NATIONAL CROSS COUNTRY - 23rd Feb

Eleven athletes from Barnsley AC participated in the National Cross Country Championships last weekend, held at Alton Towers, Staffordshire, on Saturday 23rd February. With no other Barnsley clubs entering the event, Barnsley AC had had to enter teams in the Yorkshire and Northern Cross Country Championships in order to qualify for entrance to the national event. The undulating course featured one particularly steep climb but was made easier by the good conditions underfoot after the recent mild weather. On the day, the actual course was shorter than those of previous years, and in the ladies' race, of 495 runners, Liz Yelling of Bedford & County AC won the approximate 6k course in 23:44. The Barnsley AC's ladies' results were: Lesley Noon in 203rd in 31:17; Linda Westlake in 303rd in 33:56; Marion Harrison in 403rd in 37:14 and Anne Bennett in 456th in 40:29. The ladies also finished as the 51st of 61 teams.

Of 1244 runners in the men's race, Tom Humphries of Cannock & Stafford AC won the (shorter than advertised) 12k event in 32:03. First home for Barnsley AC was Shaun Pickersgill in 818th in 46:28; then Mark Hurrell in 830th in 46:40; Mick Casey in 839th in 46:57; Andy Waters in 868th in 47:19; Dan Cooper in 900th in 47:50; Dave Bennett in 952nd in 48:49; Mark Crofts in 999th in 49:50 and Trevor Bailey in 1026 in 50:23. The turnout of the men's group enabled them to finish as 89th team of a total of 100.