OF all the outstanding individual performances put in across all sports in Mid Cheshire in 2006 none can compare for endurance, strength, courage, fitness and sense of achievement with that of Becky Thorpe.

The 26-year-oldCount High School, Leftwich, student, of London Road, Northwich, rowed 3,000 miles across the Atlantic with crew-mate Steph Temperton.

They passed through hurricanes and mountainous seas during their 75 days at sea, but were accompanied by whales and saw a rainbow in the middle of the night on a never to be forgotten - or repeated - journey.

In calmer waters North-wich stalwart PAUL RAFFERTY undertook a TV challenge with Steve Redgrave to turn eight novice oarsmen into a Henley Regatta crew within 10 months. They succeeded.

Still with rowing GRAHAM DAVIES, better known as a crown green bowler at Winsford, joined the Oxford crew in the lightweight Boat Race day challenge against Cambridge, while the Grange School's EDWARD FORD was called into the British Unders' squad.

Back on the open sea, Weaverham-based ROB PARTRIDGE won the World 29ers Youth Championship and second place overall with crew-mate Dylan Fletcher.

The potential Olympic yachtsman now has a new partner and they defend the title at Argentina next month.

The Commonwealth Games at Melbourne saw former Grange School pupil and Lower Peover resident, cyclist EMMA DAVIES win a bronze medal, just months after surviving a terrible road accident on her bike.

CARL RUEBOTHAM, 40, finished sixth in the British All Rounder series.

CRAIG JONES got on his bike, too, and rode for his boyhood hero Carl Fogarty in the World Superbike Championship.

Northwich-based rugby union players BEN COUL-BECK and STEVE CAMPBELL had the thrill of playing at Twickenham for Cheshire - and winning - in the County Championship Shield.

Surprises are rare in crown green bowls which makes the achievement of Section Five Slow and Easy player TONY MALISCH in winning the Roberts Bakery Cup especially noteworthy.

Show jumper NICOLA SHONE, of Winsford, celebrated after winning the English Riding Club Team Championships with Nantwich clubmates.

Jumps of a different kind were significant for Vale Royal Athletic Club where HANNA HEWITSON was the star of a great year in athletics.

The triple jumper's national and regional medal exploits were magnificent and not only persuaded Kelly Homes to ask Hanna to join her Ambassadors for Sport but also helped persuade the Borough Council to invest nearly £14,000 in a new long jump pit at Knight's Grange.

Vale Royal advanced on several fronts and often beat big city clubs. STEPHEN MITCHELL, STEVIE STOCKTON, REBECCA CRAIGIE and HANNAH WEEDALL all won English vests and there were masters titles for MIKE WEEDALL.

In karate, EDWARD CLARE won two national titles and MATTHEW NEWTON won the Italian Open, while RUTH CHARE became Scotland's national tae kwon-do coach.