Handley in cross country success (From Lancashire Telegraph)

Handley in cross country success

9:51am Thursday 13th December 2012 in Athletics By Andy Cryer, Blackburn Rovers reporter

GRACE Handley raced to victory in the latest round of the Mid Lancs Cross Country League.

Blackburn Harrier Handley, competing in the under 15 girls category, took the victory at the meeting in Kendal by seven seconds completing the course in 11minutes 55seconds.

Team-mate Deni Impett also ran well top finish in fourth place in 12mins 21 secs.

In the under 11 girls category, Rossendale Harrier Sarah Longshaw secured a top 10 finish with a time of 11mins 20secs good enough for eighth place as Blackburn Harriers Irvine Natalya and Maddie Elliott finished 11th and 12th.

Rebecca Flanagan (Rossendale Harriers) came close to victory in the under 17 women section but finished second to Abbi Hetherington despite dipping under the 17minute barrier.

Her team-mate Megan Soloman finished a commendable sixth.

In the ladies over 18 race Lynne Clough (Chorley AC) led home the East Lancs contingent as she finished fifth in 25mins 37secs and second in the L35 category. Blackburn Harrier Beckie Taylor was seventh in a time of 25mins 49secs, good enough for second place in the junior category.

In the senior men’s race Clayton-le-Moors Harriers took first place in the M60 category with the team of Peter Booth, David Scott and M Thistlethwaite all finishing in the top 10 individually to secure the result. Chorley came second with Henry Minorczyk, Barry Chester and Les Paul their scoring runners.

In the junior section, Rossendale Harriers’ Matthew Mackay missed out on victory in the under 11 category by just two seconds as he crossed in 6mins 38secs to finish in second spot.

Pendle’s Kai Atkins was fifth in the under 13 boys competition in a time of 11mins 53secs which helped his club to third overall in the team category with Joe Lonsdale, Gregan Baker and Geffen Jacob Van.

Atkins’ team-mates in the under 15 race, Matthew Barnes and James Merchant, finished fourth and fifth in times of 15mins 13secs and 15mins 21secs respectively, while Blackburn Harrier Byron Abbot came seventh in 15mins 32secs.

Matthew Harris was the leading finisher in the under 17 men’s race as the Rossendale Harrier crossed the line in 22mins 58secs for eighth spot.