BURY AC took part in the first round of the Virtual Mob Match Competition – an event where runners across the North West run a 5k time trial and post times on the organiser’s website.

In the first round. Bury were matched against Team Tri Guru, an Ashton-based Triathlon club, and amassed 1,175 points versus 659.

Josh Birmingham posted the fastest time of the round with 16.21. Bury runners occupied nine out of the top 10 fastest finisher places with solid performances from Byron Edwards (16.30), Luke Harreld (17.12), Ben Coop (17.29), Patrick Babb (17.43), Paul Johnston (17.45), Andy Mellor (18.02), Jim Ardin (18.10). Hannah Price (18.24) was the fastest woman by a minute and a half.

Bury also claimed a number of best in age category placings with Mark Granby first V55 (20.18), Rachel Marshall first F40 (20.51), Katie Geelan first F45 (22.23), Roger Morley first V65 (23.32) and Susan Wheeldon-Gorst first F50 (23.45). The other Bury competitors were; Chris Whittaker (18.36), Oliver Donnelly (18.38), Matthew Garside (19.07), Matt Grice (19.07), Ben Thompson (19.37), Nicola Ryan (19.58), Sarah Thomas (20.28), Rick Anderson (20.52), Anthony Hallahan (21.00), Caitlin Cole (21.19), Harriet Griffiths (21.47), Chris Barrow (21.49), Iestyn Rimmer (22.43), Caitlyn Johnston (23.24), Lizzi Cheshire (24.36) and Steve Parker (24.39).

Bury now progress to the second round which will take place between July 5-12 and the club awaits to see which team they will be drawn against.

The club also celebrated some excellent team placings in Radcliffe AC’s Terry Nortley Memorial virtual relay.

The overall winners were Rochdale Harriers, but Bury teams occupied five of the top eight places out of the total of 120 teams in the event.