36, J Millburn 11:59); 4 Manchester Metropolitan University 63:33; 5 University of Manchester 64:43