Bury AC members celebrated winning the Mob Match final against Wilmslow Running Club last week.

This was anticipated to be a close match given that Wilmslow had more than 80 runners in the previous round compared to Bury’s 67.

However, Bury athletes stepped up to the challenge in the final and 100 runners fielded times, compared to 78 from Wilmslow. Bury ended up as comfortable winners amassing 8,781 points to Wilmslow’s 7,166.

The Mob Match competition was organised by Crazy Legs Events and it really did catch the imagination of club members who had to log their result of a 5km time trial to the organisers.

Bury produced seven of the top 10 fastest times in the competition with new members Ian McBride (15.37) and Joseph Moores (15.41) taking the top two places and Josh Birmingham third in 16.08.

Talented young triathlete Oliver Makinson produced the sixth fastest time of 16.29.

Next was Ben Coop in 16.33 just ahead of club captain and team co-ordinator Byron Edwards whose 16.38 made him the fastest in the V45-49 category.

Luke Harreld took 10th spot (16.50) just one second faster than Andy Mellor. Sam Smyth’s 17.48 secured him first place in the boys’ 11-15 category.

Hannah Price was the fastest female by quite a margin with a very impressive 17.37.

Young Freya Potts was Bury’s second female finisher with her 19.03 performance making her the fastest in the girls’ 11-15 age category. Sarah Thomas was third female finisher for Bury (19.17) with Nicola Ryan ducking under 20 minutes again with 19.54 to give her fourth local female finisher.

Others who warrant a special mention include young Emily Purdy who was second in the 11-15 category (20.20); triple jumper David Vaughan (20.21); Donna Cartwright, running as a second claim member and taking second in the F40-44 category (20.41); Chris Barrow fourth in the V55-59 category (20.23); sprinters James Colbeck and Michael Hunter (22.54 and 22.57); Roger Morley, second in V 65-69 category (23.07) and Mike Edwards fifth in V70-74 category (27.58).

Families also turned out in numbers, including Simon, Gilbert and Hattie Vaughan and Dave, Gill and Jay Cook.