Woodcock-Shaw set for Yorkshire appearance

Spenborough Athletics Club’s Josh Woodcock-Shaw continued his fine cross country season by finishing seventh in the Yorkshire Cross Country Championships held at Lightwater Valley last Saturday.

The Leeds University medical student’s performance will place him a strong position to be selected to represent Yorkshire in the Inter Counties race later in the season.

Josh led the Spen runners to eighth team position of the 21 teams.

The club’s most consistent runner Kevin Ogden led the rest of the team in 49th place followed by Simon Bolland (63rd), Tom Dart (92nd), Neil Barker (103rd) and Martin Hall (108th).

The Spen runners also finished a B team that placed 20th.

Gerard Skippins led them in 137th place followed by Ian Ogden (152nd), Ian Wilson (156th), Stephen Hunt (163rd), Darren Wake (189th) and Grant Cooper (213th). Jonathan Thewlis from Nottingham won the race.

Two of Spen’s best juniors runners, Liam Stedman and Paul Davis finished fifth and sixth respectively in the men’s Under-20 race and both are rewarded with places in the Yorkshire team.

In the senior women’s race Natasha Geere finished 71st in a race won by Alex Bell from Pudsey.

Sarah Barker (139th) and Sharon Cooper (153rd) also took part.

In the younger athlete’s races Tobin Rhodes placed 25th in the Under-17s men’s race and Courtney Benson led the Under-15 girls to 10th team place. Courtney placed 51st with Alice Cooper 53rd and Lydia Hall 57th.