Bogle grabs GranshaCross Country honours

The meet also served up some excellent competitive action across the four race programme, as local athletes matched it with the best club runners from all parts of Northern Ireland/Ulster.

Promoting club City of Derry Spartans produced the winner of the featured Open 6K race, with Allan Bogle storming to a gun to tape victory ahead of the fast finishing Scott Rankin of Foyle Valley and North Belfast star Alan O’Hara third.

The Spartans also claimed both the Male and Female team honours with some impressive packing from both their squads with Marina Campbell leading home the local women in fourth place and Foyle Valley’s Martina McMullan a very good sixth.

Glady’s Ganiel of North Belfast won the Womens race ahead of the unattached Lauren Quee with another North Belfast athlete Mary Margaret Meade third.

A closely contested team contest saw the Spartans leading quartet, Campbell, Amy Jackson, Jackie McGinley and Aoife Laverty take the honours from North West rivals Springwell and Foyle Valley who had Sarah Lindsay, Charlene McIntyre and Deirdre Quigg backing up Mc Mullan.

In the Mens team contest Bogle had excellent support from Emmett McGinty, John Lenehan, Colin Roberts, Shane McGowan and Pajo Hamilton for a comfortable team win ahead of Foyle Valley who packed better to see off the challenge of North Down and North Belfast amomg others.

The Valley scorers were Rankin Chris McGuinness, a very impressive fourth th overall, Pius McIntyre, Adrian McGowan, Dara McNulty and Darren Wallace.

The supporting Juvenile races attracted big entries and also served up some great competition as the large crowd of enthusiastic spectators cheered them all lustily.

Significantly in excess of 300 runners were in action on the day as the North West Cross Country once again showcased athletics in brilliant style, despite the tough conditions.