The final of the five cross-country matches that began last October in Heaton Park and monthly took place in Sherdley Park, Boggart Hole Clough, Wythenshawe Park, concluded at the weekend with the final match at Clayton Vale. Treacherous icy conditions necessitated some course alterations and Stockport withdrew is younger teams.

Tia Blissett won the U11 event with Lizzie Twite 2^nd and Beth Thornton in 4^th place ensuring team victory. They also finished in 3^rd team place with Verity Garnes, Jemma Vickers and Sophie Potter. In the final league championship Sale finished runners-up to Manchester Harriers whilst Tia Blissett was 2^nd overall. In the boy's race Luke Chesters had his best ever race to finish second and, with Harry Boyd and Ben Gilchrist, finished 3^rd team on the day and runners up to Stockport in the final league Championship.

In the U13 event, Sale finished in the first three team positions with Francesca Brint 2^nd and Claudia Cohen 3^rd whilst other scoring team members Aine Cunningham, Alice Bruce, Frankie Hacker-Davis, Mairead Power, Frankie Reid, Lauryn Pettifer (making her Sale debut) and Charley Reid contributing to Sale dominance. Sale won the overall league title with Alice Bruce runner-up in the individual championship. In the boy's race, Adam Spilsbury, Jake Spilbury and Saeed Absiyeh won the team race and retained the overall league title. Jake Spilsbury finished 3^rd overall in the league Championship with twin brother Adam in 4^th place.

In the U15 event, Catherine Podmore finished in the runner-up spot and with Hannah Simeen, Flora Whyte and Rachel Hibbert scored a comfortable team victory on the day and won the overall league championship. Euan Gilchrist won the boy's race by a clear margin with Sam Mayon in 3^rd place. Dillon Stanway ensured Sale won the team race on the day and retained the overall team Championship. Sam Mayon became league champion after only six months in the sport.

The U17 men also retained the overall league championship with Kyle Conway and Alex Bradford taking individual silver and bronze respectively. On the day, Kyle, Alex and Kalid Absiyeh finished runners-up to Warrington in the team race. Megan Davies finished runners up in the overall league championship whilst Chloe Yates finished 7^th at Clayton Vale. Georgia Plant was due to make her debut for Sale in the U15 race but missed the start and ran as a guest in the U17 race, having a fantastic run to cross the line in 4^th place.

 Trafford men turned out in strength and clinched their second senior men victory of the winter but Sale had already secured the title from their three second places and the victory at Heaton Park. M40 Ian Weatherall had the run of his life finishing 5^th; Mike Kilmartin (13^th) had his finest run of the winter; M45 Gary Rowlinson again displayed his fantastic ability to be the 3rd team counter; Peter Crawford returned to the place of his cross-country debut last year with another strong performance and Carl Barber (34^th) is increasingly come of age as a superb performer. The 'B' team finished 9^th and the 'C' team 18^th.

Trafford ladies notched up their third victory with our girls in 2^nd position and so consolidated the league title. The contest to win the title probably ended with the team's disappointing seventh place in the last match at Wythenshawe Park. Emily Beedam glided elegantly and effortlessly to gain her best position of the winter in 5^th; L40 Jan Nichols (20^th) was the backbone of the team this winter with magnificently consistent top performances confirmed by her 3^nd place overall in the league's L40 category. Sian Holland (22^nd) had a strong run as did Jo Street who improved her finishing position in every match. The 'B' team of Kimberley Wilson (making her debut), Helen Reagan, Belinda Hammond and evergreen Jackie Cordingley finished 9^th.

Wilmslow are the dominant force in both the men's veteran categories of the league. They easily retained their sixth consecutive men's title and third in the women's. Our outstanding veteran men through the winter were Gary Rowlinson in the M45 category (6^th) and Bill Fox in the M55 category (3^rd). Among our women, congratulations to Jackie Cordingley who won the L50 title from third last year and Lynda Rowlinson was this year's L50 3^rd. Congratulations also to Jenny Miles who was 2^nd in her L60 category in her first full year of cross-country running. Onwards now to the National Cross-Country Final at Parliament Holl Fields on February 25th

(Written by Fechin Mc Cormick & Peter Shaw. Photographs www.hsphotos.co.uk)