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3 February 2025

Trafford athletes qualify for the Greater Manchester Schools XC Team



After the hard ground and relatively flat and fast running at the Northern x-country the week before this Saturdays Greater Manchester Schools x-country was held on the muddy hills of Heaton Park.  Weather conditions were good, just a little cold, but it was the hills and thick mud in places that saw many athletes walking in places.

Trafford athletes were out in force running for the Boroughs. In the Minor (school year 7) races there was a big turn out with Thomas Fotheringham close to the leaders in 21st place.  In the Junior, Inter and Senior races the first eight past the post in each race qualify to compete for Greater Manchester in the English Schools Final later in March.

 

In the Junior races (school years 8 and 9) May Gibbons Hughes was 25th in the girl’s race. In the boy’s race Ralphie Rome set off in the lead group.  At halfway the leader had pulled clear but in the closing stages Ralphie moved clear for the silver medal.  Another Trafford athlete making big improvements this winter is Arlo Mander Tullius who sprinted home to finish 6th.  Thomas Daly has run well on the hills having won the Minor Boys race last year but falling at the start he had to work his way through a 64 strong field and only moved into a top 8 position on the final hill.  Not far behind came Ethan O’Brien (14th), Ned Farncombe (15th), Oscar Bundy (17th), Joe Thomas (39th), Logan Grocott (47th) and Daniel White (56th).

 

In the Inter races (school years 10 and 11) Rachel Bowden showed her strength moving through the field on the hills to finish 5th.  Also looking strong in the closing stages was Sarah Smith (11th) and not far behind was Beth Stanley in 23rd.  In the boy’s race Trafford athletes were packing the top places from the early stages.  It was Salford’s Evan Grime who pushed the pace, but Pio Aron (2nd) and Adrian White (3rd) were always chasing close behind.  In the next group Evan Lewis was using his Fell running background to keep the pressure on and it was only in the finishing stages that Tio Austin (4th) got past him.  Evan held on to 5th to qualify for the Greater Manchester team for the first time with Fin Dobson Emmas (6th) closing fast.  Youngster Ben Gardner (9th) had a great race, just missing out on a very strong top eight and close behind Tim Ye (11th) followed by Rowan Leeming (35th).

 

News from the Cheshire County Schools races is that a further two Trafford athletes qualified in the Inter Boys race with Ben Keeley (2nd) and Archie Greenwood (4th).

 

In the Senior race (school years 12 and 13), twins Sara and Ava Clough have struggled with injuries this winter and Sara’s knee injury meant she had to retire halfway around.  Ava came through late on to claim the bronze medal.  There were good runs backing Ava up from Isobel Thomas (11th), Martha McCormack (14th) and Rafaella Ingleby Castleton (16th).  It wasn’t until the last race of the day that Trafford got their only win of the day with Jay Hutchinson moving away from the Senior Boys field in the last lap for a 22 second win ahead of Finlay Goddard (Sale).  The same two finished 1st and 2nd in the year 7 race 5 years ago and Jay must have a liking for this hilly course having finished 2nd in the previous 2 years.  Josh Watson (4th), another fell runner in the Trafford team qualified for the Greater Manchester team for the first time in his last year at school.  Alfie Bundy was closing the top 8 throughout the race just missing out in 9th and continuing his return to form Luke Carrington was close behind in 12th.  There was a good turnout of Trafford runners in this final race with James Walton (13th), Dan Partington (17th) and Ceri Basi (18th).  Josh’s run brought it to 12 Trafford runners qualifying for the Greater Manchester County Teams.

 

Click here for full results: https://www.traffordac.co.uk/pdfs/GMSXCC_2025_Results.pdf



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