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| AAA PO Box 557 Chichester PO19 9DS |
| 01928 733 067 |
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ERRA NIKE MEN’S 12 & WOMEN’S 6 STAGE NATIONAL ROAD
RELAY CHAMPIONSHIPS |
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Leeds City retained their men’s title while Aldershot, Farnham & District advanced from a close second last year to snatch women’s gold on the final leg at a sunny if slightly windy home of road relay running. Men After Adam Grice brought them home a close second at the end of the first 5.38 mile long stage in 26:22, Leeds briefly slipped out of the top three before regaining a medal spot on leg four then leading the 52 finishing teams for the whole of the second half of the race winding up 81 seconds ahead of Midland champions Notts as Belgrave snatched third on the final stage. The first leg had seen quite a tussle on the outward journey to Streetley Gate, but Andi Jones was always there or thereabouts for Salford who were trying to make amends after their initial disqualification from the Northern Championships. Also in contention were Steve Sharp for 2005 winners Belgrave, Dave Mitchinson for 2006 victors Newham and Grice for the holders, as Ewen Malloch (Woodford), Jonathan Gilby (Derby), Dave Norman (Altrincham), Robert Russell (TVH) and the rest were not just in for the ride. Eventually, pressure from Jones finally paid off and the Salford man came up the final hill clear of Grice, Sharp and Mitchinson. “I started pulling away once we got to the Jamboree Stone and pushed on, but the wind was everywhere,” said Jones, who added: “I wanted a bit quicker but it was a bit boring on the way back.” The 29-year-old then said: “we were banned after the Northern due to a runner going the wrong way, but we appealed” and Jones commented that his club really wanted to prove they were worthy of their place in the National event. Further back, there were good runs from veterans Ian Lockett (16th for Herne Hill in 27:08) and Gordon Lee (OWLS in 27:12) on a day when the over-40’s fully played their part in their senior teams’ successes before their own Masters relays next month. Fresh from his run in the London Marathon, Tomas Abyu increased the Salford advantage on the second leg, his 14:22 for the near three mile lap being the third best, as Dan Pettit brought Newham up to second ahead of Richard Weir’s Derby. “I have recovered from the marathon but I did a session yesterday as I thought the race was on Sunday,” said the slightly bemused 29-year-old. Further down the field and totally missed by most, Andy Baddeley posted the equal fifth fastest of all time of this loop. His 13:39 matched Nick McCormick’s 2007 effort and brought Harrow up 24 places to 14th. “I enjoy getting out and running for Harrow and I was really pleased with that as I trained pretty hard all week and that was just another part of the training week,” said the 25-year-old World 1500 metre finalist. He also admitted that training was going really well and he welcomed the opportunity to test his fitness. The third lap saw another leader as Zak Kihara moved Birchfield up from sixth to a near minute lead, with the second best stage time of 26:05, ahead of Kevin Skinner’s Newham and Rory Fraser who gained 17 spots for Owls after a 26:11 effort. “I took the lead at the far turn,” said 26-year-old Kihara, “but I felt a bit tired today as I did 65 minutes in the Redcar half-marathon last week,” added the Kenyan who goes back home to add some more miles in a week or so. Further back, Anthony Ford was again on form for Blackpool with a fastest stage time of 25:59, but his club were still down in 20th spot. 19-year-old Simon O’Meara kept Birchfield ahead on the fourth stage but their advantage was all but eroded, as Rob Cole closed right up for Newham but the faster times on this leg were again further back. Frank Tickner was up seven places, to 11th, for Wells, with 13:55 as Andy Vernon was next best at 14:05 for a lowly Aldershot. The fifth leg saw John Ndayesenga score a repeat fastest long stage for Birchfield as they re-established their advantage. The 26-year-old opened out 92 seconds on the rest, as it was all change behind. “It felt not too bad and it was nice to run on a home course,” said Ndayesenga. Next up was Gareth Raven, with a 26:19 for Sale, as Simon Deakin built on the gains of Leeds’ Joe Townsend to hold third. By the end of the sixth stage Birchfield were still ahead after 18-year-old Greg Dival kept them a minute clear but word began to spread that the stags had top-loaded their team and so it later proved as they lost over 12 minutes in the second half of the race. Steve Hepples had made inroads for Newham after a stage best 14:11 to advance them to second as Mike Burrett kept Leeds in the hunt. Finally the holders hit the front on the seventh lap, as Northern cross-country champion Dave Webb was round in 26:01. After a Newham slip-up and more changes behind the Leeds lead was, suddenly, well over a minute. “I went ahead at the turn,” said the 26-year-old, who added that the weather for the race was “not so hot as last year, which made it a bit easier.” Reflecting on his winter Webb added: “I didn’t make the World Cross team, which was a big disappointment.” Phil Nicholls stirred eleven times winners Tipton up to sixth with a stage best 25:58 but they were never to seriously challenge for a medal. Leeds entrusted their lead to 17-year-old James Wilkinson on the eighth leg and he didn’t disappoint, as the top three remained unchanged, he said after his 15:01: “it was quite hard out there on your own,” but he increased the margin to 97 seconds. However, there were faster times just behind as Dave Wardle was up four spots to fourth, for Woodford, after a 14:26 effort but this was topped by Jonathan Blackledge for Belgrave. His 14:18 was the stage best and finally saw the 2005 winners mounting a challenge. James Walsh kept Leeds ahead on the ninth lap, but he admitted that had “gone off too fast” and was then “struggling.” This allowed Newham’s Moumin Geele to dramatically close up after a 25:42 run that was the second best long stage of the day. “it was good but in the last kilometre I had a stitch,” that he put down to too much training. Jon Thewlis slipped back a bit for Notts, allowing Glen Comish to close for Sale after a 26:05 split as Belgrave remained in fifth. Martin Gosling had a solid 14:47 tenth leg to bring Leeds in ahead of Newham, for whom Keith Gerrard closed after a 14:26 split. “I pulled him back, but not quite enough, I probably reeled him in too quickly early on,” said the 22-year-old. Faster was Stephen Davies whose 14:18 for Belgrave closed the Southern champions to within 21 seconds of a medal slot. Former Gateshead runner Alan Buckley had a solid run in front for Leeds, on the eleventh lap, to put the Northern champions nearly two minutes clear, but there was a frantic scramble beginning behind for the minor medals. Sam Farah just squeezed in second for Newham ahead of a stage best 25:53 from Ian Boneham for Midland champions Notts. “It was difficult running on your own, but I felt nice and relaxed,” added 33-year-old Buckley. Behind, Simon Jones edged Belgrave closer to a medal chance but they were still nearly a minute adrift of the battle for silver. On the final stage for Leeds was London Marathon veterans’ winner Darran Bilton, who, defying every one of his 42 years, went sprinting off down the first hill, only to return just 14 minutes and 33 seconds later to help carry off the gold medals. “I ran a bit hard this week and finished tired,” said Bilton, before adding: “I had to do the last leg as I was serving breakfast this morning at the B&B I run. So what was happening for the minor medals behind? While Leeds were already celebrating the retention of their title, Bruce Raeside and Andy Robinson were far from relaxed as they sprinted off together in joint second in forlorn chase of Bilton. Raeside ran 14:15 to secure silver for Notts as a lack of training, due to a persistent back injury, forced Robinson to concede even the bronze medals to arch rivals Belgrave. Neil Speaight it was who finally delivered the goods with a stage best 14:09. “I caught him at the bottom of the hill but we knew it was going to be tough today,” said the 29-year-old, whose run fully confirmed that his decision to have a benign tumour removed from his lung to have been the right one. The last word went to a delighted Bilton, who said: “we have now won the National cross-country, Northern 12-stage, London Marathon and National 12-stage.” Some record over the past two months. Women  Last
year a Steph Twell inspired Aldershot had to concede to Charnwood in
this race and the European junior champion was again present to inspire
her club-mates. However, although her back injury has nearly cleared up,
it was in the role of spectator, that she watched them advance from a
slow start to finally strike gold for the first time in this event. Also
on hand to support the club was London Marathon 20th placer, a still
recovering Andrea Woodvine and the country’s top two U15s Emelia Gorecka
and Ruth Haynes in a commendable show of team spirit.None of the eventual medallists contested the leading places on the first stage, which was the same near three-mile loop as the men’s short leg. Dominant Southern winners Shaftesbury could only muster one runner and their Sarah Waldron was prominent early on before dropping back leaving Nicky Archer for Vale Royal, Jenny Blizzard for Rotherham and eventual ‘winner’ Claire Martin to head out to the Jamboree Stone. The Telford 22-year-old was pleased with her eventual 16:12, a time which stood up as the fifth best of the day and said: “I took over going up the hill and I’ve got a big pb on this course today, as I ran 16:35 in the Midlands,” on the same course. She puts her improvement down to Bud Baldero helping with her training alongside Terry Davies. Eventual winners Aldershot were down in 37th spot, as former U17 3000 metres champion Leonie Smith continued her rehabilitation into racing. It was all-change on the second leg, as Bristol’s Rebekah Randall narrowly headed Ruth Senior for Norwich, but eventual medallists were moving up behind. Louise Damen brought National cross-country winners Winchester up 25 spots to eighth after the fourth best time of the race, 16:11, while Surrey champion Emily Adams was stirring rivals Aldershot up 24 to 11th with 16:30. Randall said this was “only my third race in 12 years, but I used to run for Shaftesbury 15 years ago.” For Damen, the run represented a return to form after dropping out of the Reading half-marathon. “I had lots of stress at work (as a teacher) so I had a break but it’s so nice to get back,” she said. There was yet another club at the head of affairs on the third lap, as Tess Walker brought Salford home in the lead as Heidi Moulder held second for Bristol. “I passed Bristol at the lake,” said Walker who was pleased with her pb of 16:46. Finally Aldershot moved into the frame as Susie Bush was up seven places to third with a stage fastest 16:44 ahead of Angela Hibbs Chester-le-Street. Alyson Dixon closed that gap for the Northern champions on the fourth leg after moving through with Aldershot’s Emma Pallant. “I caught her at the bottom of the hill, but she pushed me all of the way round,” said the 29-year-old, whose 16:10 was the equal second best of the entire race after she claimed to have “pushed hard from the Jamboree Stone.” Dixon was also pleased to reveal a call up for “my first England vest for the Marseille 10km.” Pallant’s 16:27 was the seventh best of the afternoon and the 18-year-old said: “I tried to hang on, but I’ve been struggling with my breathing.” This was probably down to early season hay fever. Maxine Czarnecka inched out just a second, for Chester-le-Street, on Aldershot’s Roseanne Galligan on the penultimate lap as the top two pulled away from Salford but Emma Patel all but matched the times of the leaders in moving Winchester up four spots to fourth and a possible medal shot. “You don’t really notice what is going on behind,” said Czarnecka, “but I was a bit scared when she (Dixon) came in ahead.” Galligan, in contrast, was very watchful of the positions in the race: “I didn’t want to go off too fast and I kept my eye on her and thought I closed up a bit,” said the 20-year-old St Mary’s Primary School teaching student. Finally Aldershot hit the front almost within sight of the finish as the experienced Vicky Gill overcame a spirited run from Freya Murray, for Chester-le-Street, to secure the club’s first victory in this race. “I tried not to close too quickly just a couple of seconds a kilometre, but I just got a lead at the final turn. There was Lactic on the last hill but I really wanted to win for the team as everybody had worked so hard,” said the 27-year-old, who scraped home just four seconds clear of Murray. Their times of 16:10 and 16:29 were equal second and tenth best of the race. As Salford folded Karen Hazlitt proved that veterans can anchor medal winning teams, in both men’s and women’s races, the 40-year-old bringing Winchester up to third, well clear of Bristol and Juliette Potter’s Charnwood. Her time of 16:06 was not only her best time around this lap but also the best of the afternoon among the women but came too late to deliver a medal to the weakened Midland champions. “Jane is running for England on Thursday in Marseille and didn’t want to spoil her chances,” said Juliette of her twin sister’s absence. Of her top time today, Potter added: “I didn’t feel amazing so I was surprised (by the time) as I only did 16:18 in the Midlands. Perhaps the final word should go to Aldershot team manager Kate Haynes who concluded with: “they were very good and they really wanted to win,” of her winning sextet. Report by Martin Duff. Reproduced by generous permission of Athletics Weekly |
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This site was last updated 05-May-2008
