THE freezing wind and waterlogged course made it a hard day for competitors in the third of the four Red Rose Cross League fixtures at Bolton’s Leverhulme Park.

Bury counted three individual victors in the races with Francis Woodcock winning the under-13s boys race in an exciting sprint finish while Oliver Makinson won the u15 boys event, just ahead of club mate Ben Forrest, and Sophie Whittaker was a clear winner in the u17s ladies race.

Bury also registered seven team victories.

The u11s boys notched the first victory of the day with Gilbert Vaughan producing an excellent run to secure fifth place. Noah Carter was just one place behind and Rory Pixton was the team's final counter in 10th, giving a team score of 21, one point ahead of second-placed Blackburn.

Next team win went to the u13s girls, with Daisy Worthington finishing strongly to take third place, supported by Charlotte Farnworth (10th) and Erin Kenyon (11th).

Their collective score of 24 eased them 4 points ahead of a strong Rossendale team.

Makinson and Forrest finished first and second in the u15s boys race, and George Yates ran strongly to take 11th, giving Bury a clear team victory over Leigh Harriers.

The u17s men packed well to bring them the team victory. Sam Brooks was fifth place, Patrick Watson took eighth and Iestyn Rimmer was 11th to seal victory over Clayton-Le-Moors.

There was extra reason for joy for the u20s women, with Christie Cook celebrating her birthday by leading the team home to victory, taking third place ahead of Lauren Booth (fourth) and Eleanor Boyle (seventh).

Not to be outdone by the ladies, the u20s men’s team also secured team victory, with Benn Heywood taking fifth, supported by an improving Jack Brown (eighth) and Rob Granby (ninth).

The final team victory of the day came from the senior ladies.

Caitlin Cole, who had travelled down from Edinburgh University to support the team, ran an excellent race to take third.

Primary schoolteacher Laura Evans was sixth, just ahead of ladies team captain Donna Cartwright in eighth.

Their collective score of 17 points put Bury 36 points ahead of second-placed Accrington.

Cartwright (fourth) was Bury’s first counter in the veteran ladies event, with Katie Geelan (fifth) hot on her heels. Jenny Yates underlined her improvement to take 32nd to bring the Bury team home in third.

The senior men were also third. Ben Coop shrugged off injury to take 15th, with Jim Ardin taking 19th place and holding off the fast-finishing Dave Cullen.

Experienced Ironman competitor Tony Cullen produced his best cross country run of the season to take 24th, followed by Benn Heywood (35th) and Jack Brown (81st).

The men were also third in the veterans race. Tony Cullen and Ardin were supported by Les Smalley and Giles Bennett to wrestle third place from Trawden by just one point.

In the other age categories, there were good runs from Freya Potts and Katie Rayner for the under 11girls team and Lucy Alcock and Ellie Carter for the under 15 girls team. It was marvellous to see so many Bury vests in all of the races over the afternoon.

Special mention should also be made to Bury official Jean Simpson MBE, who braved the freezing wind in the finishing funnel for many hours when the night before she had been honoured by Bury Council with an Unsung Hero Award for her work for local athletics.