North East Masters Athletics Association Cross Country Championships

The annual North East Masters Athletics Association Cross Country Championships
were held at Burn Closes Dene, Willington Quay, Wallsend on Saturday 6th February,
and there was an excellent turnout of Veteran athletes, including ten from Morpeth Harriers.
Morpeth Harriers also had four age category winners on the day,
plus a team victory by athletes from their Male Over 55 squad.

When finishing fourteenth in the Male 35 to 64 event,
Paul Waterston won the Over 50 section by two places
and forty seconds from Low Fell’s Lawrence Johnson.

David Nicholson was a clear winner of the Over 60 section
when finishing 51st, from South Shields Harrier Peter Walker,
who finished 72nd, one place ahead of Morpeth’s Gavin Bayne,
who took the Bronze medal.

Nicholson also led a three man Morpeth Harriers squad that included Bayne,
plus Paul Bellingham, who finished 63rd overall, that took the Over 55 Veteran Men’s team title.

Morpeth’s Paul Bentley finished fourth overall in the Over 65 Male event, and he was first in the Over 70 category.
In the same event Morpeth’s Walter Ryder finished eleventh overall, and was first Over 75 Veteran Man.

Other Morpeth Harriers competing in the Championships were John Butters (4th) (2nd O/40),
Fergus Bates (10th) (3rd O/45), Mike Steven (84th) (14th O/55), and Archie Jenkins (97th) (8th O/60).