Former Parish Walk winner Liam Parker finally took the honours on his home patch in the Northern AC winter road running series last week.

Having notched up no fewer than five second places in previous editions of the HubPeople-sponsored league across recent years, he finally hit the top spot with a winning time of 17min 09sec for three laps of the North Shore Road/Swingbridge course in Ramsey.

Runner-up was the ever-consistent Matt Callister, 35s behind, with David Garrood completing the top three at another 21s.

Athletics
Dawn Atherton (403) and Katherine Cubbon were shoulder-to-shoulder for much of the 5km race before Atherton edged clear in the closing stages (Photo: Philip Crowe) ( (Photo: Philip Crowe))

Western AC’s Dawn Atherton won the women’s race after a close tussle with Katherine Cubbon. They were 10s apart at the close, with Joanne Schade at another 54s.

Colin Crooks, who topped the one-lap league last year, recorded his maiden win of the current league in a closely-contested race.

At the line, close to the swimming pool, he was only three seconds ahead of Tara Kelly after a single lap of the same course, a distance of 1.7km.

Athletics
Former boxer Colin Crooks pushed all the way to the line to hold off Tara Kelly in the single lap 1.7km race (Photo: Philip Crowe) ( (Photo: Philip Crowe))

- Round five will be on Tuesday, February 3 with the sixth and final event of the series on March 3.

Northern AC, HubPeople-sponsored Winter Road Series results from January 6 (round four):

Three-lap race (5km): 1, Liam Parker (N/A) 17min 09sec; 2, Matt Callister (MFR) 17.44; 3, David Garrood (N/A) 18.05; 4, John Wood (N/A) 18.09; 5, Andy McKnight (MFR) 18.13; 6, Nick Ardern (NAC) 18.15; 7, Mark Corkish (N/A) 18.50; 8, Dawn Atherton (WAC) 19.06; 9, Katherine Cubbon (MFR) 19.16; 10, Paul Renshaw (NAC) 19.30; 11, Paul Keen (N/A) 19.54; 12, Joanne Schade (WAC) 20.10; 13, Corbyn Schade (WAC) 20.12; 14, Sonny Cawley (N/A) 20.17; 15, Andrew Bell (N/A) 20.57; 16, David Hathaway (N/A) 21.53; 17, Holly Salter (NAC) 21.55; 18, Kathy Garrett (IoMVAC) 21.57; 19, Michael Garrett (IoMVAC) 21.58; 20, Paul McGilvray (IoMVAC) 22.09; 21, Ellen Robinson (N/A) 23.08; 22, Paul Jackson (MFR) 23.27; 23, Andrew Quayle (N/A) 23.38; 24, Lawrence Dyer (NAC) 25.03; 25, Sophie Keen (N/A) 25.09; 26, Ryan Corrin (MH) 25.09; 27, Katie Ardern (N/A) 25.31; 28, Stewart Jones (MFR) 26.00; 29, Brandon Ellis (N/A) 26.18; 30, Jane Walmsley (NAC) 26.19; 31, Mike Davies (N/A) 26.34; 32, Marie Jackson (MH) 26.39; 33, Emma Mapp (N/A) 26.46; 34, Helen Kee (N/A) 26.46; 35, Rebecca Greatbatch (MFR) 27.31; 36, Shannon Roberts (N/A) 27.56; 37, Michelle Meikle (N/A) 29.22; 38, Julie Cretney (N/A) 29.26; 39, Moira Hall (WAC) 29.54; 40, Karen Gadsby (WAC) 31.33; 41, David Roberts (N/A) 31.33. One-lap race (1.7km): 1, Colin Crooks (WAC) 7m 38s; 2, Tara Kelly (NAC) 7.41; 3, Vicki Burgess (N/A) 9.17; 4, Phill Swales (NAC) 9.25; 5, Alan Pilling (IoMVAC) 10.24.

TRAIL LEAGUE

Rescheduled dates for the remaining rounds of Western AC’s Rosie Morrision Trail Running Series are Sundays, February 1 and 22 (followed by a series presentation later the same day. Signing on for both at the Creek Inn from 9.15am for a 10am start.