‘SPEN SURPRISINGLY CLOSE TO LEEDS’
The cross-country season is back and it is clear already that the fleet footed men in red and yellow are set for their finest season ever!
The traditional season opener was the first race in a series of four ‘Complete Runner West Yorkshire Cross Country League’ meetings, which have been re-vamped to include all age groups, male and female as well as extending over the whole season with the final meeting in February. It was held at St Blaise School in West Bowling, Bradford on Saturday the 23rd of October.
The senior men’s race had a turnout of just under 200 runners, lower than in previous years due to pre-entry requirements but Spenborough A.C. turned out 15 starters which included all but a few of our very best runners.
Former National junior champion Richard Findlow sped around the 6 mile, 5 lap course (made up of woods and playing fields) to win easily in 31.48, while club star Jeff Hornby put himself in the early running for the overall title by beating defending league champion John Taylor into 4th with an excellent 3rd in 32.12.
Jeff was backed up with some awesome Spen packing with Lee Warburton in 7th (33.05), Paul Dobson (9th in 33.36), Gary Damiani (14th in 34.13), Mick Dransfield (23rd in 34.59) and Alf Wolfenden (27th in 35.04). That gave the team an excellent second place, just 13 points behind defending league champions Leeds City A.C.
This provoked Grandville Beckett into stating that Spenborough had come ‘surprisingly close to Leeds’, but with the likes of Jamie Warburton and Darren Hanson not in our team I think we have the potential to win the league or at least one of the remaining three fixtures which would leave Leeds’ team manager John Lunn / Rumplestiltskin quaking in his tights!
Michael Sykes made a fine cross-country debut in 31st (35.36) while Myles Chandler (your man at the race and in it) faded a little on the last lap to come home in 37th (35.56). First year junior Simon Brooksbank finished 85th (37.57), he was the 8th junior home whilst our other junior entrant Robert Moon did not finish after a very fast start. ‘The Spen’ editor Douglas Grubb got some good distance work in, ready for his move up to 800m by punishing himself for 38.58 minutes and was rewarded with 101st place. (The real rewards WILL come during the track season, won’t they Doug!).
Frank Reddington was pleased to stage a mini comeback in 116th (29.32), while John Swinden, 125th, brought the B team home in 15th (2nd B team). Other Spen finishers were Geoff Pearce in 152nd and star Spen decathlete Jon Wilkinson who added another discipline to his vast range with a brave 176th place, to say he looked slightly knackered at the finish would be a massive understatement but any extra stamina gained by Jon will come in handy when he once again becomes Spen’s ‘one man track and field team’ next season.
Ranking scorers at Bradford (and overall after 1 race)
1.Jeff Hornby (3rd) 20pts
2.Lee Warburton (7th) 15pts
3.Paul Dobson (9th) 12pts
4.Gary Damiani (14th) 10pts
5.Mick Dransfield (23rd) 8pts
6.Alf Wolfenden (27th) 6pts
7.Michael Sykes (31st) 4pts
8.Myles Chandler (37th) 3pts
9.Simon Brooksbank (85th) 2pts
10.Douglas Grubb (101st) 1pt
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