Sports
Ribble Valley 10km kicks off our Christmas round-up
The festive period in the UK once again proves busy as we bring you the highlights.
RIBBLE VALLEY 10km, inc North of England Championships, Clitheroe, Lancashire, December 28
Matthew Ramsden led six other runners inside the 30-minute barrier with a seven-second victory over Biruk Kebede in a personal best 29:05, in his first race after a sixth spot in the Euro under-23 championships two weeks earlier.
It was here last year that the Blackburn Harrier had set his previous best of 29:23 when placing sixth. Behind, Ethiopian Kebede was also inside his previous best of 29:23 a time that just pipped Ramsden on the line, here last year.
Verity Ockenden also ran in the Euro Cross in Portugal and comfortably took the women’s section in 32:18, by over a minute, to head junior Isabel Holt. The English National under-20 cross-country champion, Holt, ran 33:32 in her first outing over the distance.
Veteran Laura Hesketh took third with 33:53.
Overall: 1 M Ramsden (B’burn) 29:05; 2 B Kebede (CleM) 29:12; 3 O Lockley (Leeds) 29:30; 4 J Sanderson (Settle, U20) 29:45; 5 G Chalmers (Leeds) 29:48; 6 J Birmingham (Salf) 29:53; 7 N Edmonson (Ilk) 29:55; 8 O Donkin (Barton) 30:02; 9 J Sagar (Leeds) 30:04; 10 B Lawrence (Bury, U20) 30:05; 11 J Firth (Tad) 30:05; 12 L Johnson (St Hel S, U20) 30:07; 13 S Dickinson (York) 30:15; 14 S Loughlin (Liv PS) 30:17; 15 J Gilbert (Kent, M45) 30:17
M40: 1 B Cole (Ton) 30:27; 2 K Darcy (Salf) 31:17
M45: 2 J Cleaver (Ross) 31;40
M50: 1 J Hatcher (Border) 33:44; 2 S Shaw (ESM) 34:36
M55: 1 D Bennett (Roch) 35:53; 2 P Leybourne (Salf) 36:07; 3 J Ratcliffe Herne H) 36:12
M60: 1 R Johnson (Alt) 37:06; 2 J Convery (Bing) 37:26; 3 A Bramham (Horw) 37:49
M65: 1 G Dawson (Bowland R) 38:49
M80: 1 K Carr 56:48
Women: 1 V Ockenden (Swan) 32:18; 2 I Holt (B’burn, U20) 33:32; 3 L Hesketh (CleM, W40) 33:53; 4 M Stenhouse (R&N) 34:16; 5 E Simm (BWF, W35) 34:18; 6 K Maltby (border, W40) 34:28; 7 K Ballantyne-Chalmers (Leeds) 34;36; 8 R Brown (Border, W40) 34:39; 9 J Elgood (Nidd) 34:46; 10 S Kessell (Leeds, W35) 34:46; 11 I Padfield (W Tempo) 34:59; 12 A Pearse (Steel) 34:59
W40: 4 K Latham (Nant) 35:24
W45: 1 V Robertshaw (B’burn) 40:33
W50: 1 L Blizzard (Warr) 41:34; 2 K metcalf (Eden) 41:34; 3 L Middleton 41:47
W55: 1 J Schade (Western) 40;59
W60: 1 J Hodkinson (Preston) 45:00
W65: 1 S Burns (CleM) 45:48
BUNTINGFORD YEAR END 10, Hertfordshire, December 28
Oscar Bell followed up his victory in the Met Cross-Country League three weeks earlier with a victory here by well over three minutes and did so in a personal best 49:39.
For the women, it was over-45 Victoria Knight who came out on top in 61:40 to regain the title she last won in 2023 before a long period out of action and returning in October with a couple of modest Park Runs,
Overall: 1 O Bell (Herts P) 49:39; 2 M Elbayan (Lut) 53:15; 3 S Coxon (NHRR) 54:32; 4 A Beaumont (B Stort) 54:38; 5 C O’Neill (Herts P) 55:07; 6 S Pedley (Herts P) 55:17
M45: 1 D Cherguit (FVS) 57:42; 2 V Riviere (Ware) 58:18
M50: 1 N Sayers (NHRR) 60:14
M55: 1 S Aiken (Trent P) 61:45
Women: 1 V Knight (C&C, W45) 61:20; 2 R Woodhouse (Herts P) 61:44; 3 C O’Connor (St Alb) 61:51
W50: 1 S Warren (C&C) 68:28
W60: 1 D Rushman (Herts P) 71:00
HEREFORD COURIERS CHRISTMAS 10km, Herefordshire, December 27
Overall: 1 M Brunnock (W tempo) 31:29; 2 H White (Here, U20) 31:31; 3 C Jones (W Tempo) 31:33
Women: 1 E Powell (W tempo) 35:57
W45: 1 H Knight (CLC) 39:47
W55: 1 N Morgan (Chep) 42:07
WHEATON ASTON 10km, Staffordshire, December 27
Overall: 1 J Morris (W&B) 32:06
M45: 1 C Gidlow (Newport) 32:16
M55: 1 G Postins (Snyed) 37:08
Women: 1 R Timmings (BRAR, W35) 36:44
W50: 1 C Beddow (Run &H) 41:02
CHESTER ROUND THE WALLS RACE, Cheshire, December 26
Overall (4.25M): 1 C Larkin (Helsby) 20:18; 2 L Morris (W Chwsh, U20) 21:08; 3 S Hollins (W Chesh) 22:06
M50: 1 J Myers (Helsby) 23:34
Women: 1 I Gelder (Morn) 24:23; 2 S Hunter (Ack, W35) 24:45
W50: 1 A Woolgar (Chest Tri) 27:34
CLEVEDON BOXING DAY 4, Somerset, December 26
In his first race for more than six months, Felix McGrath, the Midland Cross-Country fifth placer, won comfortably from Ben Hamblin in 18:33 but the distance is a little short of four miles.
Deborah Bruce made it a Bristol & West double by taking the women’s race from Clare Hammett by 44 seconds in 22:05.
Overall: 1 F McGrath (B&W) 18:33; 2 B Hamblin (N Som) 19:06; 3 D Fisher (Taunt) 19:25; 4 B Robinson (B&W) 19:31; 5 T Loughlin (T Bath) 19:35; 6 H Evans 20:05
M40: 1 M Bialagonski 20:48
M50: 1 S Wood (Cleve) 22:04
M60: 1 J James (Wells) 22:30
M70: 1 D Bedwell (B&W) 27:45
Women: 1 D Bruce (B&W, W35) 22:05; 2 C Hammett (THH) 22:49; 3 M Thomas (B&W) 23:06; 4 A Bridger-Morales (N Som) 23:28
W45: 1 J Meek (Tav) 24:16
W55: 1 N Morgan (Chep) 26:00
W60: 1 L Porter (Avon Tempo) 27:21
EAST HULL BOXING DAY 10km, Humberside, December 26
Becky Briggs won the women’s race from fifth overall in 34:22, her fastest for seven years, which was the time when the City of Hull runner last won here in 2018 with her personal best 34:09.
Overall: 1 S Spencer (Fit M&F) 32:35
M50: 1 D Whiting (Bev) 35:12
Women: 1 B Briggs (CoH) 34:22
W60: 1 D Broom (Peni) 45:09
GLYNNEATH BOXING DAY 5, Port Talbot, West Glamorgan, December 26
Overall: 1 M Roderick (Tri Hard) 26:12
M60: 1 N Barnes (P Talbot) 30:58
Women: 1 N Sutton (R4All) 29:12
VALE OF AYLESBURY BOXING DAY 5km, Buckinghamshire, December 26
Overall: 1 S Gebreselassie (Belg) 15:38
M50: 1 S Coombes (L Buzz) 16:44
U15: 1 L Blyton (Bic) 16:07
Women: 1 A Weight (Sale) 17:38
WITHAM BOXING DAY 5, Essex, December 26
Callum Charleston won by more than two minutes in 24:00 with Lizzie Wellsted almost matching his margin with a 26:51 women’s victory.
Overall: 1 C Charleston (AFD) 24:00
Women: 1 L Wellsted (Col H) 26:51; 2 H Luff 29:36
HILLINGDON CHRISTMAS MORNING ROAD RACE, Ruislip, Middlesex
James Laing secured his sixth victory in the annual Christmas morning event, maintaining his monopoly with Rob Thompson on the race since 2010, Gavin Collett reports.
Catriona Paterson achieved her hat-trick of wins in consecutive years, while Keith Seldon completed his 53rd consecutive appearance in the race, promoted by Hillingdon AC since 1966.
Overall (3.2M): 1 J Laing (Hill) 16:55; 2 A Strinic (Hill, U17) 18:12; 3 D Thompson (Hill) 19:24
Women: 1 C Patterson (Hill) 19:52; 2 H Laing (Hill) 20:43; 3 M Spencer (Hill, W45) 23:20
