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England 5k Road Championships return to Cheshire 27 April

The England 5k Road Championships return to Kingsley, Cheshire this Friday evening 27 April. The 5k distance was added to the England Road Championship series of races in 2017, and proved popular with track, road and cross-country specialists alike.

The Championship race is part of the popular Mid-Cheshire 5k series for which entries have closed at capacity. A strong contingent of local club entries as well around 50 elite entries from across the country will gather in the quiet village of Kingsley to contest this fast course.

The course records are currently held by Ben Connor (Derby AC, Coach: Steve Vernon) and the England 5k Champion in 2017 with 14:00, whilst the women’s course record is held Lauren Howarth (Leigh Harriers AC) set last summer at 16:08. With strong elite fields lined up to battle it out for the championship titles there is a good chance that both records could be challenged.

Leeds City’s Emile Cairess (Coach: Philip Townsend) has enjoyed an excellent cross-country season and has a best of 13:59:82 on the track, looks likely to be at the sharp end of the race. Last year’s runner up Phil Sesemann (Blackheath & Bromley, Coach: Andrew Henderson) also has the track pedigree and a best of 14:09 on the roads. Charlie Hulson (Liverpool Harriers, Coach: Steve Vernon) has raced well on the Kingsley course before and as a best of 14:00 on the roads set in icy winds in Armagh earlier this year. Matthew Crehan (St Helen’s Sutton), Robbie Fitzgibbon (Brighton Phoenix, Coach: Jon Bigg), Jack Gray (Cambridge & Coleridge, Coach: Nick Price) and Frank Baddick (Newnham & Essex Beagles, Coach: George Gandy) all look likely to be in the mix.

In the women’s race looks to be equally competitive. Elle Baker (Stockport Harriers, Coach: David Turnbull) races off the back of a strong cross-country season, whilst Stevie Stockton (Leeds City, Coach: Rob Denmark) ran 16:00 at the Barrowford 5k last month. Calli Thackery (Hallamshire, Coach: Joe Franklin) has the track pedigree at 5000 metres and has been running well on the roads over 10k. Dani Nimmock (City of Norwich), Hannah Viner (Highgate Harriers) and Emily Hosker-Thornhill (Aldershot Farnham & District, Coach: Mick Woods) are also ones to watch.

The top three eligible men and women amongst the England Championship entries will be awarded medals on the night with the overall winner also being presented with the much-loved Leonard!