2006 - The Year That Was in Pictures

Here are a few of the many highlights from 2006: 

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Jan The year got off to a flying start when, on the 1st January, Anna Blomfield, Huma Rahman and Josefa Terim won the ladies team prize at the Joe Salt New Year's Day Awakener Race at Cowm Reservoir.  Pictured here with our very own Andy O'Sullivan MBE. 


Rob Banjac won silver in the 1500 metres during the North of England Athletics Association junior indoor championships  at Sheffield.

Rochdale juniors returned with no less than 7 medals from Greater Manchester SportsHall Championships held at Sportcity. Lorna Halliday won 2 silvers and a bronze.  Rebbeca Jones won gold and silver and Connor Franks won two silvers.
Feb 


Harriers Hat Trick at Radcliffe 12 mile trail race - Carly Needham first lady finisher , Huma Rahman first FV35 and Jan Needham first FV50.

Mar


Rob Banjac finished 4th in the National Indoor Championships, 800 metres event (under 20 age group) held at Birmingham (1 min 54.61)

10 Rochdale Harriers head south for the Wilmslow Half Marathon.   Surprisingly this was the first half marathon for many.

Our Juniors won a string of medals at the Winter Warm-Up athletics event on 19th March 2006 at Stanley Park Arena, Blackpool.

Matthew Proctor (17) entered the Senior Men’s 400m event and won the final in a time of 53.9 seconds.   Lorna Halliday won silver in the U17 category for her 100m run.  Rebecca Jones won the FU15 discuss event.  Gina Thornton made 4th place in the 200m. In the boys under 13’s, James Telford came second and Tim James 6th in the long jump and with an excellent  distance of 3.55m.   Joe Connor won the 600m final  and Liam Smith was 4th in the 600m.

 
 

Joe Salt won the Rochdale Observer Unsung Hero in Sport award.  Joe has been with the club for more than 50 years, as captain, race organiser, coach, social secretary and president. He has also made many contributions to schools' athletics.
April


Double first for Carly Needham at Wardle Skyline fell race - first Rochdale Harrier home and 1st lady finisher overall.  All that and in trainers too! 
Norman Eames, Dennis Lucas and John Mayall tackle the Three Peaks Fell Race (24m/4500')
May 

The most improved runners at the Steve Rothwell Memorial Race, compared to last year, were in order:  Jackie Leak , Anna Blomfield and  L Rhodes
June
Chris Armour completed the Paddy Buckley Round in 23 hr 31 min, despite awful conditions for the final 8 hours.  The route was 61 miles long taking in 47 peaks and 29,000 ft of ascent.  
Great turn out for the Three Day Event, despite sweltering conditions and competition from the World Cup.   Carly Needham set new ladies records for the 6 mile road race and Naden Valley MT race.

Our shiny, new  track opened at Springhill Sports Centre!
July Chairman Phil Roberts ordered sweltering weather once again for the fourth race he organised this year, the Rochdale 10K.  David Proctor finished 2nd.  David went on to win the Armthorpe 10k in August.

Dennis Lucas completed the Joss Naylor Challenge. The 48 mile route comprised 16,000ft ascent and 30 summits (including High Street, Fairfield, Bowfell, Great Gable and Steeple).

Dennis is pictured here (right) at Steeple during the challenge.

 
13th July wasn't unlucky at all. At the Bull Hill Fell Race, Mike Moran was 2nd MV 50 and 
Nigel Shaw 3rd MV55.  Meanwhile Brenda Robinson was finishing 2nd in FV60 category
 at the Sale 5K sizzler 
Aug Rochdale took three of the top four places in the Littleborough Lions 5K.  Wajib Ali (right on picture) returned to his winning ways, coasting home in 16 minutes and 15 seconds.  Junior male Matthew Proctor, running his third race in a few days, came second overall (17.33) while Kristian Robinson finished in fourth place (17.52).

Kirstin Johnson was delighted with her first ever victory - ladies  winner at the Prestwich 6 mile multi-terrain race. 

Tracey Smith showed a phenomenal rise in running performance. From a jogger 18 months ago to a proficient athlete, taking third place at Prestwich.

 
David Proctor set a new club record of 3 min 47.11 sec in the 1500m at Sportcity. This just beat 
Colin Robinson's fantastic time set in 1969.
 
The combined force of speed kings Wajib Ali, Phil Williams and Kristian Robinson
 won the silverware at the Radcliffe-based Joan Rhodes Memorial 5K.  Salford were 
pushed into second place.
Sept  The ladies team of Carly Needham, Huma Rahman and Josefa Terim won the Greater Manchester Road Relay Championships at Woodbank Park Stockport

 

Team manager Colin Robinson took Phil Roberts, Ian Stainthorpe, Mark Walker, Mike Moran, Brenda Robinson, Kris Robinson, Ray Dalby and Duncan Whitehead to Switzerland for the World Masters Athletics Championship Mountain Running.
Oct Carly Needham, Josefa Terim  and Huma Rahman do it again - victory at the SELCC fixture at Leigh.  Under 15 star Georgio Costa took  third place.  Liam Smith wins under 11's Red Rose Cross Country fixture at Bury.
Nov Coach Steve Clancy  was delighted with the youngsters' performance at the Greater Manchester Sports Hall Athletics League.

Georgio Costa had an incredible run in the six lap race to finish in first place. Laura Langley finished second in the two lap and the six lap races.   Meanwhile Liam Moore’s long jump distance of 1.56 metres resulted in a third place and Rebecca Jones won the standing long jump and was fourth in the standing triple jump. Tom Kramer also came third in the two lap race.

Gina Thornton had a tremendous run in the under 15’s cross country race as part of her winter training ahead of next year’s track season.  
Dec In the Local Clubs Fell Race Grand Prix 2006, John Mayall finished  1st MV40 and Mark Catherall (pictured) was 1st MV50

At a packed Xmas party, coaches Ray Dalby, Ian Halliday, Mark Smith, Stewart Walker, Janet Proctor, Steve Clancy and Brenda Robinson are presented with gifts by Chairman Phil Roberts to say a big "thank you" for their self-less contributions to our club over the past year.    
The men's team of Wajib Ali, Kris Robinson, David Bentley and Chris Leach gave Rochdale second place at the Greater Manchester Cross Country Championships.
John Purdy claimed innocence after being accused of trying to steal the Marl Pits cross country course

In the annual draw for 2007 London Marathon places,  the lucky winners were Kirstin Johnson, Ian Stainthorpe and Rochdale's fastest 2006 finisher David Bentley.