Cofton Park on Saturday 19/02/2005 8 Km (Senior Ladies)
Saucony sponsored the seventy-third Senior Women's National Cross-Country Championships at Cofton Park in Birmingham. The course was 8km of undulating parkland and was expected to be a good test for cross-country runners.
The talk prior to the race was about who could stop 2003 champion Hayley Yelling (Windsor, Slough, Eton, & Hounslow AC) from winning the race. Amy Stiles was the Midland champion and was most likely to challenge Hayley.
In the initial phase of the race only Charlotte Dale (Invicta East Kent AC) could stay with the fierce tempo set by 31-year-old Yelling, but by halfway Yelling had a clear lead and looked odds on for the individual title. Yelling ran out winner in 28:21, 30 seconds ahead of Charlotte Dale with Hattie Dean (Radley AC) in third, 2000 winner Tara Krzywicki (Charnwood AC) was fourth.
Hayley Yelling (Windsor, Slough, Eton, & Hounslow AC) on her way to victory in the senior ladies' race
Maths teacher Hayley Yelling told Athletics Weekly: "It was tough. When you weren't running up a hill you seemed to be running against the wind but its always nice to win. I've not been feeling that well in training and I'm not in great shape but I felt good today and felt I had a little bit left, which is always nice."
Hattie Dean (Radley AC) bronze medalist in the senior ladies' race
Bristol & West AC retained the team title edging Charnwood AC by a mere 2 points, Charnwood had their quartet in the first 21 with Bristol's runners coming home inside the first 24. Tipton Harriers picked up bronze medals. Lucy Hasell led Bristol home in fifth, shortly followed by Amy Stiles in sixth, Dorothea Lee was twentieth and Caroline Kloiber twenty-fourth.