Northern Cross Country Championships 2018 News

 

This was a great venue to the north of leeds with slightly different  laps for the senior men to the women and only over 2 laps. This meant apart from the finish area it wasnt too muddy. It was a testing course starting and finishing uphill. We journey down mid morning with a stop at Wetherby in plenty of time to erect the tent and look at the course. Conditions were dry but with a cold breeze. The clubs women did well with Cheryl Parkin, Clare Magrath, Cheryl Stanley and Vicki Halse completing the team. The men followed with stephen Magrath leading the team home over the two laps along with Danny Wade, Neil Kavanagh, Richard Conder, Gavin Thompson, Phil Halse, Neil Morris and Ian Marriott. Leaving the car park it was a short ride to the Wetherby Whaler for a short stop and refreshments before heading back to Low Fell for 7pm.

 

A great day out with a smattering of north east clubs but is this the last time many north east clubs will compete in this event? Under new requirements northern athletics want to charge registered clubs with them an additional £2 per england athletics registered member. They have a lot of sympathy re their funding reduction by EA from clubs but not a lot of members would benefit from registering with them. April 2018 could be a fatal blow to northern athletics but to be discussed by clubs committees.