Fantastic trip for North stars: by Bill McGuirk, Evening Chronicle
 
AN EARLY morning start and a couple of soakings
couldn’t dampen the enthusiasm of a party of North
East athletes and friends who travelled to Edinburgh
for the World Cross-Country Championships.
 
The trip, supported by England Athletics and organised
by North Eastern Counties Cross-Country secretary
Donna Horne, proved to be a huge success.
 

Everyone was in fine voice throughout the day,
supporting all the GB athletes – and, of course, the
decibels rose every time Gateshead’s Ross Murray
appeared on the horizon.
 
Two of the party set off before the main group at 6am
as they had been selected as flag bearers to take part
in the opening ceremony, a role they performed to
perfection.
 
North East cross-country champions Phil Hurst
(Elswick) and Mary Ferrier (Gateshead) had the honour
of carrying the Qatar and United Arab Emirates colours
respectively. Despite getting a drenching, both Phil
and Mary put on a brave face, with the Newcastle
teenager saying: “What a wonderful experience. It was
worth getting up in the middle of the night for.
 
“It took a while for things to get sorted, but once we
were in position everything, except the weather, went
well.
 
“After the opening ceremony we linked up with the rest
of the party and had a really good time.”
 
Every athlete who finished in the top three in the
North Eastern Championships in Hartlepool in December
was offered the chance to go to Edinburgh free of
charge.
 
Those who took up the offer really enjoyed the
experience of seeing the world’s leading cross-country
runners at first hand.
 
When all the action was over, some of the group
managed to catch up with a number of the British
athletes who had no hesitation in posing for pictures.
 
Tynedale’s Stephanie Bruce caught up with Liz Yelling,
three of the junior women’s team which just missed out
on medals were all smiles after being surrounded by
the North East contingent, while Cumbria’s
up-and-coming star of the future Laura Park received a
huge round of applause for her outstanding effort.
 
Teessider Russell Best, bronze medallist in the
under-17 race in Hartlepool, was one of the first on
the coach at Middlesbrough, but he was still fit
enough to cover nearly every blade of grass in
Holyrood Park as he weaved his way to every vantage
point to give the British athletes support.
 
Before leaving the course, the New Marske Harrier
said: “What a great day. I wouldn’t have missed it for
the world. To be so close to so many great athletes is
amazing.”
 
Organiser Donna Horne was equally vocal, adding: “I’ve
only been involved with the cross-country committee
for a year or so, but this has definitely been the
highlight so far.
 
“The bonus for me, without a doubt, was seeing Ross
run so well.
 
“He’s a Wallsend lad and we had a few from Wallsend on
the trip, and if there had been points for the most
vocal supporters on the course, then the award would
have gone to them without any hesitation.
 
“On the coach home, the general topic of conversation
was whether we could do the same for next year’s
championships
 
“Somehow, I don’t think that will be possible as the
championships are due to be held in Jordan!”
 
The trip, which came about after a meeting of the
England Athletics Council, was the second this year,
coming on the heels of a team of athletes travelling
to Belfast for the international cross-country meeting
in January.