THE NORTHERN XC CHAMPIONSHIPS
The 2026 Northern Cross-Country Championships took place at Pontefract Racecourse, renowned for its challenging, undulating, left-handed track. Sale Harriers’ thoroughbred fillies, colts, mares and stallions, as always, gave it their best in pursuit of titles, medals, prestige and pride. A huge thank you to everyone who represented the club.
The U15 GIRLS.
The team convincingly retained their Northern Title: BEA SOPER, MEGAN BOYER, ROBYN HEYWOOD-YOUNG and GRACE HILL – along with their entire age group, immortalised themselves in Sale Harriers’ history by becoming the first-ever U15 Girls team from the club to retain this Northern title. Bea Soper also narrowly missed an individual bronze medal by just six seconds. Eleven of this section who’d featured on last year’s front cover of the Harrier magazine, showcased Sale Harriers – more than any other Northern club.
The Senior Men retained Bronze medals :
Salford Harriers & AC were overwhelmingly dominant, retaining the Northern title, with their top four finishers all inside the top ten. Leeds City AC – last year’s silver medallists and champions in the two preceding years, were again unassailable in retaining silver. Against such formidable opposition, nothing more could be asked of MAX WHARTON, PHIL ROBERTSON, PAUL PETERS, ALEX BRADFORD, MATT BARNES and STEVE McCARRON than to retain their bronze medals.
The senior women.
They finished 6th with an outstanding individual performance from Alice Wright, who won the silver medal. Although last year’s silver medallists and 2024 bronze medallists, the team of ALICE WRIGHT, NICOLA MOYNIHAN, CHIARA YOUNG, JESSICA WALSH and SARAH GOULDEN was again formidable and again were not far off the podium. It’s just that champions Vale Royal AC, silver medallists Salford H&AC and bronze medallists Leeds City AC were exceptionally strong and well clear at the front. Alice’s silver medal capped a sensational run and marked her finest hour yet in five years of consistency and commitment to the team.
The U13 Boys
They finished 4th, their best result since winning Bronze in 2022. ARTHUR O’HARE finished an excellent 7th and continues to be a cornerstone of this developing group. With JOSHUA HOWELL never far behind, supported by a growing squad that, on this occasion, had DANIEL TOPPING, YUSUF ELMI, JAMES WALSH and EDWARD MORAN, this section has more to come.
The U13 Girls.
Finished 6th & much improved due to LUCY O’ BRIEN’s typical front-running, recording her best ever position of 14th, followed by FLORENCE CONNOLLY, CICELY COLDWELL, ERIN SOWERBY-CROSS, WILLOW FAWLEY and MAIA BRADLEY. Despite the toughness of this major championship – certainly not for the faint-hearted, more inspiring than these young girls’ results is their resilience and the extent to which they give 100% , not just for themselves but for their team, friends and their club. They do themselves proud!
The U15 Boys.
Again, this hard-working and steadily improving group showed great promise, thanks, on this occasion, to the efforts of GEORGE HORSFALL, NOAH PHILLIPS, JAKE HARRISON and CHARLIE HATTRELL.
The U17 boys.
Whilst the club congratulates neighbours Trafford AC on winning this age-group for the 3rd consecutive year, ALEX FRASER, MATTHEW CULLEN-BROWN, CONOR Mc MANUS, MASSEY CUNNINGHAM continue to strengthen as a squad. Their result represents the section’s second-best finish in a decade, underlining their steady and promising progress.
Report by Fechin McCormick.
