On Saturday it was sunny conditions to start the winter x-country season at Heaton Park.  The traditional hilly course had a long road section in it this year making it a tricky decision whether to wear trainers or spikes.

The U11 race was a tough hilly 2.8km race.  Betsy Widdop was first Trafford runner back looking strong on the tough course she came through to finish 16th out of the big field.  Oliver McKiernan (37th) and Harry Armer (47th) ran well in the U11 boy’s race.

The U13 race over a slightly longer 1 lap course saw Thomas Daly unusually setting off with the leaders on the fast downhill start.  He held this position during the race to finish 4th overall out of the 57 boys who finished.  Ethan O'Brien chased Thomas all the way finishing in 10th only 18 seconds behind Thomas.  Trafford's 'A' team finished a close 4th overall only 3 points off 2nd team and it was an impressive debut by Ned Farncombe (20th) completing the 'A' Team.  Close behind Ned, Trafford’s 'B' Team of Paddy Widdop (23rd), Daniel White (29th) and Thomas Fotheringham (32nd) finished 8th team overall.  Joe Bowden (37th) and Sammy Cowles (39th) were only a few seconds behind.

In the U15 race, which jumped up to a 2 lap 5.6km course, it was a close battle in the boy’s race between 2 of the top runners in the UK.  Jake Ireland (Macclesfield) coming off the back of winning the English Fell championships and Adrian White (Trafford) the England 3km track champion pulled away by over a minute from the rest of the field with Jake just edging ahead of Adrian in the last half a mile.  With great starts to the x-country season Ralphie Rome (18th), Joe Cowles (25th) and Arlo Mander Tullius (26th) meant that the Trafford team again finished a close 4th place in the team race.  In the girls race Sarah Smith made a great debut to club running, looking very strong as she moved through to finish 15th, with Ianthe Jones (43rd) and Zoe Placzkiewicz (44th) the team finished 10th.

In the U17 race Trafford athletes were always up at the front, with Pio Aron breaking away with Liam Johnson (St.Helens Sutton) and Finlay Goddard (Sale) breaking away.  On the second lap Liam moved away with Pio in second and with a strong finish Fin Dobson Emmas and Theo Austin moved through to get 3rd and 4th giving Trafford an easy team victory.  With Tim Ye (11th), Jay Hutchinson (13th) and Evan Lewis (16th) Trafford 'B' team finished 2nd team overall.  Trafford's 'C' team of Evan Horwell (19th), Archie Greenwood (27th) and Tom Harris (30th) also finished 8th team and they were backed up by Finnan Docherty (42nd) and Isaac True (43rd).  Trafford's U17 Women’s team also had a good start to the season finishing in 3rd place.  Rachel Bowden once again lead the team in 8th place, Isobel Thomas was 13th and packing behind was Rowan Goodrich (24th), Ursula Bailey (25th) and Sophie Bowman (28th).

Star of the Senior race was Finley Proffitt who ran away from the Senior Men's field to win by 25 seconds.  With good runs from youngsters Harry Sinclair (16th), Joe Deighton (36th) and Dan Partington (89th) backed up by Tom Rogers (58th) and Jeff Prest (104th) the team finished 5th out of the 50 teams. With a good run from 17 year old Toby Robinson the U20 Men's team were 1st in this opening league match. New member Chris Wilson was 158th and Life member Dick Byers who first competed for Trafford 40 years ago in the Manchester league at Heaton Park showed he is on the road back to fitness finishing 184th and 5th V60. The women's team also finished 5th overall with new members Beth Reid (15th) and Lauren Robinson (27th) having strong runs.  Close behind were Zoe Storr (29th), Kate Meeson (31st) and Amy Cauley (35th) and with Ruth Beresford (65th), Mel Monks (94th) and Jo Lott (120th) the 'B' team finished 2nd 'B' team and the vets team were 2nd overall.  Well done to Fay Lewis (223rd), Sue Exon (229th) and Lucy Hickey (254th).

Click here for Full Results: https://www.race-results.co.uk/results/2024/maccl241.pdf