News

7th January 2025

County Cross Country Championships 2025

Frosty conditions greeted Burton athletics club runners at Shipley Park in Heanor for the Derbyshire cross country championships. With medals and selection to represent Derbyshire at the Inter Counties race in March at stake.

First to run was Darwin Shaw in the under 11 1.5 killometre race, a race difficult to predict as it has many new runners. He ran well to come home in third for a bronze medal, this age group though doesn’t compete in the inter counties.

Next race saw Henry Hemmings in the 5.8K under 17 Men’s race. After a week’s skiing and travelling home the night before he was facing the challenging course for the first time. On the first lap he ran controlled and was 4th sitting comfortably on the shoulder of 3rd . On the longer second lap he moved into third and closed up on second. In the run to the finish his busy week caught up on him as his legs went he stumbled over the line in third gaining his first Derbyshire selection.

Finley Pidcock in the Senior Men’s 10K course, ran well to take 19th place before he returns to University.

In the under 13 girl’s race, the three Burton runners had an outside chance of selection but were hoping for a team medal. The tricky course of boggy muddy areas and hard frozen sections, caused problems for Amelie Cawson’s foot but she was determined to finish to help the team to a medal. Alyssa Lindsay had made her Burton debut here in December and ran well to take 11th and got a reserve letter. Millie Shin ran strongly for 13th and Cawson came home bravely in 14th. Unfortunately the team lost out to a Derby B team for the Bronze medal.

Maisie Trueman was looking for her sixth consecutive county selection in the under 20 race. In a combined race with the under 17s, Trueman finished the first lap just behind the under 17 leader. The cold conditions didn’t help her breathing and she held station and took the under 20 race for her sixth Derbyshire selection. Sadly Connie Lees was unwell and unable to run and on form she would have gained selection, now its in the hands of the selectors if they pick her.

The under 15 girls race saw Charlotte and Amelia Nettleton in action in the 4K race and they were in a close battle for 4th to 6th place. Charlotte just holding on to 4th as she was closed down and Amelia 6th with just 7 seconds between them. 

Last race of the day was the Under 15 boys race where Burton had a strong team of Ewan Withnall, Lewis Boyce, Lincoln Shaw and it was a Burton debut for Harry Wilkinson. A new tactic for Withnall in this race as he went from the gun and opened a lead. At the end of the first lap Withnall led, Boyce was 4th, Shaw 9th and Wilkinson 11th. Withnall winning his third successive Derbyshire championship by nearly a minute. Boyce taking 4th, Shaw struggling on the surface was 9th and Wilkinson 12th hindered by losing his shoes in the mud. Withnall, Boyce and Shaw taking the team silver medal. Withnall and Boyce were selected while Shaw and Wilkinson are reserves.

Myles Christopher was running at the Hampshire Cross country championships for his first claim club Jersey Spartans, Race conditions were Very cold & icy. A strong field of over 40, saw Myles, stay with the front pack for the first 2k. The leader then broke and stretched the field out. Myles came home 12th and the Jersey team took Silver. 

Unfortuntely the Staffordshire cross country championships were cancelled due to weather.