Spen cross country team seal fifth place

Woodcock-Shaw won the race at West Park, Leeds, last season and was in contention for much of last Sunday’s event before finishing seventh, with Tom Bean from York coming home in first place.

Spen’s senior men consolidated their spot among the leading teams in the competition, repeating their fifth place finish of the first fixture.

Kevin Ogden led the rest of the senior men in 21st place followed by Paul Davis (36th), Simon Bolland (54th), Gerard Skippins (64th) and Oliver Carter (75th).

Other senior men to finish were Martin Peck (92nd), Ian Ogden (95th), Martin Hall (99th), Dave Butler (143rd), Mick Dransfield (166th), Lee Dolman (175th) and Grant Coper (183rd).

Spenborough’s senior women’s team finished 12th in their race as Becky Rowlands led them home in 33rd place followed by Mollie Flannery (42nd), Natasha Greere (56th) and Emma McGuire (69th).

Other senior women to finish were Clare Thompson (75th), Sophie McIntosh (85th), Sarah Barker (90th), Karen Crowther (91st) and Sharon Cooper (102nd) in a race won by international fell runner Emma Clayton from Leeds.

There were some good runs from Spen’s younger athletes as Tobin Rhodes finished 14th and Henry Carter 32nd in the Under-17 men’s race.

Georgia Calvert-Smith placed 19th in the Under-17 women’s race.

Molly Warring was 30th in the Under-15 girls race, with Lydia Hall (37th) and Alice Cooper (39th) helping Spen to secure a 10th team place.

Nickolas Brackenridge (45th) and his brother Harry (49th) were the only Spen runners in the Under-15 and Under-13 boys races.

Olivia Reah finished 40th in the Under-13 Girls race, while in the first race of the day, Under-11 boys Jack Quinn finished 33rd and Jack Barraclough 63rd.