As well as cross-country action in Crewe, there were a number of record-breaking performances by British masters on the roads in the past few days.
England’s leading masters international cross-country performers were out in force at Betley Court Farm near Crewe on Saturday in a week that also saw a number of masters bests on road and track, Steve Smythe reports.
Guaranteed selection was on offer for the leading participants for the Masters International Cross-Country at Roundhay Park in Leeds on November 15 where England take on Ireland, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland in age groups from the over-35s to the M80s.
The much more easily attainable England Athletics masters selections on the road (solely against Wales) has mean in recent years some England masters have not applied for the cross country teams in the same numbers as previously but the lure of Leeds saw a good turn out in Crewe though it was mostly North and Midlands athletes who supported the event which was run on a fast surface in good conditions.
It is thought though to ensure the English masters get their best team in the future the trial needs to become an official English Championships offering individual and team medals.
The event was held within a North Staffs League event.
Lee Gratton, who won the masters international in Glasgow in 2023 and was runner-up in Belfast in 2024, was a clear men’s winner.
The Midlands senior bronze medallist, who was in the top dozen seniors in the English National and UK Inter-Counties, took the honours in a time of 23:21 for the 8km course.
He was followed home by M45 UK 5km best-holder Alastair Watson (23:50) who was an isolated second with M40 winner Karl Darcy (24:38) a very clear third overall.
Watson at the age of 48 was easily deemed the age-graded performance of the event with it producing a 97.66 pc age-grading.
Chris Blackburn (26:00) was comfortably first M50 while other age group winners were M55 Anthony O’Brien (26:42) and M60 Mark Cursons (28:25).
Katie Latham of Nantwich won the women’s 5km race in a time of 17:01.
The W35 who ran a 35:51 10km PB this summer narrowly won from former European cross-country champion Gemma Steel (17:03) who is now in the older age category and will lead England’s W40 team in Leeds.
Kelly Edwards (17:14) was third across the line and was first W45 one place up on former masters 70international winner Kirsty Longley (17:28) while Elizabeth Renondeau…
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