It has been a strong start to the year for Buxton AC.
The first race was Wormstones Fell Race. 12 Buxton runners ran with Finlay Grant taking the win, Tom Spencer 2nd and Harry Bond 7th. Jason Brunnock was 17th, Amy Whelan 53rd (6th woman), Andy Lidstone 73rd, Jo Bednall 79th (2nd F50), Matthew Nadin 106th, Pete Bailey 112th, Paul Marall 117th,Duncan Bryant 139th and Bev Golden 151st.
On the 8th January saw the Derbyshire Cross Country Championships take place at Berry Hill, Mansfield. In the U11 girls, Evie Willis came 3rd, Hannah Cudahy 10th and in the boys, Stanley Cook finished 2nd. The U13 girls saw Erin Colebrook and Rachel Cudahy finish 4th and 8th. In the U15 category, Jack Cook finished 4th and the U15 girls team consisting of : Connie Jenneson (5th) Lucy Whelan (10th) and Rebecca Cudahy (14th) took 2nd team. The U20 women Amy Whelan took the gold medal whilst the Senior/Vet women’s team placed 2nd and the Senior/Vet men’s team placed third.
The third round of the Manchester Area Cross Country League (MACCL) on the 15th January at Tatton Park. In the U11s Stanley Cook placed 38th, Evie Willis 33rd and Hannah Cudahy 51st. The U13 girls were Erin Colebrook (27th) and Rachel Cudahy (49th). Jack Cook and Rebecca Cudahy placed 24th and 46th in the U15s. In the Senior race, Amy Whelan finished 3rd U20. Other Buxton Seniors who ran were; Samantha Willis, Tania Wilson, Joanne Cudahy, Tracy Gregory, Andrew Lidstone, Neil Pearsons, Paul Markall, Pete Bailey and Duncan Bryant.
Derbyshire Schools Cross Country was held on the 22nd January at Mount St Marys School where 3 Buxton Juniors : Grace Longden (5th), Jack Cook (6th) and Connie Jenneson (6th) all gained Derbyshire vests to represent the County at the English Schools National Final in Kent on the 19th March. Will Bailey (1st) and Emma Johnson (8th) from Chapel High School also qualified for the final as well. Buxton Juniors, Erin Colebrook (1st) Rachel Cudahy (15th), Lucy Whelan (23rd) Rebecca Cudahy (26th) Lotte Parker Lee (31st) and Zak Kelly (19th) also ran.
The Greater Manchester and Staffordshire Schools Competitions were held on the 5th February. Former Chapel High School students and Buxton Juniors Will Longden and Amy Whelan both qualified for the national in Kent with Will winning the Senior boys and Amy finishing 6th in the Senior Girls. Meanwhile, in the same terrible weather conditions the Staffordshire Schools were held at Betley Court Farm with Flo Brown (13th) Jonty Brown (23rd) Lena Goulding (11th) and Eden Pigott all competing.
The weekend was back to back races for Amy Whelan as her, Lucy Bednall, along with 12 Buxton Seniors competed in the Alsager 5 against a field of 955 runners! Lucy Bednall finished 17th woman, Annette Fowler 29th and 1st in age category, Amy Whelan 32nd, Samantha Willis 53rd, Gemma Tredwell 68th, Katie Rolfe 79th, Shelia Bradley 109th, Beth Brown 318th, Paul Markall 262nd, Duncun Bryant 312th, Tim Rolfe 331st, George Webb 377th, Keith Sanderson 457th and Martin Hughes 488th.
The following weekend (12th February) the Derbyshire Mini League was held at Buxton Rugby Club. 16 juniors took part with some impressive results. The U11s representing Buxton were, Coraline Mitchel-Smith (3rd) Evie Willis (4th) Hannah Cudahy (7th) Stanley Cook (5th) and William McLaurin (6th). The U13s saw Erin Colebrook place 2nd, Rachel Cudahy 4th, Flo Brown 6th, Emma Marsh 9th, Jonty Brown 2nd and James Mitchel-Smith 4th. The last race of the day was the U15s where Connie Jenneson came 2nd, Lucy Whelan 4th, Rebecca Cudahy 6th, Jack Cook 5th and Dan Preston 8th
The final round of the MACCL was held at Heaton Park last Saturday (19th February). In the U11 boys Stanley Cook finished 33rd with his older brother Jack Cook finishing 18th overall in the U15 boys. In the Senior races Amy Whelan finished 4th with other Buxton Senior Ladies Samantha Willis (47th), Tania Wilson (59th, 1st in age category), Ruth Gowers (92nd) and Shelia Bradley (132nd). The Senior men saw Will Longden win the U20s and finish 5th overall, Robert White 96th, Andrew Lidstone 181st, Paul Markall 263rd and Pete Bailey 285th. Meanwhile at Parkruns, Lucy Whelan ran at Wilmslow Parkrun finishing 4th lady, and Grace Longden at Marple Parkrun finishing 1st lady.
A great start to the year for both Buxton Juniors and Seniors.