Sponsored by
Scarboro' runners set league pace in Whitby
There were some superb performances by Scarborough AC runners in the North Yorkshire and South Durham League fixture at Whitby, following on from a very successful Yorkshire Championships the previous week.
For the club's leading runers the races provided a warm-up race before the Northern Athletics Cross-country Championships.
Sixteen of the club's mostly young runners made the short journey to Whitby's Caedmon School on a bright but very cold day for the fifth round of the seven-race league series.
The course, which incorporated a section of the old Scarborough-Whitby railway line, had thawed out and was almost free of the usual mud, so providing a fast racing surface.
Almost all the club members who competed in the Whitby fixture were rewarded with some significant league points towards overall standings.
The first race was the under-13 boys race, with Bobby Scarborough ploughing a lone furrow for his club once again. He just failed to score a hat-trick of wins when finishing runner-up, but remains on course to become league champion for the first time.
In the corresponding girls race Scarborough was represented by just two runners, both of who achieved their best results in the league, with Emily Jesson improving to third and Lucy Schofield finishing fifth.
In the under-15 boys race, reigning Yorkshire champion Josh Schofield was looking to achieve a second league victory, but as a result of poor marshalling he went off course.
When alerted to this by his vociferous supporters, he had to rejoin the race back in third place. Despite a very impressive surge in the final stages, he had to settle for third but is still likely to join Bobby Scarborough as league champion for the first time.
Next to finish in an equal best fourth place was Jack Robertson who continues to improve and is in contention for a top three placing if he completes the final two races.
There was a very good debut by Jack Jordan who was competing with some top-class under-15s and his fifth place must augur well for future cross-country races.
Adam Sample had a solid race when finishing in 12th to seal a win for the team.
Scarborough's under-15 girls were led home by Becky Mills who continues to score some good points. She finished fourth to equal her season's best and, along with Emma Harper who was fifth, can still finish in the top three if they have some good results in the final two races.
Eleanor Richards ran well when finishing 16th, just ahead of Emma Graves who backed up in 17th to complete the winning team.
Scarborough AC's reigning under-17 Yorkshire cross-country champion Danny Schofield achieved the first of two wins for his club with an very impressive performance in which he scored a fourth victoty in the league.
With the best five results from seven races, Danny has moved up to second place with one less counting races than the league leader, and is therefore long odds-on to take the under-17 title in his first year in the division.
In the senior women’s race, Helena Schofield achieved the other Scarborough AC win with an impressive under-20 victory.
She was competing in the senior women’s race in which she was also an impressive third overall and ahead of some seasoned runners in what is only her second season over the country.
After four wins and a runners-up placing, Helena has already won the league title.
She was followed by the improving Jayne Graves who had her best race in the series, and her third place in the over-45 division also resulted in her moving up to third overall.
Rachel Gyte, who was 10th under-17, ensured that the team achiveved points for a sixth-place finish.
In the senior men’s race, Mick Thompson was once again the only senior male runer for the club. Despite an injury sustained at the Yorkshire Championships, he held on to finish seventh over-60 to complete his ninth race of the season.
Email to a friend
Print this page
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Scarborough
Saturday 26 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 10 C to 18 C
Wind Speed: 16 mph
Wind direction: North east
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 9 C to 16 C
Wind Speed: 15 mph
Wind direction: North east
