Round two of the Group Eleven Isle of Man Cross-Country League took place at the Horses’ Home on Richmond Hill on Sunday afternoon.

The event amply demonstrated the rich supply of talent coming through in the junior age groups.

The course for the Manx Harriers-organised race is among the toughest and muddiest to be found at any cross-country event, and provided excellent preparation for the many local runners expected to contest the Lancashire Championships on the first Saturday in January.

The famous ‘saucer’ hill at Witton Park in Blackburn is tame compared with the big hill at the far end of the Horses’ Home course.

The action began with the combined boys’ and girls’ races for under-nines, and victories went to Jack Davison and Lorelei Wilson. This in fact was the closest finish of the day with Jack beating Thomlyn Varley by only one second.

Leighton Curphey had already made headlines by clinching victory in the under-11 boys category of the Lancashire Red Rose League on Saturday (see story elsewhere in this issue), and after a very late arrival home in the early hours of Sunday morning he was soon in action again.

He won by a 46-second margin over two laps of the small course, with Jack Davies second and Jacob Milnes third.

The girls’ race was closer, Emira Bowden running very well on lap two to overturn Xènia Muñoz-Fité and win by eight seconds, with Evelyn Stubbs and Fóla Lewis close behind.

The u13s went out onto the full course which was extremely muddy in many places and with a very tough hill to negotiate.

For those in their first year of the age group it was a first experience of a course of this nature. Séamus Hall showed his class with a terrific run to win the race. Behind him there was a race-long battle between Rory Teare and Billy McMullan for the runner-up spot, with the latter coming through strongly to take the place.

The u13 girls’ race was won by athletics all-rounder Eve Martin who adapted very well to the testing course to take an impressive victory, having not run competitively for a little while.

Triathlete Bella Quaye was second with yet another good run and Poppy Clayton fended off a strong finish by Mollie McMullan to take third. The quality in this age group is very high.

Next out were the short course competitors who completed the same distance as the u13s, and these races were won by Peter Bradley and Gail Sheeley – the latter despite losing a shoe in the glutinous mud early in the race.

Starting at the same time but running a lap further were the u17s, with twins George and Holly Salter running strongly to win their respective races.

The final event start saw the u15s completing two laps of the long course, junior/senior/veteran women three laps and junior/senior/veteran men four laps.

Alan Corlett (Salford Harriers) initially had u20 Sam Perry in close contact, and in third place throughout his two laps was fellow Northern AC runner Harry Stennett (u15) whose ascent of the big hill on his second lap was smooth and apparently effortless.

Max Hammal was also in excellent form, taking second place in the u15 boys race with Illiam Thomas third. Faith Teare has made great progress this year and she showed a lot of strength and determination to win the u15 girls race ahead of Marczhela Pitao-Cubbon and Sienna Morrissey.

Kirsty Barber led the women’s race from start to finish and continues to impress as a distance runner. Her strong cross-country performances will provide a good base of strength as she targets continued progress at the half marathon distance on the road.

Amber Carridge got stronger as the race went on and took a fine second place, while league newcomer Emily Mylchreest – who could not have picked a tougher course to make her debut – was third. Laura Dickinson and Katherine Cubbon were fourth and fifth respectively.

Corlett was completely dominant in the men’s race, stretching his lead throughout his four laps. A classy and experienced cross-country campaigner, he looks in top form as he approaches a number of championship races in the UK early in the new year.

Perry also produced an outstanding run, finishing a little over one minute in arrears of Corlett in by far his longest cross-country race to date. He is a quality athlete.

The theme of top performances by young athletes continues, as three of the top five places were filled by under-20 runners. Corbyn Schade of Western AC was third and produced a storming last lap to pull nearly one minute clear of Chris Killey of Harriers who had a typically solid run.

Ryan Corrin was the third u20 finisher in fifth place, a brave effort when feeling under the weather.

It is always good to see a new face, and sixth-place finisher James Askew is a recent new resident who is clearly a quality runner. Originally from Yorkshire, he has lived in Northern Ireland in recent times before moving to the Isle of Man earlier this year.

Many thanks go to all at the Home of Rest for Old Horses for the use of their facilities and land, and the warm welcome. Thanks also go to the many officials who helped in any capacity.

- The third round of the league doubles as the Group Eleven 2025 Isle of Man Cross-Country Championships, and will take place on Sunday, January 12 at Crossags Farm on the outskirts of Ramsey, organised by Northern AC. All are welcome.

DAVID GRIFFITHS

Results, Isle of Man Cross-Country League (round two), sponsored by Group Eleven - Manx Harriers, Richmond Hill, Sunday:

Junior/senior/veteran men: 1, Alan Corlett (Salford Harriers) 39min 32sec; 2, Samuel Perry (Northern AC) 40.39; 3, Corbyn Schade (Western AC) 44.12; 4, Chris Killey (Manx Harriers) 45.07; 5, Ryan Corrin (MH) 46.11; 6, James Askew (Unattached) 46.36; 7, Kevin Shimell (Manx Fell Runners) 46.41; 8, Matt Callister (MFR) 47.10; 9, Paul Atherton (WAC) 47.24; 10, Ryan Hampson (U/A) 47.50; 11, Saul Bradley (MFR) 50.35; 12, Steven Quayle (WAC) 50.48; 13, Andrew Nash (U/A) 50.51; 14, Tim Dunne (MFR) 51.52; 15, James Wright (U/A) 52.08; 16, Tom Partington (MH) 53.09; 17, Russell Collister (MH) 53.41; 18, Paul Sheard (MFR) 54.09; 19, Ali Stennett (NAC) 54.34; 20, Andrew Milnes (MFR) 54.57; 21, Paul Rodgers (MH) 55.02; 22, Jamie Hayes (MH) 55.09; 23, Paul Bratty (MFR) 56.37; 24, Jock Waddington (MFR) 60.47; 25, Jamie Pope (WAC) 62.29; 26, Dafydd Lewis (U/A) 63.48; 27, Richard Allen (U/A) 66.05; 28, David Fisher (MFR) 67.00; 29, Phil Crellin (U/A) 68.12; 30, Matt Palmer (U/A) 68.16; 31, Michael Crook (WAC) 75.41.

Junior/senior/veteran women: 1, Kirsty Barber (WAC) 37.54; 2, Amber Carridge (MFR) 39.39; 3, Emily Mylchreest (MFR) 40.53; 4, Laura Dickinson (MH) 42.08; 5, Katherine Cubbon (MFR) 42.51;6, Rosy Craine (MFR) 45.11; 7, Ellen Robinson (U/A) 46.09; 8, Jayne Farquhar (MH) 48.26; 9, Maggie Watkins (MFR) 50.14; 10, Joanne Christian (U/A) 53.11; 11= Kellie Hands (U/A) 55.26 and Angie Robinson (MFR) 55.26; 13, Deborah Smith (MFR) 57.58; 14, Moira Hall (WAC) 62.53; 15, Karen Gadsby (WAC) 66.55; 16, Rebecca Botwright (MFR) 69.55.

Short course men: 1, Peter Bradley (MFR) 16.31; 2, Mark Corrin (MH) 16.56; 3, James Gumbley (U/A) 19.00; 4, John Sykes (U/A) 19.43; 5, Ferran Muñoz (U/A) 20.08; 6, Mark Gleave (U/A) 20.32; 7, Ian Callister (MH) 21.48; 8, Lee Clayton (U/A) 22.11; 9, Phill Swales (NAC) 24.10; 10, Simon Holtham (WAC) 24.11.

Short course women: 1, Gail Sheeley (MH) 18.49; 2, Emma Atkinson (U/A) 20.14; 3, Amy Sykes (U/A) 21.02; 4, Karen O'Reilly (U/A) 21.45; 5, Tonya Corrin (MH) 21.50; 6, Caitlin Hammal (U/A) 22.35.

Under-17 male: 1, George Salter (NAC) 27.56; 2, Jack Clague (SNHS) 37.33.

Under-17 female: 1, Holly Salter (NAC) 31.30; 2, Abi Clayton (Ramsey Grammar School) 34.11.

Under-15 boys: 1, Harry Stennett (NAC) 21.12; 2, Max Hammal (MH) 22.44; 3, Illiam Thomas (MH) 24.30; 4, Timothy Perry (NAC) 25.39; 5, Cameron Leslie (MH) 29.44.

Under-15 girls: 1, Faith Teare (MH) 27.01; 2, Marczhela Pitao-Cubbon (MH) 30.49; 3, Sienna Morrissey (MH) 32.11; 4, Emma Sturgess (WAC) 32.17; 5, Aalin Atherton (QEII High School) 33.56; 6, Lena Sheard (St Ninian’s HS) 34.32; 7, Grace Robinson (Ballakermeen HS) 35.00; 8, Honey-Mae Davies (MH) 35.53; 9, Evie Crook (WAC) 37.21.

Under-13 boys: 1, Séamus Hall (MH) 14.12; 2, Billy McMullan (MH) 14.45; 3, Rory Teare (MH) 14.55; 4, Cameron Eyres (NAC) 15.12; 5, Gabe Campbell (MH) 15.14; 6, Jack Bullock (RGS) 15.53; 7, Finbar McSevney (King William’s College) 16.13; 8, Bernat Muñoz-Fité (KWC) 16.29; 9, Thomas Sheard (SNHS) 17.35; 10, Noah Sykes (SNHS) 17.51; 11, James Creer (MH) 18.06; 12, James Fisher (Castle Rushen HS) 18.13; 13, Odin Bignell (WAC) 19.06; 14, Harry Kinrade (MH) 19.27; 15, Harrison Sille (KWC) 24.36.

Under-13 girls: 1, Eve Martin (MH) 15.36; 2, Bella Quaye (MH) 16.07; 3, Poppy Clayton (RGS) 16.44; 4, Mollie McMullan (MH) 16.52; 5, Polly Davies (MH) 19.20; 6, Lilah Cretney (MH) 19.32; 7, Rose Gumbley (MH) 19.38; 8, Tara Nelson (MH) 20.02; 9, Betty Condon (CRHS) 21.06; 10, Elizabeth Clennell (MH) 22.05.

Under-11 boys: 1, Leighton Curphey (MH) 6.00; 2, Jack Davies (MH) 6.46; 3, Jacob Milnes (MH) 7.16; 4, Rollo Thompson (Arbory) 7.35; 5, Ollie Robinson (MH) 7.50; 6, Kilian Reynolds (MH) 7.54; 7, Theo Sykes (Onchan) 8.14.

Under-11 girls: 1, Emira Bowden (MH) 7.59; 2, Xènia Muñoz-Fité (Buchan) 8.07; 3, Evelyn Stubbs (MH) 8.11; 4, Fóla Lewis (NAC) 8.12; 5, Charlotte Postlethwaite (Cronk-y-Berry) 8.25; 6, Clara Gerrard (Henry Bloom Noble) 8.44.

Under-nine boys: 1, Jack Davison (Peel Clothworkers) 3.17; 2, Thomlyn Varley (Buchan) 3.18; 3, George Looney (Marown) 3.22; 4, Noah Quinn (Cronk-y-Berry) 3.33; 5, Barney McGowan (Buchan) 3.35; 6, Daniel Walls (St Mary's) 3.39; 7, Adam Nelson (MH) 3.44; 8, Bobby Teare (HB Noble) 3.47; 9, Austin Quaye (Marown) 3.49; 10, Leo Gleave (MH) 3.54; 11, Jasper Hill (Buchan) 3.55; 12, Chester Cretney (MH) 4.10.

Under-nine girls: 1, Lorelei Wilson (MH) 3.53; 2, Beatrice Brook (Buchan) 3.57; 3, Onnee Thomas (MH) 4.05; 4, Amelia Cain (Ballasalla) 4.29; 5, Elsie Bowden (MH) 4.32; 6, Blake Reynolds (MH) 4.34; 7, Daisy Sille (Arbory) 4.37; 8, Harper Quayle (WAC) 4.39.