Just like last year, the sun was shining and there was nothing but praise for the tough but enjoyable course, ran against the stunning backdrop of Alnwick Castle.
As well as every course in the series being different, the handicap system means that the winners of the races are usually different as well. With runners moving through slow, medium and fast packs throughout the season, every race provides something new but the Senior Men's race provided something very rare indeed - a winner from the fast pack!
Since his move from Eritrea after the 2012 London Olympics, Weynay Ghebresilasie has got involved in a number of local events and supported the Harrier League for the second time after his debut at the Jarrow event. In the short space of time he has spent in the region the 18 year old has become North of England U20 Cross Country Champion as well as gaining a bronze medal at last week's National Cross Country Championships. He has also helped out his new club Sunderland in the Durham Cathedral and Signals Relays.
It wasn't until the final of the three 2.1 mile laps that Weynay started to challenge the leaders. Until then it was Morpeth's 18 year old Phil Caldwell that held the lead that he built up on the first lap from Wallsend's Andy Graham. When spectators seen the speed of Ghebresilasie at the end of the second it was obvious that he was going to make it through to a top 10 but few would have thought that he was going to catch Caldwell who looked strong and was producing a mature performance against his senior counterparts.
As the leaders appeared at the top of the hill with about 600m to go it was Ghebresilasie that emerged first ahead of the brave Morpeth teenager and by the line his margin of victory was a comfortable 47 seconds.
We also spoke to Kevin Carr of the NECAA trying to remember when the last time a runner from the fast pack won the Senior Men's race. If you have any ideas then please leave your comment at the end of this article.
The team event provided more success for Sunderland as they ran out comfortable winners, having a scoring six finish in the first 32 places. In the race for the Sisterton Cup, with just one fixture remaining, Morpeth hold a 3 point lead over Gateshead and Sunderland. Tyne Bridge lead Division 2 after a 4th place finish while the first Division 3 team was Jarrow & Hebburn in 17th place overall.
For full results of the men's races please click here.
The ladies race had a similar feel to it as a teenager hit the front in the early stages and showed the older athletes how it was done!
Chloe Price has been in fine form this season and has played a big part in the success of the Durham City ladies team. Opting to run in the Senior race rather than the U20 race she took the race by the scruff of the neck to storm away to the largest winning margin of the day.
Despite having an unassailable lead, she continued to give 100% all the way to the line and came away with a huge victory of 2 minutes 51 seconds. Only Masters International, Alison Dargie of Elswick, was faster than the Durham teenager with only 3 seconds separating the pair's times at the end.
The toughness of the course meant that, like the men's race, runners from the medium and fast packs were able to work their way through quite effectively. Heaton's Lorna Young, winner at the Jarrow event, came through from the medium pack for second place and the 5th fastest time of the day.
Heaton Harriers, winners of the 2010/11 Championship took the team race and hold a 4 point lead from Tynedale going into the Prudhoe fixture. Surely it will take only a disaster for Heaton not to regain the title they lost last season but Prudhoe is renowned for being the toughest course in the series and anything could happen.
Elswick were the first Division 2 team, scoring a narrow 6 point victory from South Shields.
Full female results can be found by clicking here.
We encourage you to visit the Sportypix website for more pictures of the day and we would like to thank Steve and his team for his support and for the use of their great pictures on North East Runner.
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