The British Inter Counties Cross-Country Championships returned to their former home at Wollaton Park, Nottingham for the first time since 2009. 

Five athletes from the Isle of Man, all male, were selected to represent Lancashire across four different age categories. 

Despite pre-race reports of severe waterlogging at the venue, it was actually bone dry, making for very fast running. 

Harry Stennett, in his first year in the under-15 age group, had the worst possible preparation for the race as he had been unwell prior to travelling over to the UK. 

He showed amazing resilience to complete the race for the team, and while he is capable of a much higher placing than 165th this was a day when it was all about digging-in and simply getting round. 

Sam Perry produced the best performance of the local contingent in the u17s race, finishing an excellent 27th in a field of slightly under 300. 

He was holding a position on the edge of the top 20 for the first of two laps, but lost a bit of ground towards the end. 

This was yet another fine display from him, and a higher placing than many prominent Manx athletes have achieved in this age group in the past. 

Also in the same race was Lucas Stennett, whose race mirrored that of his younger brother as he too had been unwell in the week leading up to the race. 

He paced the race sensibly in the circumstances, placing 178th. 

This was Lancashire’s best race of the day team-wise, placing fourth in the team contest only a few points shy of the bronze medal. 

A young star in the making is Seamus Hall, whose 96th place in the u13 boys race was a brilliant performance. It was his debut running at this level and his first year in the age group, looking cool and calm throughout the race. He seems to have an excellent race temperament as well as a lot of running ability. 

Cross country
Seamus Hall (nearest camera) finished top 100 in the under-13 boys class at Woollaton in his debut run at this level (David Griffiths)

The final race of the day was the senior men’s, with Alan Corlett lining up at this event for the first time since 2019. 

Firm ground is not his favoured terrain, but he ran with consistency and total commitment as he always does to finish 71st in a strong field. The race was a selection trial for the forthcoming World Cross-Country Championships. 

It’s worth noting that the bronze medals in the two senior races went to Alice Goodall and Scott Stirling, who both showed their class in last year’s Isle of Man Easter Festival of Running. 

DAVID GRIFFITHS