A strong turnout of runners from Shrewsbury Athletic Club ensured a solid start to the Club’s North Wales Cross Country League campaign at Bangor, North Wales on Saturday 3rd October. Aiming to emulate or better the Mens’ team’s third place in last year’s Series, the side was lead home by last year’s Mens’ Series champion, Ben Ashcroft in 20th place, with Luke Butler 24th and Graham Jones 32nd. Next, the side was bolstered by the appearance of Tom Roo, following a successful Fell Race season in 36th place, Connor Middleton 37th in his debut cross country for the Club and Kevin Francis completing the team scorers in 45th place. The Club achieved 3rd place in the Mens’ and Masters’ teams, with club captain Graham Jones 1st Veteran Over 55 and Pete Savill 1st Veteran Over 60. Richard Jones placed 3rd in the Veteran Over 50 category.

Other finishers: 50th Richard Jones, 62nd Grant Lloyd, 69th Pete Savill, 70th Matt Hall, 73rd Haydn Jones, 119th Pete Butler, 125th Andy Lewis, 144th Derek Owen. In the Womens’ race, Sheila Richards was 103rd and Anne Byrne 104th.

The next race takes place at St David’s College Llandudno on Saturday 17th October.

Six runners competed in the Lake Vyrnwy Half Marathon, with Luke Butler first home for the Club in 25th place in 1.19.00, Carl Aveyard 30th in 1.19.43 in his debut appearance in a Shrewsbury AC vest, Grant Lloyd 70th in 1.25.22, Brett Edwards 116th in 1.29.00, Jon Ashcroft 124th in 1.29.22 and Pete Butler 305th in 1.40.29 and 5th Veteran Over 60.

Two Club teams travelled to Sutton Park, Birmingham to compete in the Midland Mens’ and Masters’ Relays, with the Mens’ team missing out on qualification for the National Relays by just one place. The team, which finished 33rd out of 85 teams, comprised Luke Butler 20.53, Scott Hall 21.16, Connor Middleton 21.25, Brett Edwards 20.14, Matt Guilder 21.56 and Carl Aveyard on anchor leg with  21.17. The Masters’ team, which finished 16th out of 24 teams comprised Graham Jones 22.01, Richard Jones 21.49, Haydn Jones 23.41, Pete Savill 24.03, Duncan Rose 26.03 and Steve Turk 22.53. It was the first time that had the club had fielded a team at the event since 2006.