By Dave Beevers

BURNDEN’S Lesley Fisher was again the fastest in her category at the third leg of the Red Rose Cross Country League at Leverhulme Park.

Temperatures had plunged overnight and added to the already tough conditions over the course.

Fisher was first L55 with a time of 24mins 54secs over the women’s 5K route, while Gwen Kinloch was just over a minute behind her to take second in the same category with a time of 25:57.

Kirsty White led the Burnden ladies home in 24:47 to claim second in the L45 category while Brenda Sedgwick was third L65 with her time of 35:56.

White stands in 11th place in the Ladies' Vets standings after three races – with one to go – on 21 points with Fisher 17th on 33 and Kinloch 23rd on 45.

Other Leverhulme results: Lyndsay Darbyshire (26:03), Holly Craggs (26:22), Maria Parkinson (32:56), Liz Hopley (33:32), Louise Wall (35:03).

Overall standings after three races: 20th Kirsty White (37 points), 30 Lesley Fisher (55), 36 Gwen Kinloch (73), 54 Lyndsay Darbyshire (106), 61 Holly Craggs (117), 65= Katy Thompson (123), 117 Maria Parkinson (233), 121 Liz Hopley (243), 130 Louise Wall (259).

Glen Kenyon was the club’s leading man over the 10.2K course, finishing in a great time of 40:32.

Steve Nolan was the next club member to cross the line – exactly two minutes behind Kenyon to take second place in the V55 group.

Keith Thomas’s time of 42:48 earned him third place in the V55 category and he leads the club’s Senior Vets contingent after three races – lying in 25th place in those rankings with 51 points.

Other results: Rob Short (43:48), Marcus Taylor (44:46), Andy Staveley (44:53), Paul Duke (45:13), Lee White (45:39), Colin Rigby (46:14), Christophe Menand (48:14), Tony Wall (49:03), Adrian Merritt (49:21), Colm O’Brien (53:30), Andy Warburton (57:10).

Overall standings after three races: 33rd= Glen Kenyon (83pts); 46 Keith Thomas (110), 51 Steve Nolan (118), 65 Rob Short (156), 76 Lee White (171), 77 Marcus Taylor (172), 78= Paul Duke (173), 114 Christophe Menand (249), 145 Tony Wall (302), 169 Don Nichol (363), 186 Andy Warburton (407).

Phil Eccleston stormed to third place overall in the Chorley Firefighters 10K with a cracking time of 35:23.

Three other club members took part – Paul Duke followed up his great time in the cross country the previous afternoon by finishing the Chorley race in 40:30. Anne Larkin came home in 1:13:55 with Gillian McGowan close behind in 1:13:58.