Season 2023-24
League Relay and Presentation Evening – Birkenhead Park, 1st May 2024
An end-of-season relay event was last staged in the 1990’s. The revival of this event was staged by Wallasey AC, as a prelude to the League presentations, and proved to be very successful, with almost every club in the League represented. 76 teams of 4 ran legs of a 1 mile course in the Upper Park. Winners of the main categories (times in brackets) were as follows: Senior Men: Wrexham AC (18.53) Senior Women: Wirral AC (24.10) Veteran Men: Wallasey AC (21.03) Veteran Women: Chester Tri (25.12) A “U20 mixed” category attracted 2 entries and was won by Wirral AC in a time of 20.15 29 “Open mixed” teams also raced – their finishing order is also listed in the results, are available at the link below. Please view the results with the following caveats in mind: There may be errors in some team memberships – either due to undeclared team changes, or typos in barcodes supplied in declarations. Obvious barcode errors have been corrected. If further corrections are notified to mikes_borders@btinternet.com, an updated version of the results may be published. Some team results include details of individual leg times from clubs who submitted them after the event. These are in some cases not consistent with the overall time given for the team. Relay Results
Race 6 – Hoylake Promenade, 17th March 2024
UTS Run Club staged the final League race of the season, along the North Wirral coastal embankment. More than 360 runners were to be blessed by some pleasant early spring sunshine – albeit interrupted by a brief flurry of drizzle. Joe Boden (Wallasey AC) and Emily Haggard-Kearney (Deeside AC) each recorded comfortable wins in the Mens’ and Womens’ races respectively. For the former, this victory clinched his third successive Overall title; for the latter, this was her first, achieved with a perfect record of 5 wins. The second placed finishers likewise assured themselves of the same position in the respective Overall standings, with Connor Rogers (Wrexham AC) 34 seconds behind Boden and Keely Smith (West Cheshire AC) 160 adrift of Haggard-Kearney. Most of the issues in the team competitions had already been decided before this race, but a surprise win on the day by Helsby RC in Mens’ Division 1 almost catapulted them into second place behind champions (and 2nd on the day) Buckley RC. However, Wallasey AC did just enough to stay ahead and take the second spot in the division by a margin of 24 points. Despite a win on the day for Buckley RC, with a 2nd place for UTS RC in Womens’ Division 1, Deeside AC were not to be denied their first ever League title. Wallasey AC comfortably held on to their 2nd position in the division standings. All season, both Mens’ and Womens’ Division 2 have been dominated by two clubs, and this story continued to the end of the season. On the day, West Cheshire AC got the better of Deeside AC in the Mens’ competition, but it was the latter who became Division champions, with the former promoted with them. In the Womens’ competition, champions West Cheshire AC were also winners on the day ahead of Pensby RC, earning their first promotion in their second season in the League. Buckley RC‘s Women Vets produced a massive performance on the day to overhaul West Cheshire AC and emulate their male counterparts by becoming champions of the category. The results have now been finalised. They are available from the links below, along with the final individual results and standings for the season. Award winners for each category, along with promotion/relegation outcomes, have been highlighted. Individual Results Team Results Individual Standings Team Standings
Race 5 – Coleg Cambria, Kelsterton, 25th February 2024
An early start at 10 a.m., a grey morning and unpleasantly chilly conditions failed to deter more than 380 runners who assembled on the Deeside AC track for the penultimate race of the season. At the end of a well-marshalled and organised race by the host club, there were few surprises as most of the main contenders for individual or team honours consolidated their positions. The Mens’ race saw Joe Boden (Wallasey AC) record his third win of the season, 18 seconds ahead of Wrexham AC’s Ryan Davis, while it was a fourth victory of the season for Emily Haggard-Kearney (Deeside AC), with a 74 second margin over second-placed Lindsay Fisher (West Cheshire AC). Buckley RC‘s performance in getting their 10 counters home in the first 53 finishers was more than 200 points better than that of the 2nd placed club on the day – Wallasey AC – in Mens Division 1, and pretty much ensured they will succeed Wrexham AC as League champions. Womens Division 1 saw an excellent performance from Wallasey AC to take victory on the day from Deeside AC, who nonetheless remain odds-on favourites to claim their first League title. Cybi Striders Men defied the early start time and long journey to turn out a strong team which took the win on the day in Mens Division 2. Division leaders Deeside AC, and 2nd-placed West Cheshire AC however finished 2nd and 3rd respectively – an outcome which all but guaranteed their promotions to Division 1 next season. No such challenge to the top two teams in Womens Division 2, where League leaders West Cheshire AC finished ahead of second-placed Pensby RC on the day. Both clubs thereby extended their leads over the remainder of the division by another 200+ points. In the Veteran categories, Buckley RC‘s Men now have a 1000+ points lead over 2nd placed Wallasey AC. The Womens’ category appears to be more competitive however, with West Cheshire AC holding a slender 23 point lead over Buckley RC, and UTS RC another 29 points further back. Results are now finalised, with one very minor correction, and are available from the links below. Individual Results Team Results Individual Standings Team Standings
Race 4 – Thurstaston Country Park, 28th January 2024
Hosts Pensby Runners were staging their first League race, and offered up an interesting course with a variety of surfaces, as well as the most challenging hill climb seen in the League for quite some time. Well over 400 runners – a record for a post-Xmas League race – took up the challenge, and were rewarded with a nice, fast downhill finish. Neither Joe Boden (Wallasey AC) nor Emily Haggard Kearney (Deeside AC) were ever seriously challenged in their respective cruises to victory in the Mens’ and Womens’ races. Indeed, the latter’s winning margin was more than 2 minutes, ahead of her Deeside team mate Abigail Doherty. Benjamin Goodfellow (Wrexham AC) was the Mens’ runner-up. He was the first of 4 Wrexham AC runners who occupied the top 6 finishing positions. With 4 more counters in the top 24, this team performance was sufficient to guarantee the defending League champions a win on the day in the Mens’ race. It hauled them into second place in the League standings and closed the gap on leaders Buckley RC – but the latter retain a sizeable lead, with two races remaining of the season. In Womens’ Division 1, the Deeside AC 1-2 previously mentioned spearheaded another dominant performance which gave them a comfortable victory on the day ahead of Wirral AC, and almost doubled their lead at the top of the division. Mens’ Division 2 likewise saw a comfortable win on the day for Deeside AC, which extended their lead at the top of the division. A strong performance from Cybi Striders gave them 2nd place on the day, but West Cheshire AC (3rd) nonetheless seem to be assured of the 2nd promotion spot. Womens’ Division 2 meanwhile saw leaders West Cheshire AC and 2nd-placed Pensby Runners duly finish in those positions on the day. Here too, it seems the promotion issues have already been decided. Buckley Runners now have a sizeable lead in the Veteran Men category, while West Cheshire AC, leaders of the Veteran Women category, could easily be caught by either of two chasing clubs. Results have now been finalised and are accessible from the links below. One finisher had been inadvertently omitted, the positions of two others transposed. Individual Results Team Results Individual Standings Team Standings
Race 3 – Wrexham Industrial Estate, 3rd December 2023
Following a widespread frost overnight, Wrexham AAC’s declaration, that their Redwither Industrial Estate course was fit to run on, may have surprised many. Nonetheless, it proved to be the correct call, and a field numbering over 330 runners toed the start line on a chill grey December morning. The host club recorded both individual and team victories in the Mens’ race. California-based athlete Matthew Willis, on a visit home, made his BL debut, and won by an 18 second margin from Wallasey AC’s Joe Boden. Four more finishers in the top 10 proved more than sufficient to outscore Buckley RC on the day in the Division 1 team competition. The latter’s strength in depth saw their 10 counters home in the top 56 finishers for a comfortable 2nd place finish on the day, which keeps them well ahead at the top of the Division. Deeside AC were unable to turnout as strong a team as previously in the Womens’ race, and Buckley RC’s Tracy Rogers took full advantage to register her second BL victory. Seven seconds adrift of her finished the steadily improving Rachel Shipley (Prestatyn RC). Despite having no individual finishing in the top 10, UTS RC‘s six counters in the next 26 places saw them pip Deeside AC for victory on the day – though this did little to impact on the latter’s big lead in the Division 1 standings. Mens’ Division 2 saw Deeside AC (1st) and West Cheshire AC (2nd) finish comfortably ahead of the rest of the division, and consolidate those same positions in the Division 2 standings. Almost the same story in Womens’ Division 2, with the two leading clubs on the day Pensby Runners (1st) and West Cheshire AC (2nd) pulling further away from the other 9 clubs in the standings. The latter club’s lead in the standings, however, was almost halved by the former’s win here. Finalised results and standings are accessible from the links below. Individual Results Team Results Individual Standings Team Standings
Race 2 – Birkenhead Park, 5th November 2023
The abysmal weather failed to deter the runners – 473 of them defied the heavy showers to cross the finish line and set a new Borders League attendance record. Much credit is due to hosts Birkenhead AC for staging a successful race in such challenging conditions. Joe Boden (Wallasey AC) dominated the Mens’ race from the start, and duly registered his 14th League victory, with a 40 second margin over Helsby RC’s Chris Larkin, who was making his League debut. However, defending champions Wrexham AC took the next 3 places, and with 7 runners home in the first 22, were winners on the day in Division 1. Buckley RC took second place and so were able to extend their lead at the top of the division. The Womens’ race once again saw a Deeside AC 1-2, with Emily Haggard Kearney finishing 78 seconds ahead of her club colleague, Abigail Doherty. Strong support again from their remaining 4 counters saw the team register another convincing win on the day and extend their early lead in Division 1. In the second divisions, Deeside AC‘s Men made the most of a very strong turnout – with all their team home in the first 31 finishers, the team registered a massive victory on the day and leapfrogged West Cheshire AC (2nd on the day) to go top of the division. Meanwhile, West Cheshire AC‘s Women extended their lead in the division with victory on the day ahead of Pensby RC, whose strong performance moved them well clear of the remainder of the division. One correction was notified and the results have now been finalised. Individual standings will be published after race 3. Individual Results Team Results Team Standings
Race 1 – Caernarfon, 1st October 2023
The first race of the new season got under way with some 320 runners crowded along the foreshore road in the shadow of Caernarfon Castle, in sticky post-pluvial warmth. The familiar measured 10K Borders course was for once taken clockwise, giving the runners a fast, flat 4K run to the finish. The Mens’ race saw a Wrexham AC 1-2, with James Mills just failing to break the 32-minute mark in coming home for his second ever League win, 21 seconds ahead of his clubmate, Connor Rogers. Deeside AC achieved the same feat in the Womens’ race, where Emily Haggard Kearney‘s 34:22 time not only put her nearly 4 minutes ahead of 2nd placed Mackenzie McCourt, but broke a record; her overall position of 12th is the highest ever achieved by a female athlete in the BL, beating Helen Lawrence’s 14th place finish from February 2007. The two clubs had different fortunes in the team competitions however. Deeside had 3 more finishers in the top 15, and had a huge margin over Wallasey AC in Division 1. Conversely, the defending champions could only muster a Mens’ team of 9 runners, and so Buckley, with all 10 counters home in the top 54 finishers, took a handy early lead of 280 points over Helsby RC. West Cheshire AC were relegated from both top divisions at the end of last season, but both Men and Women made excellent starts to their respective Division 2 campaigns. The Mens’ team finished 137 points ahead of a strong Cybi Striders turnout, while the Womens’ team finished 2nd to Eryri Harriers, who, on their local course, also mustered a strong turnout. Results have now been finalised, with one small further correction made. Individual Results Team Results ————————————————————————————————————————————— You can find results of previous years’ races in our Results Archive. Updated 16/05/2024