The penultimate North Midlands Cross Country League fixture of the season at Shipley Park on Saturday proved a success both on and off the mud as the Heanor RC-hosted event saw the yellow and blue represented across five age category events.

Just two weeks on from hosting the record-breaking Matthew Walker Christmas Pudding 10k, the club rose to the challenge for the second successive year to put on a successful day of racing marked by respective team victories for Notts AC and Derby AC in the senior men’s and women’s events.

In the junior age category races, Sam Marsh placed 27th in the U13B race whilst Dylan George followed up victory at last weekend’s Derbyshire XC Mini League with an eighth-place finish on Saturday. With a year still to run in the age group, Dylan improved by three positions on his opening fixture finish in October.

Sandwiched between runners from Rushcliffe AC – who had three inside the top four – Lily Winfield led the way for Heanor RC in the U13G race with a second-place finish. Victory in the final fixture for Lily at Wollaton Park next month might be enough to see her take the title overall. In addition to Lily’s efforts, eighteenth-place for Harriet Bull saw the girls finish fifth team overall.

Jill Burke was HRC’s sole representative in the senior women’s race and finished first in the V50 category. Jill was 31st overall in a race won by Leicester Coritanian’s Caelidh Ross.

Joe Rainsford was the top-performer for the yellow and blue in the senior men’s event as he finished ninth and led the team to a top-3 finish. Last week’s BDL winner Stuart King crossed the line twelfth whilst Dale Annable placed 21st. Completing the scoring five were Matt Bickerstaff and Shane Rice, who both recorded top-40 finishes. 

The remaining five in action and picking up Club Championship points along the way were Tony Weatherson (75th), Rob Page (90th), Ed Godber (118th), Carl Hughes (131st) and Paul Winfield (153rd).

Full results HERE

The final fixture takes place in the New Year at Wollaton Park on Saturday 10th January.