JONNY MELLOR was a comfortable winner in the opening round of the Liverpool & District Cross Country League at Arrowe Park.
The Liverpool Harrier completed the tough six-mile course in 30:14 with clubmate Richard Burney (31:06) claiming second place.
Chester’s Kennet Svendsen (31:22) took third spot ahead of Harriers duo Mark Keeley (31:40) and Ricky Challinor (32:07).
The top six was completed by Southport Waterloo’s Richard Shearer (32:18).
Shearer received good support from clubmates Joe and Patrick Vis. Joe (33:39) was a respectable 12th in a field of 130 seniors with Patrick (34:04) sprinting home in 17th.
Liverpool Harriers (29pts) were easy winners of the team event followed by Wirral AC (146pts), Southport (183pts) and Liverpool Pembroke Sefton (209pts).
There were promising signs for LPS with Bernie Murphy (18th), Sammy Rashid (22nd) and Greg Callaghan (26th) all producing solid runs.
St Helens Sutton duo Barry Graney and Ray Vose successfully completed the gruelling two-day Original Mountain Marathon in Wales’ Elan Valley.
Vose was dogged by a calf injury but the pair made steady progress and came into camp in 49th place on day one.
The pair picked up the pace on day two and progressed through the field to finish a creditable 34th overall.
There were some fine performances from St Helens’ youngsters in the Manchester Area Cross Country League at Heaton Park.
The under-13 girls trio of Rosie Johnson (5th), Rachel Woosey (10th) and Danielle Webb (12th) took the team honours, while Chelsea Jarvis was second in the under-15 girls race.
John Ashcroft (2nd), Jamie White (6th) and Dave Griffiths (11th) impressed in the under-17 boys race but they were beaten into second place overall by Sale.
