Steve Smythe continues our end-of-season merit rankings by analysing the masters performances

The masters rankings are largely based on the British Masters International and to a lesser extent the BMAF Champs, but occasionally better form in major events such as the senior National can override masters form.

Key of major events: BMAF = British Masters, BMI = British Masters International, BMR = British Masters Relay, CAU: Inter-Counties, ECR: English XC Relays, EMIA + English Masters Inter Area, Liv: Liverpool, McCon Sh = McConnell Shield, Mids: Midlands, Mil K: Milton Keynes, Nat: National; Nth: North, Sco: Scotland, Sco M = Scottish Masters, SOT = South of Thames, Sth: South, Stirl: Stirling, SWV = South West Vets

M40

Alastair Watson was the first M40 in three major senior championships but did not contest the two big masters events.

1 Alastair Watson (Notts)
49 Nat 46:48 (1 M40), 16 CAU 39:59 (1 M40), 7 Mids 38:17

2 Darren Deed (Bed C)
53 Nat 46:52 (2 M40), 26 CAU 40:27 (2 M40), 14 Sth 49:21 (1 M40), 1 Beds

3 Ross Houston (Cent)
1 BMAF 29:13, 1 Sco Mast 28:05, 13 Scot ED 29:09 (1 M40)

4 Richard Burney (Liv H)
72 Nat 47:20 (3 M40), 28 Nth 44:47 (1 M40)

5 Matt Barnes (Sale)
2 BMI (1M40) 25:21, 96 Nat 47:43 (4 M40), 43rd Nth 45:28 (3 M40), 5 Ches (1M40)

M45 

Again not easy to rank with few clashes between the contenders but British Masters International winner Terry Scott ranks top, helped by beating first M45 in the National, Gareth Raven, at the Northern race.

1 Terry Scott (Tyne B)
7 BMI 25:37 (1 M45), 56 Nth 46:26 (1 M45)

2 Mark Dalkins (Chead)
5 BMAF 30:32 (1 M45)

3 Declan Reed (Derry)
73 CAU 42:06 (1 M45), 6 NI Champs 46:32 (1 M45)

4 Gareth Raven (Sale)
212 Nat 50:12 (1 M45), 68 Nth 46:56 (2 M45)

5 Mark Couldwell (Charn)
297 Nat 51:46 (2 M45), 36 Mids (1 M45)

M50

Andy Ward’s National run ahead of Masters International winner Tim Hartley was sufficient to see him top ranked.

1 Andrew Ward (Clowne)
162 Nat 49:15 (1 M50), 10 Derb/Nott (1 M50)

2 Tim Hartley (Notts)
1 BIM 26:06, 226 Nat 50:30 (2 M50), 38 Mids 41:16 (1 M50), 3 Mids 7 37:10 (1 M50), ECR 18:13, BMR 10:19

3 Eamon White (N Bel)
2 BIM 26:26, 5 NIM 27:21 (1 M50), 21 NI 49:06 (1 M50)

4 Steve Cairns (Tyne B)
12 BMAF 30:52 (1 M50), 4 BMI 27:08 (3 M50), 12 BMAF 30:52 (1 M50), 9 Sco M 29:43 (1M50)

5 Andrew Mitchell (TVH)
5 BMI 27:14 (4 M50), 738 Nat 58:32, 239 Sth 57:31, 5 EMIA 28:23 (1 M50), 48 SOT 47:06 (1 M50)

M55

Andrew Leach won the International title and heads BMAF champion Ben Reynolds, who was also first M50 in the National.

1 Andrew Leach (N Herts)
3 BMI 26:58 (1 M55), 8 EMIA 28:45 (1 M55), 9 Herts (1 M55)

2 Ben Reynolds (THH)
13 BMAF 30:58 (1 M55), 284 Nat 51:27 (1 M55), 3 BMI 27:36 (3 M55), 112 South 54:26 (1M55), 12 Sth M 33:19 (1 M55), 33 Kt (1 M55), 1 Kent M50

3 Andy Howey (Tun W)
501 Nat 54:40 (2 M55), 263 South (2 M55), 15 Sth M 33:45 (2 M55), 35 SOT 29:27 (1 M55), 52 Kt (2 M55), 4 Kent M (2M55)

4 Simon Wright (Donc)
15 BMI 28:01 (5 M55). 1 Yks Vets, ECR 19:32

M60 

Alastair Walker won the International but was only fourth at the Scottish and third in the BMAF event so fellow Scot Colin Donnelly is clearly top.

1 Colin Donnelly (Loch)
23 BMAF 31:59 (1 M60), 22 Sco M 30:53 (1 M60), ScCR 14:29

2 Alastair Walker (Tev)
22 BMI 28:18 (1 M60), 33 BMAF 32:49 (3 M60) 49 Sco M 32:04 (4 M60), 220 Sco 44:36 (1 M60), 165 Sco SC 14:41 (1 M60), ScCR 14:44

3 Bob Atkinson (B&F)
23 BMI 28:19 (2 M60)

4 David Clarke (N Bel)
27 BMI 28:33 (3 M60), 24 McCon Sh 30:50 (2 M60)

M65

Nigel Gates (pictured) easily won at Liverpool and heads runner-up and BMAF winner David Butler.

1 Nigel Gates (West)
1 BMI 22:28, 3 SWV 24:48 (1 M65)

2 David Butler (Bill)
2 BMI 22:42, 6 BMAF 23:46 (1 M65), 2 EMIA 22:29 (1 M65), 728 Sth 67:48, 10 Esx M (1 M65), 82 Esx (1 M65)

3 Tony Martin (Falk)
4 BMI 23:13 (4 M65) 7 Sco M 26:35 (2 M65)

M70

Masters International winner Terry Eakin tops the rankings. Second was more problematical with Aintree runner-up Alex Sutherland only sixth in the BMAF and so shares second with Mick Casey and BMAF winner Arthur Daley.

1 Terry Eakin (N Down)
15 BMI 25:05 (1 M70), 26 NI M 20:18 (1 M70), 19 McCon Sh 21:05 (1 M70)

Eq 2Alex Sutherland (Inv)
18 BMI 25:17 (2 M70), 6 BMAF 29:48 (6 M70), 42 Sco M 29:45 (1 M70)

Eq 2 Mick Casey (Barn)
20 BMI 25:26 (3 M70), 16 EMIA 25:24 (1 M70)

Eq 2 Arthur Daley (Glos)
21 BMI 25:47 (4 M70), 23 BMAF 26:57 (1 M70)

M75 and over
International winner Peter Giles was narrowly beaten by former Olympian Jeff Norman at the BMAF but his form elsewhere gave him the No.1 spot as Norman had nothing to back his victory up.

1 Peter Giles (HW)
19 BMI 25:22 (1 M75), 41 BMAF 28:58 (2 M75), 21 EMIA 26:42 (1 M75), 30 VAC 33:32 (1 M75)

2 Jeff Norman (Alt)
40 BMAF 28:52 (1 M75)

3 Bobby Young (Clydes)
29 BMI 27:19 (2 M65), 6 BMAF 31:01 (1 M75), 1 Sco Vet Trial 26:16 (1 M75)

Female masters rankings are here.

Click here for senior men’s rankings and here for senior women’s. Under-20 men’s and women’s rankings can be found here and here.

Find under-17 men’s rankings here and women’s rankings here. Under-15 boys and girls rankings are here and here.

Click here for under-13 boys rankings and here for under-13 girls rankings.