Rawlinson and Gillett are the top stars at Attingham

The splendid landscape of Attingham Park was the setting for the annual event with races held throughout the day from under-13s right through to seniors and masters.

Church Stretton ace Rawlinson, an under-20 athlete, returned from her first year at university to win the women’s race in a close finish as she clocked 24 minutes and 41 seconds to finish just three seconds ahead of Sophie Hurst (24.44).

Ruby Carter, from Shrewsbury but now running for Bath University, took the bronze medal in 25.39, with Jazz Maddocks, now representing Trafford AC in Manchester, fourth in 25.56.

Telford Harrier’s Hayley Wells produced her best County Championship performance to finish fifth in 26.03, just three seconds ahead of Telford AC runner Claire Martin (26.06), who was the first master home, despite being in the over-45 category.

Shropshire Shufflers claimed the women’s team title with 29 points from their first three runners – McArthy, Sarah Jeffferys and Alison Hopkins.

Telford AC took second place with 35 points followed by Shrewsbury AC (49), Telford Harriers (69), Ludlow Runners (146), Lawley Runners (160) and Whitchurch Whippets (153).

The Masters team victory also went to Shropshire Shufflers, with Telford second and Oswestry Olympians third.

The senior men’s race saw Gillett, from Wellington, retain his title.

He took the spoils in a time of 33.43, just two seconds ahead of Oswestry Olympians’ Matthew Collins. Telford AC’s Dan Connolly, a former champion, had to settle for third, another four seconds

adrift.

Chris Rimmer (Bishop’s Castle) made a welcome return to the Shropshire scene, finishing fourth in 35.08 and first overall in the Masters’ categories.

Mark Pepper (Belgrave) was fifth in 36.00, with Tomos Hales (Telford Harriers), one of Shropshire’s leading road cyclists, completing the top six in 36.35.

Shrewsbury AC retained the men’s and masters men’s team titles, with Telford AC second and Oswestry third in both.

The scoring six for Shrewsbury were Robert Weston seventh, Daniel Elliott 10th, James Stuart M45 11th, Paul Aston M40 13th, Gabe Morris M40 14th and Charlie Lewis 20th, giving them 75 points and 38 points in the masters’ category.

Telford AC’s scoring six were Dan Connolly third, Dan Onyango M40 eighth, Oliver Rose ninth, Paul O Brien M45 21, Dean Gapper M45 26th and Brendan Millman 29th, for a total of 96 points 55 in the masters’ category.

Oswestry Olympians first six were Matthew Collins second, Oscar Simmons 18th, Tim Tansley M50 25th, Ian Lowe M50 37th, Andy Clarke M65 49th and Greg Stokes 50th – a total of 181 with the mastetrs team scoring 92.

Telford Harriers clocked up 195 to finish fourth, Shropshire Shufflers were fifth with 204 points and Whitchurch Whippets sixth with 354.

Isaac Pollock, of Wrekin Harriers, won the under-13 boys’ race in 8.58, just four seconds ahead of Telford AC’s Ian Wang. Shrewsbury AC’s Oscar Adams took the bronze medal in 9.15.

Wrekin won the team race, with Shrewsbury AC second and Telford AC third.

Annabelle Wood (Telford AC) had a six-second gap in winning the girls’ under-13 race in 6.49, ahead of Shrewsbury’s Megan Buckingham with Telford AC’s Hariett Anslow third.

Shrewsbury AC won the team race with Telford AC second and Oswestry Olympians third.

Telford AC dominated the under-15 boys’ race, taking the first three places. Simon Bagshaw led the way in 12.26 as he enjoyed a four-second winning margin over team-mate Lewis Howard, while Ralph Brown took third in 12.44.

They easily won the team race with a best possible score of six points with Shrewsbury AC claiming second place.

Chloe Stuart (Shrewsbury) comfortably won the under-15 girls’ title ahead of team-mate Elsa Lovelock, with Erin Woolcock (Oswestry Olympians) bagging bronze.

The closest finish of the day came in the under-17 boys’ race, where winner Paul Harrison (Birchfield Harriers) clocked 15.30 to finish one second ahead of Shrewsbury’s Adam Bentham, while his team-mate Joe Leahy was third in 15.36,

Shrewsbury comfortably won the team race.

Isobelle Standell led her Telford AC team-mates to take the first three places and the team title in the under-17 women’s race.

Standell won in 14.50, with Zoe Asquith (15.04) second and Emily Gapper (15.16) third.

Shropshire teams will now be selected to represent the county in all age groups at the British Inter County Championships in Nottingham in March.

The Shropshire Schools Cross Country Championships take place at Oswestry School on Saturday, February 3 with races for Year 7, Year 8/9, Year 10/11 and Year 12/13. Entry forms have been sent to all Shropshire secondary schools and colleges. If anyone has not been informed about it and would like to run, please contact Shropshire Schools secretary Paul Sanderson at jpsanderson_tac@hotmail.com

Other age category winners.

Women’s: Over-35 Claire McArthy, Shropshire Shufflers, 7th in 26.48; over-40 Stacey Hawkins, Lawley, 9th in 27.04; over-50 Rachel Coupe, Telford AC, 14th in 27.36; over-55 Lisa Yeomans, Telford Harriers, 34th in 31.33; over-60 Susie Hancock, Oswestry Olympian, 37th in 32.04; over-70 Hilary Turner, Ludlow Runners, 91st in 51.33.

Men’s: Over-40 Dan Onyango, Telford AC, 8th in 37.11; over-45; James Stuart, Shrewsbury AC, 11th in 38.12; under-20s Ruari Frankel, Wenlock Olympians, 12th in 38.40; over-50 Tim Tansley, Oswestry Olympians, 25th in 41.21; over-55 Darren Hands, Telford AC, 46th in 44.31; over-65 Andy Clarke, Oswestry Olympians, 49th in 45.05; over-60 Peter Goringe, Silverdale, 55th in 46.00; over-70 Neville Scott Simpson, Shropshire Shufflers, 99th in 65.12.

This cross country season is very special for Shropshire as the National Cross Country Championships open to all club runners with races for Under 13s, Under 15s, Under 17s, Under 20s and seniors is being held at Weston Park on the Shropshire / Staffordshire for the very first time ever in the events 136 year history on Saturday 24th February.