Group Eleven IOM Cross Country League Round 1 – Sunday 03/11/24

Posted on By Anthony Brand

Entries have closed for the first of four rounds of the Group Eleven Isle of Man Cross Country League which takes place at Port-e-Chee Meadow near Braddan Bridge on the outskirts of Douglas on Sunday 3rd November. This round is organised by Manx Harriers, with race headquarters being at Douglas Rugby Club. The first race gets underway at 1pm.

The course is largely on agricultural grassland. The main field is fast but could be muddy alongside Peel Road. The sheep fields have not had stock in them recently so the grass may be quite long.

Race numbers should be collected on Friday 1st Nov between 5.30pm and 8.00pm from Manx Harriers clubhouse at the NSC. Please note entries will not be accepted at this time, this is purely for number collection. If you cannot make it to the number collection and will be running on Sunday, please get a friend to collect your number or contact the race organisers.

If you have not yet paid for your entry by bank transfer you must pay when collecting your race number on Friday 1st Nov. Payment can be made by cash, or by cheque payable to IOM Athletics. The entry system will reopen prior to each of the following three rounds of the series for those who do not enter this time.

The course will be open from 12 noon on the Sunday for inspection. There will be an information desk available in the Rugby clubhouse for any questions to be answered from 12 noon until 12.30pm. You must be at the start line 5 minutes before the start of your race to hear the course briefing. All races will go off on time or as close as possible after the advertised time. No race will start early.

Full details of all race distances from under-nines upwards are here and course map is here.  The minimum age for competitors is seven years on the day of the race.

There is a large parking area at Douglas Rugby Club which should accommodate everyone. An alternative is to park in the vicinity of the NSC and to walk up the road from Quarter Bridge. Spectators please keep off the course during the races. Douglas RUFC will be running a tuck shop in the afternoon so please do stay and make an afternoon of it. Watch the races with some exciting competition and enjoy the refreshments that will be on sale.

Thanks to Group Eleven for their continued and much valued support and sponsorship.

Timetable and approximate distances are as follows:

12 noon – Course open for inspection

1.00pm – Under 9 Boys, 900 metres (1 short lap)

1.05pm – Under 9 Girls, 900 metres (1 short lap)

1.10pm – Under 11 Boys, 1,800 metres (2 short laps)

1.20pm – Under 11 Girls, 1,800 metres (2 short laps)

1.35pm – Under 15 Boys, Under 17 Women, 3,900 metres (1 short lap, one large lap)

1.37pm – Under 13 Boys and Girls, Under 15 Girls, 3,000 metres (1 large lap)

2.10pm – Short Course, 3,000 metres (1 large lap)

2.20pm – Under 17 Men, Junior/ Senior/ Veteran Women, 6,000 metres (2 large laps)

2.20pm – Junior/ Senior/Veteran Men, 9,000 metres (3 large laps)

Law Trust Cross-Country League Round 4 & IOM Championships

Posted on By Anthony Brand

The local cross-country season reaches its climax on the afternoon of Sunday 14th January with the fourth and final round of the Law Trust sponsored Cross-Country League.

The event also doubles as the Isle of Man Cross-Country Championship for 2024, with medals at stake in all age groups (except the short course race which is non-championship but still part of the league). This year’s event is hosted by Manx Harriers and will be based at the Horses Home on Richmond Hill, just off the main Douglas to Castletown road. The venue has a big car park.

There is a team element to the championships event, with teams from clubs or schools competing for team medals in each category. Club members should wear club vests. All the medals for the Championships will be presented at the same time as the League awards – the date of the awards evening to be confirmed. Four are needed to form a team in each age group except U17 (three), U20 (three) and Senior Men (six).

The under-nine and U11 races use the small lap which includes a short hill, with the U9s completing one lap and the U11s two laps. The races for all ages from U13 upwards go onto the full course. The course has been slightly modified since it was first used last season, with a different start and finish point (away from the mud) and a longer lap which uses an extra field at the far end of the course. The big hill used last year has been split this time into two separate climbs with a short respite in between.

All runners should be sure to tie their shoes on very securely as the mud is very deep in places and will suck shoes off if they are not attached well to feet! Spectators are asked to keep the course clear during the races and listen to marshal’s instructions. Do not walk on the starting straight after 1pm.

The timetable is as follows:

12 noon to 1pm – Registration and course available for inspection.
1.00pm – U9 Boys and Girls, 1 Small Lap, 800 metres
1.10pm – U11 Boys, 2 Small Laps, 1,600 metres
1.20pm – U11 Girls, 2 Small Laps , 1,600 metres
1.30pm – U15 Boys & Girls, U17 Women, 1 Small Lap and 1 Long Lap, 4,050 metres
1.30pm – U20, Senior, Veteran Women, 1 Small Lap and 2 Long Laps, 7,300 metres
2.00pm – U13 Boys and Girls, 1 Large Lap, 3,250 metres
2.15pm – Short Course Men & Women, 1 Large Lap, 3,250 metres
2.15pm – U17 Men, 2 Large Laps, 6,500 metres
2.15pm – U20, Senior, Veteran Men, 3 Large Laps, 9,750 metres

Please ensure that you are at the start at least five minutes before your event.

If you have not yet competed in the series you will need to enter online by midnight on Thursday – the link is https://manxfellrunners.org/iomxc-entry-2023-2024. There are no entries on the day. If you have not already paid for this round you need to do so by bank transfer (details on the entry form), or by cash or by cheque payable to IOM Athletics Association at the venue between 12 noon and 1pm on Sunday.

If you have already entered and paid for the series and have your race number there is no need to attend the registration desk, just go to the start line five minutes before your race wearing your number to the front. If you have lost your number and need a replacement (for a small charge) there will be a separate desk at registration at the venue.

Here are the course Maps.

David Griffiths
4 January 2024

Law Trust IOM Cross Country League Round 1 – 01/10/23

Posted on By Anthony Brand

Entries have closed for the first of four rounds of the Law Trust Isle of Man Cross Country League which takes place at Port-e-Chee Meadow near Braddan Bridge on the outskirts of Douglas on Sunday afternoon. This round is organised by Manx Harriers, with race HQ being at Douglas Rugby Club. The first race gets underway at 1pm.

The course is largely on agricultural grassland. The main field is fast but could be muddy alongside Peel Road. The sheep fields have not had stock in them recently so the grass is longer than usual, and running will be a little tougher than in previous seasons.

Race numbers should be collected on Friday between 5.30 and 7.30pm from Manx Harriers clubhouse at the NSC. Please note entries will not be accepted at this time, this is purely for number collection. If you cannot make it to the number collection and will be running on Sunday, please get a friend to collect your number or contact the race organisers.

If you have not yet paid for your entry by bank transfer you must pay when collecting your race number on Friday. Payment can be made by cash, or by cheque payable to IOM Athletics. The entry system will reopen after the first race for entries for the second race in November at QE2 School in Peel as well as the rest of the series.

The course will be open from 12 noon for inspection. There will be an information desk available in the Rugby clubhouse for any questions to be answered from 12 noon until 12.30pm. You must be at the start line 5 minutes before the start of your race to hear the course briefing. All races will go off on time or as close as possible after the advertised time. No race will start early.

Full details of all race distances from under-nines upwards are here.  And here is the course map. The minimum age for competitors is seven years on the day of the race.

There is a large parking area at Douglas Rugby Club which should accommodate everyone. An alternative is to park in the vicinity of the NSC and to walk up the road from Quarter Bridge. Spectators please keep off the course during the races. Douglas RUFC will be running a tuck shop in the afternoon so please do stay and make an afternoon of it. Watch the races with some exciting competition and enjoy the refreshments that will be on sale.

Thanks to Law Trust for their continued and much valued support and sponsorship.

Timetable and approximate distances are as follows:

12 noon – Course open for inspection
1.00pm – Under 9 Boys, 900 metres (1 short lap)
1.05pm – Under 9 Girls, 900 metres (1 short lap)
1.10pm – Under 11 Boys, 1,800 metres (2 short laps)
1.20pm – Under 11 Girls, 1,800 metres (2 short laps)
1.35pm – Under 15 Boys, Under 17 Women, 3,900 metres (1 short lap, one large lap)
1.37pm – Under 13 Boys and Girls, Under 15 Girls, Short Course, 3,000 metres (1 large lap)
2.10pm – Under 17 Men, Junior/ Senior/ Veteran Women, 6,000 metres (2 large laps)
2.10pm – Junior/ Senior/Veteran Men, 9,000 metres (3 large laps)

2022/23 Law Trust IOM Cross-Country League Round 3 – Horses Home

Posted on By Anthony Brand

A brand new cross-country course was unveiled by organising club Manx Harriers on Sunday 4th December, and it proved to be a winner.

The Horses Home on Richmond Hill was a superb venue all-round, with excellent on-site facilities and a warm welcome from both staff and four-legged residents. The course itself was extremely testing, glutinous mud in places and one extremely steep hill offering a true challenge to all the competitors.

The worst conditions were in the finishing field which was a complete morass, and several of the competitors lost shoes both there and on other parts of the course.

The honour of being first to race on the course fell to the under-nines who completed one short lap of 800 metres which included a short sharp hill in the second half of the lap. Boys and girls raced together in this age group, and there was an exciting finish in the boys’ race where Elliott Barron just pipped Leighton Curphey to the line to take his first win. Charlotte Postlethwaite won the girls race after finishing fifth last time, a great performance!

The dominant athletes in the u11 races over two short laps were Seamus Hall and Eve Martin, who each completed a hat-trick of wins for the series. It’s a measure of the quality in this age group that Cam Eyres and Gabe Campbell were both within 20 seconds of the winner, and Poppy Clayton and Bella Quaye ran equally well in the girls race.

Next away were the u13 boys and girls and short course competitors, who completed one short lap followed by one lap of the full course. Starting alongside were the u17 men and women, and u20 women, who completed one short lap and two full laps.

These races were a true test of the strength and fitness of the competitors, with the leading school-age competitors hoping to impress the selectors of the Isle of Man Schools team to contest the English Schools Championships later in the winter.

Harry Stennett was another to complete three wins in a row as he dominated the u13 boys’ race with another excellent display of fast and controlled running. Max Hammal and Zac Woodward have both impressed this season and coped admirably with the toughest course they have raced on so far.

Amelie Geldart and Olivia Martin had a win each in the previous rounds, and this time it was KWC student Amelie who came out on top. She has a lot of potential. Faith Teare also had a cracking run for third place only six second adrift of Olivia. The field of 18 for the u13 girls’ race equalled the league record.

The u17 runners, and the sole u20 woman, had a real test of stamina as they faced two full laps which each included the infamous hill as well as many very sticky sections. The quality in the men’s field especially is arguably the best we have seen in this age group, and Sam Perry’s class told again as he took his third win. However both Charlie Teare and series newcomer Oscar Gaylor were well within range of him this time and should all do very well if they contest the Lancashire Championship in January.

Catherine Perry made it a double success for the family by winning the u20 women’s race ahead of u17 race winner Maddie McMullan, who was followed by one-shoe Lola Bass – one of many to suffer that fate.

The short course races were won by Ste Quayle and Joanne Schade, the latter having to work hard to catch and pass Hollie Quaye.

It was then time for the final race start, with the u15s racing two laps of 2,500 metres, the senior and veteran women three, and the U20, senior and veteran men four. It was quite a sight to see this mass of competitors tackling the already notorious hill on the opening lap.

Junior Ryan Corrin initially led, but it wasn’t long before supreme endurance athlete Orran Smith took over at the front where he was to remain. The initial focus was on the u15 races, and these were won by two very classy runners Harris White and Holly Salter, both of whom should go well if they contest the Lancashire event. Harris is a newcomer this season, while Holly has come up through the age groups.

Laura Dickinson and Hannah Moore were together at the head of the women’s race on lap one, but the latter forged ahead on the second circuit and took her third win with a typically strong run, being especially impressive on the hills. Amber Carridge continues to impress in third place, as did Holly Sumner who stepped up from the short course to take fourth.

Orran Smith, training hard for his epic Pennine Way challenge next month, was supreme throughout the men’s race, and was one of the few to run every step of the hill on every lap. Mark Burman had won the previous two races and ran very well again, but had to concede to Orran this time.

Chris Killey had to work hard to stay clear of Alex Bell to take third, and Oliver Chambers and Ryan Corrin somehow raised a sprint finish through the mud with Oliver just getting to the line first for fifth – Ryan was first junior ahead of Harry Kneen and Ayrton Withington who were both excellent.

Here are the full results.

  • Grateful thanks go to the officials from Manx Harriers, IOM Athletics and the many volunteer marshals.
  • Thanks also to the Horses Home for being such great hosts.
  • The fourth and final round (incorporating the IOM Championships) takes place at QE2 School in Peel on Sunday 15 January, with racing getting underway at 1pm.

David Griffiths

7 December 2022

2022/23 Law Trust IOM Cross-Country League Round One – Port-e-Chee

Posted on By Anthony Brand

The new Law Trust-sponsored cross-country season began on Sunday 16th October in perfect autumn conditions at Port-e-Chee Meadow in Douglas. This opening round was organised by Manx Harriers.

A total of 212 competitors, ranging in age from seven to 70-plus, made a fine sight as they took to the rugby fields and the adjacent farmland in good underfoot conditions.

We enjoyed a real glimpse into the future of Manx athletics with the performances of some of the athletes in the younger age groups. Under-17s Sam Perry and Gethin Owen, and u20 Ryan Corrin, led all the seniors for two laps of the main race of the day and clearly demonstrated what quality athletes they are.

The u17s raced over two full laps of the course, a distance of 6,000 metres, while Corrin tackled the full three-lap distance of 9,000 metres for the first time. They were all well clear of leading senior Mark Burman during his first two laps.

Experienced campaigner Burman took the lead on the third and final circuit, but Corrin rallied superbly to finish only three seconds down on the winner. He pulled away from a challenge from third-placed Nick Colburn in the final straight. Burman was delighted to win, acknowledging that he had to work very hard to first catch and then hold off his younger rival.

Chris Killey continued his fine year with an excellent fourth place just ahead of Nhlanhla Nzama, with Alex Bell in sixth. He was followed by the second junior Charlie Swales with one of his best runs to date.

The aforementioned Perry and Owen were the stars in the u17 race, the former winning by a margin of 18 seconds, and the race was packed with quality with all eight athletes running with real class. Corbyn Schade was impressive in taking third place ahead of the ever-consistent Charlie Teare, with Dom Dunwell and newcomer Oscar Gaylor also looking very strong.

There were new names in cross-country at the head of the two-lap women’s race which is always good to see. Hannah Moore is a quality all-round endurance athlete as she demonstrated with victory in her first cross-country race since her schooldays. She came through strongly on the second lap to win by the convincing margin of 52 seconds.

In second place was Amber Carridge, who looks to be a very good athlete to add to her other sporting talents. She overhauled Laura Dickinson near the end to take the runner-up spot. Veteran 55 athlete Gail Sheeley looked to be back in good form with fourth place ahead of race-walking specialists Erika Kelly and Mia Dunwell – the latter running in the junior (u20) category.

The u13 boys and girls, and u15 girls, ran alongside the older short course competitors, and this race showcased the talents of Harry Stennett. He beat all the senior athletes to lead his race home, holding off a strong late surge from short course winner Ste Quayle who saw for himself how good the young Northern AC runner is. Max Hammel was impressive with second place in the u13 boys’ race.

Holly Salter has been running consistently well for some years now and won the u15 girls’ contest with an excellent run, with Abi Clayton also going very well. The u13 girls’ race was won by another league newcomer Amelie Geldart who looks to have plenty of promise.

The women’s short course race was won by Becky Watterson who continued where she left off last season. This was her first serious race since the birth of her second child six months ago and was a great comeback.

One of the best runs of the day came from Cai Lewis who looked very good indeed in winning the u15 boys race by a big margin. Victory in the concurrently-run u17 women’s race went to Maddie McMullan who is always so consistent.

The two youngest age groups are the under-nines and u11s, and they had begun the afternoon’s entertainment. Seamus Hall and Eve Martin were the star turns in the elder age group race run over two laps of the main field, each winning by big margins. Several athletes were transitioning into this age group with its longer distance, and all did very well indeed.

The under-nine races over one lap were much closer, Leighton Curphey winning a very exciting boys’ race by just one second from Elliott Barron with Jack Teare third. This should be a great contest as the season goes on.

Maisy-Jo Faragher ran a great race to take the girls’ honours by seven seconds from Alice Quirk, who was just one second clear of Xenia Munoz-Fite.

The full results are here

  • Grateful thanks go to the team of officials who worked so hard to set up the infrastructure for the season, and to all those who assisted at the venue on both Saturday and Sunday.
  • Thanks also to Douglas Rugby Club for the use of their clubhouse and car park, and to the farmer for use of the fields.
  • Round 2 takes place at Crossags Farm in Ramsey on Sunday 6 November with racing getting underway at 1pm.

David Griffiths
18 October 2022