Crook & District - A very good team performance at Meadowfield Harrier League keeps Crook in second place overall as they look to bounce straight back into Division One.

On a rough frosty surface Geoff Hewitson was first back in 37th place in a time of 39.49

Others: Kevin Allen 40.03, Ray Partridge 40.35, Graham Bradshaw 41.13, Phil Carter 41.25, Ken Norman 41.27, Colin Everson 42.48, Martin Harbisher 43.04, John Dennis 38.46 (5 min. handicap), Paul Cowan 45.14, Allen Purdham 48.48.

Over the New Year John Dennis had two excellent runs at the Loftus Poultry Run and the Great Winter Run in Newcastle where he came home third and second O-50 respectively whilst Kevin Archer flew round the Winter Run in a time of 26m.29sec. to be second O-45.

l Anyone looking to work off those extra Christmas pounds by running with the club should contact Dennis Brown on 01388-664145.

Elvet Striders

Harrier League XC at Meadowfield, January 5

Senior men: 39th Andy Scaife 39.51, 62th Conrad White 40.19, 79th Barrie Bird 40.44, 89th Paul Loftus 41.07, 134th Keith Wesson 42.16, 149th Johm Hutchinson 43.06, 177th Graham Dagliesh 44.45, 181st John Hutchison 45.04, 199th David Shipman 46.54, 208th David Smith 48.12, 214th Alan Purvis 49.15. Team fifth in Div 2.

Senior women: 11th Fiona Shenton 23.40, 14th Jan Young 24.56, 15th Roz Layton 25.26. Team 3rd.

Captain Cook 5.5 fell race from Great Ayton , January 1

Results: 34th Geoff Watson 39.12, 60th Peter Fahey 41.33, 104th Phil Layton 46.16, Graham Dagliesh 46.43, 113th Dave Smith 47.28 (1st O-60), 122nd Jan Young 48.12 (2nd over 45).

Mandale Harriers

Craig McBurney (Morpeth Harriers), better known as a track and road runner, opened the New Year with a fine victory in the Captain Cook Fell race from Great Ayton.

He finished ahead of Paul Lane (Mandale) winner of the race last year, with Charles Stead of Northumberland Fell runners, winner of the Guisborough Woods Race in third place.

Brian Roberts (Mandale) was the leading O40 veteran with Keith Wilson (Mandale) again the O50 winner.

Kirston Shaw (Mandale Harriers) won the junior race completing the route in 38.33.

The ladies race saw Joannah Jackson (New Marske) finish ahead of her sister Sarah (M and C) with Alison Raw (Darlington) runner-up last year in third place.

Mandale won the men's team title with New Maske taking the ladies event.

North East Countries Indoor

Athletics Championships

Richard Kilty of Mandale Harriers who earlier this season set a new UK U13 record for 60m broke his own North East Counties best performance when winning the final in 8.3 seconds. His clubmate Ben Wilson equaled the U15 record in a blanket finish but was adjudged to have finished second. English Schools bronze medalist in the long jump and AAA silver medalist in the sprint hurdle. Suote Nyanago took the bronze medal in his first 60m race in the U20 age group.

Mandal's Penny Boyd last year's U17 60m hurdle champion won the U20 title in her first year in the junior ladies Age group.

U20 men: A 60m 3 S Nyanango (Mandale) 7.3; B 1 O Mark (M and C) 7.4; 2 J Jallah (M and C) 7.5.

U17 Men: A 2 J Baines (Mandale) 7.2; B 2 O Daniel (Mandale) 7.5.

U15 Boys: A 2 B Wilson (Mandale) 7.5 (cbp); 3 K Brindsley (Mandale) 8.1; B 3 S Richardson (Mandale) 9.0.

U13 Boys: A 1 R Kilty (Mandale) 8.4 (cbp).

U17Girls: B 4 S Robinson (mandale) 8.8.

U15 Girls: B 2 F Winspear (Mandale) 8.8.

U13 Girls: B 2 K Thompson (Mandale) 9.3.

U15 Boys: 60H 3 J Smith (M and C) 11.2.

20 Women: 60H 1 P Boyd (Mandale) 9.9.

Shildon

A small group of Shildon members competed at the Durham Pine North Eastern XC League held at Meadowfield Durham on Saturday January 5. The club started the day in great style in the under 13 Boys race Warren Roberts was the all the way winner on the two small lap frozen course. On the first lap Warren had a tussle with Gosforth Harriers' Patrick Leonard but on the final lap he gradually pulled away to win comfortably by 19 seconds in a time of 12.23. Club mate Khalil Thompson also had an excellent run to finish in fourth place running from the fast pack in a time of 12.50.

In the Under-17 Girls event Natalie Owens was never out the first two on the two small laps and one large course. Natalie had every chance until the final lap when Durham City Harriers J Page just got the better of her to win by eight seconds in a time of 21.10.

Paul Best was Shildon's only runner in the five lap senior mens race. Paul, competing for the first time since the North-East XC Championship due to work commitments gave an excellent account of himself never out of the first two with Jamie Thompson of Durham University, finally faulted on the final lap to give way to fast pack runner Stewy Bell of Chester-le-Street. Paul had to settle for fourth position in a time of 36.27.

In the Under-15 Boys race the club had two newcomers in Craig Bowmer and Billy Snaith who both gave excellent account of themselves. Craig, running from the slow pack led for most the way in the one small lap and one large lap course with Anthony Forth and Billy Snaith close behind, on the final lap Craig was overhauled by fast pack runner Blackhill Bounders' Jackson Creegan, Craig eventually finished in fifth place in a time of 14.22. Anthony Forth in 12th place with a time of 14.39, with fast pack runner Jalal Thompson just finishing ahead of Billy Snaith in 15th place in 14.49 with Billy in 16th place in 14.57. The boys efforts were rewarded with the runner up team place just nine points behind winners Gateshead Harriers.

The following day at the North-East Indoor Championships held at Monkton Stadium Jarrow, personal bests was the order of the day for the club with three out of four athletes competing achieving PDs. Adam Rogers ran in the Under-17 Boys 60m finishing third in the heats in a personal best time of 7.6 and in the semi final finished fourth in 7.7 and went on to finish third in the B final in a time of 7.7. Gemma Morgan ran in the heats of the Under-17 Girls and finished second in 7.6 and in the semi final ran 7.7 to finish fourth, Gemma also ran the same time in the B final to finish in third place. In the Under-15 Girls 60m Melanie Robinson ran a personal best time to finish 2nd in 8.9, Melanie also had the same time as another competitor but unfortunately was beaten in the run off to qualify for the semi final.

Performance of the day went to Catherine Turner in the Under-15 Girls 60m Catherine won her heat in 8.4 and then went on to win the semi final in 8.3, an excellent performance in the final with a personal best run of 8.1 gave Catherine the gold medal and also equalled the championship best performance.

l The club's middle distance group hold their training sessions at the Stadium 2000, on Mondays, Wednesday evenings and Saturday mornings which run in two Cross Country Leagues during the winter months, the clubs sprint section compete at the Indoor Meetings throughout the winter months, the club caters for age groups from eight years upwards with no obligation to join. Contact Neil Stockley on (01388) 776083.