Jess Fox stole the show for Sunderland Harriers at the Northern Cross-Country Championships in Blackburn last Saturday, her sterling 12th place in the Junior Women's race sealing selection for the North-East team to compete in the Inter-Counties Championship in March. Jess was competitive throughout the hilly 5.5k test, and finished just over two minutes down on the convincing winner, Abbie Donnelly of Lincoln Wellington AC. Amy Coulson was the second Harrier home, in 43rd.
Similarly impressive amongst the Junior Men was Mark Smith, who rallied in the closing stages to finish 22nd in a race won by Preston's Patrick Drever, which should be enough to clinch his place in the North-East team for the Inter-Counties. Jack Tallantire placed 44th.
In all 32 Royal Blues braved all the sleet, hail, high winds and ankle-deep glutinous mud that Witton Park could throw at them, across 10 races, and every last one deserves huge credit for their efforts.
Twelve Senior Men completed the hilly four-lap 12km course, led home in a very competitive 59th place by Nathan Reed, ably backed up by Kev Jeffress (73rd), Steve McMahon (133rd), Ian Dixon (150th), Aiden Crowe (154th) and Matt Devlin (171st) for a team score of 740 points, good enough for 12th place, whilst Paul Merrison (236th), Paul Redman (508th), Shaun Bagley (514th), Karl Robinson (558th), Gary Fox (574th) and Dean Phillips (637th) all performed heroics in the challenging conditions. Charlie Hulson of Sale won the individual title, with Salford taking team honours.
Claire Duck from Leeds was the senior women's champion, and Nicola Woodward led home Sunderland's scoring quartette in 111th place, ahead of club captain Colleen Compson (147th), Sarah O'Mahoney (158th) and Emma North (185th), their total of 601 points placing 21st overall. Rachel Moore (231st), Susan Clughen (298th), Lucie Forster (318th) and Kim Fox (334th) also deserve huge credit for their efforts.
Conditions were tough from the outset but athletes in the younger age-groups battled the mud and hills with gusto. In the Under-17 men's race Sean Mackie finished 74th, whilst Sarah Knight and Eve Quinn placed 40th and 104th respectively in the Girls U-15 event. Connor Prior placed 33rd in the U-13 Boys race won impressively by Leeds City's Tommy Dawson, and in the U-13 Girls championship, Evie Compson (119th), Lydia Stoker (128th), Freya Doran (170th) and Ellie White (195th) closed in 20th place.
There will have been some tired athletes heading back to the north-east on Saturday night, and some overworked washing machines on Sunday morning, but everyone who competed should be proud of their efforts, and as a result will be stronger for the experience and raring to go in the next test over the country on the Town Moor in a couple of weeks!