BURNDEN Road Runners members got their rewards after another successful year in the Central Lancs Grand Prix 

at the recent presentation evening hosted this year by Radcliffe AC.

This year’s successes included defending three of the four team categories, narrowly missing out on the A team prize by a little more than 100 points.

Burnden were winners of the B team competition and Ladies team competition and they finished top of the rankings in the Vets team competition.

Individual honours were also shared throughout the club, with the ladies claiming four of the five overall prizes up for grabs.

Ladies’ honours went to Sarah Watton (first overall), Gwen Kinloch (second overall and first V55), Lyndsay Darbyshire (fourth overall and first V50) and Anne Ferguson (fifth overall and first V60).

The ladies also dominated in the V45 category with Gayle Gerrard and Linda O’Byrne claiming first and second place in the category.

Louise Wall helped to complete the dominance of the V55 category, also claiming second spot behind the winner, Gwen Kinloch.

In the men’s division it was a great debut year for both Richard Pollitt and Andy Dunleavy who claimed first V40 and first V60 respectively.

Burnden also collected second place in the V55 category courtesy of a consistent

year’s running from Andrew Warburton.

Burnden return to Cross country racing action, in the South East Lancs League fixture at Heaton Park.

Some very strong performances in both races saw the men’s team finish 13th overall and third in the Vet 55-plus category. 

The ladies fared even better, finishing as the fourth team overall and first in the Vet 40-plus category.

Results: Steve Nolan (third V55, 43:51), Ed Ashton (fourth V55, 45:09), Keith Thomas (first V60, 45:40), Gareth Doherty (45:47), Andy Duffy (47:08) and Ged Turner (57:37). 

Gwen Kinloch (second L55, 34:42), Lyndsay Darbyshire (first L50, 35:05), Anne Ferguson (first L60, 35:35) and Linda O’Byrne (39:54).

Anne Ferguson completed a successful weekend by claiming first V60 and fourth lady overall at the David Staff Memorial Race in Darwen in a very competitive time of 41:45.

Three Burnden ladies took on the 5.25-mile all-ladies race in Swinton, the 29th running of the well-established race.

Shirley Staveley was the first V55 and 17th overall in a time of 40:29.

She was followed in by Gayle Gerrard (42:14) and Jane Forrest (42:47).

Further afield this weekend, Mumtaz Patel was second lady in the Swinsty and Fewston marathon, a four-lap off-road course with a total elevation of 1,688ft. She completed the course in a time of 4:15:59.

Also on her travels again was Diane Wylie, who is finishing the year strongly, this time at the Wilmslow festive 10k where she completed the course in a personal-best time of 53:56.