National Events

During the season we take part in two county/national standard events, the National Cross Country Championships is an events that the XC crew look to attend, during recent years it has taken place up north. We also look to take part in the Merseyside XC Championships. We have in the past taken part in the northern road racing championships in previous years. Finally, the club receives a place in the London Marathon that is via a ballot, this is open to members who have been with the club for at least 2 full seasons. Take a look at the reports from last year.

National XC Championships

The XC crew was ready to roll for usual February slot where Weston Park in Telford would host the national cross country championships. In the end it was all in vain, as the wettest winter in history made the car park impassible and for the first time in 30 years the race was postponed to September. If anyone wants to get involved, it’s an incredible event, and hopefully it’ll be a hard track at the back end of the summer.

Merseyside XC Championships

Originally scheduled for four weeks prior, on the 3rd February Ian Davies and Barry McDonnell made it over the Croxteth park for the Merseyside champs. A course of just shy of 10km was a real challenge, very wet and boggy but with very little elevation, there was even some tractor tracks dug out on part of the course.

A much shortened field due to the rearranged date at every age group it was left up to Ian to beat out Barry by just 6 seconds in positions 53 and 54. Thoroughly enjoyable and competitive racing to close out the XC season. 

As none went to the race the day after the Merseyside XC championships at Croxteth Park and the last race at Birchwood being cancelled probably due to the amount of water around and making a real mess of a park it brought an early end to the season.