Shrewsbury Athletic Club runners felt the full force of Storm Brian when they competed in the second fixture in the North Wales Cross Country League at St David’s College, Llandudno on Saturday. Despite atrocious conditions, with reported 80 mph gusts, mud and driving rain, the Club achieved 1st place with a smaller squad, extending their lead at the top of Division 1 and making it two wins from the first two fixtures, led home by Matt Hall in 6^th place, James Hickinbottom 12^th, Scott Hall 16^th, Connor Middleton 18^th, new recruit Norbert Feeney making the scoring six in his first cross country race for the Club, in 22^th place and Kevin Francis 38^th. The Women's team, newly promoted from Division 2 to Division 1, finished 7^th, spearheaded by Sara Willhoit in 2^nd place, with Lauren Morley 7^th, Anne Byrne 113^th and Sheila Richards 115^th. The Male Masters’ team finished 3^rd and Pete Savill was 1^st Veteran Over 60.

Llandudno Results:

Men: 6^th Matt Hall 34/52, 12^th James Hickinbottom 35/57, 16^th Scott Hall 36/55, 18^th Connor Middleton 37/25, 22^nd Norbert Feeney 38/31, 38^th Kevin Francis 40/07, 70^th Pete Savill 42/55, 92^nd Haydn Jones 44/33, 101^st Chris Wakeman 45/37, 153^rd Derek Owen 55/46. Women: 2^nd Sara Willhoit 23/15, 7^th Lauren Morley 24/55, 113^th Anne Byrne 43/11, 115^th Sheila Richards 43/58.

Shrewsbury Athletic Club’s young cross country runners competed in the second fixture of the Shropshire Young Athletes’ Cross Country League at Bridgnorth. For the girls, Lucy Newall finished 2^nd in the Under 11 Girls race, Jess Gunner 2^nd in the Under 15 Girls race and for the boys, Adam Edwards finished 1^st in the Under 13 Boys race. Club teams placed 3^rd in the Under 11 Girls, Under 11 Boys and Under 13 Boys age categories.

The Shropshire Winter Fell Race Series commenced with the staging of the Breidden Hills Fell Race, with Club newcomer Andy Birch excelling in his first fell race for the Club, finishing 6^th and 2^nd Veteran Over 45 in 1/03/17, Steve Turk 17^th and 2^nd Veteran Over 50 in 1/09/02 and Gill Evans 49^th and 1^st Lady Veteran Over 55 in 1/21/40.

Elsewhere, another new Club arrival, Richard McKenna placed 360^th in his first race in Club colours in the Chester Marathon in a time of 3/17/07, Lauren Morley finished 47^th and 5^th Lady in the Bells of Pattingham 10K race in 44/53 and Michael Thomas placed 71^st in the Bangor Half Marathon in 1/49/01. Luke Butler led a squad of five home at the Manchester Half Marathon in 76^th place in 1/17/59, with Grant Lloyd 308^th in 1/28/30, Stewart Farley 380^th in 1/29/34 and Keith Austin 423^rd in a personal best time of 1/30/40. Most notable was Pete Savill’s performance, competing on his 65^th birthday and finishing 1^st Veteran Over 65 in 1/31/17. James Hickinbottom won the Stilton Stumble 10K race in Nottinghamshire in a personal best time of 33/46 and Pete Hughes finished 59^th in the Farndon 10K, part of the Cheshire Grand Prix Road Race Series in a personal best time of 40/41.

Photo. Not all the SAC runners were looking forward to racing in the Llandudno weather.