Stewart Clague’s Ballannette Estate in Lonan was the venue on Sunday for one of the finest cross country running events in recent memory staged in the Isle of Man.
Organised by Manx Harriers, the second round of the Microgaming Cross Country League was greeted with glorious weather, a record total of 228 competitors and some very high-class racing.
Distance running in the island is presently riding the crest of a wave, with great success at this year’s NatWest Island Games in Bermuda following on from Keith Gerrard’s back-to-back national cross country wins.
The clear message from Ballannette last weekend was that the future also looks very bright.
It was the younger age groups that really stole the show, with the under-13s being especially impressive. My choices as athletes of the day, Rhys Owen and Lorna Spiers, both came from this age group.
Rhys, who only competed once last season, ran a very mature race over one full lap of the course, holding back a little from the hot early pace.
As the athletes negotiated the fields at the top of the course he moved smoothly past several rivals and onto the shoulder of leader James Strickett (Northern AC).
These two fine young athletes were still in close company as they rounded the lake, but on the final circuit of the bottom field the QEII student was rewarded for his intelligent pace judgement by opening up a winning margin of 12 seconds.
The ever-consistent Harry Read took third with another excellent run.
Lorna Spiers (Northern AC) and Angela Aumonier (Manx Harriers) gave the boys a real run for their money with outstanding runs in the same race. Lorna is in her first year in the age group and looks to have great talent over the longer distances.
Only three of the boys were ahead of her at the end, and she also finished ahead of the u15 girls winner Laura Dickinson who is a very good athlete. Angela finished just eight seconds behind, with Isabella Barnes a little further back in third. With the absent Jessica Hill to return, this age group is brimming with quality.
The under-nine and u11 age group races had brought great excitement to the start of the afternoon with huge competitor numbers and very close racing. Michael Webber, despite a fall as he crossed the line, just got the better of Oliver Sykes in a thrilling sprint finish to the under-nine boys’ race, both athletes being given the same time.
In the girls’ race, Lucy Corlett reversed the result from round one by beating Mairi Harrison this time - whose turn will it be next?
Three athletes really shone in the u11 age group with exceptional performances. TJ Phair had just beaten Joshua O’Neill in a neck-and-neck sprint finish in the first round and the same happened again here with the same result. Both boys are very talented and very competitive.
Lydia Morris ran superbly once again to win the girls’ race by a big margin, beating all but four of the boys in the process!
Alan Corlett took victory in the senior men’s race over four laps of the course after another close tussle with Manx Harriers club-mate Andy Barron. There were never more than a few strides in it throughout the race, but as Corlett led narrowly into the final circuit of the bottom field his rival suddenly pulled up and did not complete the race.
Fell running specialists Lloyd Taggart and Ben Corkill completed the top three and there was an excellent performance from first-year u20 Stephen Garrett. In by far his longest cross country race to date, he showed great strength and stamina to finish ahead of all but five of the seniors over the same distance.
Rachael Franklin was hugely impressive again in the women’s race and won by a distance, and behind her Judith Quane produced probably her best cross country performance yet to beat Jackie Lee.
Other class winners not already mentioned were Joseph Ricciardi (u17 men), Katie Astin (u17 women), David Mullarkey (u15 boys) and Greg Crebbin (short course), all of whom ran very well.
Many thanks go to the small army of officials and helpers for putting on a great afternoon of athletics. Round three of the series takes place on a new course at QEII School in Peel, on Sunday, December 1. Full details will be published at www.iomaa.info
