Here are the results from Round 4 of the Law Trust IOM Cross Country League incorporating the IOM XC Championships
Report to Follow.
2022/23 Law Trust IOM Cross-Country League Round 4 & Champs – QEII
Law Trust Cross-Country League Round 4 & IOM Championships
The local cross-country season reaches its climax on the afternoon of Sunday 15th 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 2023, 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 Western AC and will be based at QE2 School in Peel.
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.
The under-nine and U11 races use the school field only. The races for all ages from U13 upwards also use the school field, but then take the runners onto adjacent farmland which is undulating with some short sharp ups and downs. Unlike in recent years, each full lap takes the runners back round the school field, so the lap is longer.
Strictly no dogs are allowed on any part of the course. Spectators are asked to keep the course clear during the races.
The timetable is as follows:
12 noon to 1pm – Registration
1.00pm – U9 boys – 1 small lap – 800 metres
1.05pm – U9 girls – 1 small lap – 800 metres
1.10pm – U11 boys – 2 small laps – 1,660 metres
1.20pm – U11 girls – 2 small laps – 1,660 metres
1.30pm – U13 boys & girls & Short Course – 1 small lap, 1 large lap – 2,960 metres
1.30pm – U17 men & women – 1 small lap, 2 large laps – 5,160 metres
1.40pm – U15 boys & girls – 2 large laps – 4,300 metres
1.40pm – U20/senior/veteran women – 3 large laps – 6,500 metres
2.10pm – U20/senior/veteran men – 1 small lap, 4 large laps – 9,560 metres
If you have not yet competed in the series you will need to enter online by midnight on Friday – the link is https://manxfellrunners.org/iomxc-entry-2022-2023. 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 school 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 is the course map and route information.
David Griffiths
9 January 2023
Law Trust Cross Country League – Round 2 – Results & Report
Leaden skies and strong winds greeted competitors and officials for the second round of the Law Trust Cross-Country League held at QE2 School in Peel on the afternoon of Sunday 1 November 2020. Such is the current enthusiasm for running events of all types, however, that no fewer than 288 competitors toed the start line for the Western AC organised event – with the threatened rain arriving halfway through proceedings giving the runners and on-course officials a soaking.
The meeting opened with the under-nine competitors racing one lap of the school field, and Seamus Hall impressed again with a fine win in the boys’ race ahead of Taylor Kneen and Gabriel Campbell. In the girls’ race it was ‘as you were’ from the first round, the first five finishing in the same places. Eve Martin was the winner from Poppy Clayton and Tara Nelson.
The U11s completed two laps of the school field, and Harry Stennett reversed the result from Port-e-Chee by getting the better of Liam Blake this time. This is set to be a battle royal all season between two excellent young athletes. Timothy Perry was again third. Abi Sinclair was clear in the girls’ race to take her second win, with Ella Quirk and Hope Lewis finishing second and third.
There were several big improvers among the young athletes. Among them, Maisie Lunt was up from 27th to 17th in the U9 girls’ race, and Faith Teare improved from 13th to fourth in the U11 girls.
The U13 girls and boys, along with the Short Course competitors, were the first to venture onto the full lap with its undulating agricultural fields. Charlie Arculus made it two wins in a row in the boys’ race with a seven-second advantage over Oliver Condon. Two seconds back came Alec Sorby in third. The 20-strong field for this race was the largest for the U13 boys in the history of the event.
The girls’ race was the closest of the day, with Abi Clayton – in her first race of the season – taking the win by just one second from Holly Salter with Penny Webster in third.
The short course races were won by Geoff Rice and Dawn Atherton – the latter winning for the second time this season.
The squally rain swept in as the next race started, featuring the U20, senior and veteran women racing over four laps, and the U17 women and U15 boys and girls circulating three times.
The U15 races were of a high quality, Macy Hillier keeping pace with senior women’s winner Elissa Morris for a couple of laps on her way to victory. Madison McMullan is a very consistent competitor and took second place ahead of Lottie Stennett who also ran very well.
Northern AC dominated the boys’ race with the first six finishers. Samuel Perry worked hard to fend off a determined challenge from Lucas Stennett, with Cian Howard in third. There was drama in this race though, with Western AC’s Corbyn Schade well clear of the rest before misjudging the laps and coming in a lap early. It was a bitter pill to swallow, but he is a hard-working and rapidly improving athlete who will have plenty of good days ahead.
Mia Dunwell won the U17 women’s race by 49 seconds from Catherine Perry, both running strong and determined races.
The Women’s race was dominated by Island Games distance runner Elissa Morris. Initially running in company with U15 Macy Hillier, she stretched away to win by a minute and 14 seconds with a smooth run over a testing course, especially in such unpleasant conditions.
Ashleigh Lachenicht underlined that she is far from just a short-distance runner with an excellent second place, and Rachael Hamilton continued her fine recent comeback to competition with third ahead of the rapidly improving Becky Watterson. The ever-consistent Laura Dickinson was fifth.
There was a familiar look to the six-lap Men’s race which completed the action. Alan Corlett, U20 Ieuan Owen and Will Draper repeated their results from Port-e-Chee, and were even colour-coordinated – each wearing all-black kits! Corlett led all the way and the win was never in doubt, but Western AC youngster Owen kept him in sight all the way and finished only 27 seconds behind. Challenging strongly throughout, Draper finished a further seven seconds in arrears.
QE2 School student Corrin Leeming had a cracking run to finish fourth, and it was good to see two U20 athletes in the top four. Fifth was Orran Smith, whose powers of recovery continue to amaze just a week after breaking the long-standing record for the Bob Baxter Round. Mark Burman was sixth.
Here are the results.
- Sincere thanks are extended to all the officials from both Western AC and IOM Athletics who braved unpleasant conditions to put on another superb event. Thanks also go to QE2 School and the landowner.
- Round 3 takes place at Crossags Farm in Ramsey on Sunday 6 December with racing getting underway at 1pm.
- Video footage of the action is on the manxathletics.com Facebook page.
David Griffiths
3 November 2020
Law Trust Cross Country League – Round 2 – Timetable and Courses
The second round of the Law Trust sponsored Isle of Man Cross Country League is hosted by Western AC and will be held at QE2 School in Peel on Sunday 1st November 2020.
The courses for all ages from U13 upwards take the runners onto the adjacent farmland. Strictly no dogs are allowed on any part of the course. Spectators are asked to keep the course clear during the races.
The timetable is as follows:
11.30pm to 1pm – Registration in school building
1.00pm – U9 boys – 1 small lap – 850 metres
1.05pm – U9 girls – 1 small lap – 850 metres
1.10pm – U11 boys – 2 small laps – 1750 metres
1.20pm – U11 girls – 2 small laps – 1750 metres
1.30pm – U13 boys & girls & short course – 1 small lap, 1 large lap – 2800 metres
1.40pm – U15 boys & girls, U17 women – 3 large laps – 4580 metres
U20, senior, veteran women – 4 large laps – 5920 metres
1.55pm – U17 men – 5 large laps – 7260 metres
U20, senior, veteran men – 6 large laps – 8600 metres
If you have already 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 race number. If you have lost your number and need a replacement these will be available at registration – there is a £2 charge for replacement numbers.
If you did not register prior to Round 1, you need to complete a registration form and pay at the desk on Sunday. Forms can be downloaded here and will also be available at registration.
Isle of Man Cross Country League 2019/20 – Round 4 – Isle of Man Championships
The local cross country season reaches its climax on the afternoon of Sunday 19th 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 Championships for 2020, with the winners of each age group adding their names to the list of many of the greats of Manx athletics over the years.
This year’s event is hosted by Western AC and will be held at QE2 High School in Peel. The courses for all ages from U13 upwards take the runners onto the adjacent farmland. The timetable is as follows:
The timetable is as follows:
| 12.45pm to 2pm | Registration |
| 2.00pm | U9 boys – 1 small red lap – 850 metres |
| 2.05pm | U9 girls – 1 small red lap – 850 metres |
| 2.10pm | U11 boys – 2 small red laps – 1750 metres |
| 2.20pm | U11 girls – 2 small red laps – 1750 metres |
| 2.30pm |
U13 boys & girls & short course – 1 and a half small red laps then 1 large yellow lap – 2800 metres The short course race is not part of the Championships but is a round of the league as usual. |
| 2.40pm |
U15 boys & girls, U17 women – 3 yellow laps – 4580 metres U20, senior, veteran women – 4 yellow laps – 5920 metres |
| 2.55pm |
U17 men – 5 yellow laps – 7260 metres U20, senior, veteran men – 6 yellow laps – 8600 metres |
Here is the Timetable.
Here is a map of the course.
Strictly no dogs are allowed on any part of the course. Spectators are asked to keep the course clear during the races.
If you have already 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. Otherwise payment should be made at the desk where entry forms will be available – forms can also be downloaded from the website linked below. If you have lost your number and need a replacement there will be a separate desk at registration.
Ollie Lockley and Rachael Franklin were the senior champions in 2019, and the latter will certainly be the favourite to add another women’s title to her collection. Ollie will not be competing on Sunday which will leave Alan Corlett as the most likely contender for the senior men’s title.
We hope to see as many of you as possible.
David Griffiths
13 January 2020