Tipton, Dulwich, Leicester and Bristol win men’s titles as Charnwood, Cheshire Dragons, Bristol and Hogweed take women’s crowns in Derbyshire on Saturday

BMAF OPEN MASTERS CROSS-COUNTRY RELAY CHAMPIONSHIPS, Long Eaton, Derbyshire, October 29

Early morning rain cleared away to leave a balmy autumn afternoon where the thermometer reached 21C, Martin Duff reports.

Entries were better than in recent years and the British Masters Athletics Federation are taking steps to further open up the appeal of this event.

Women

In such conditions, the bright sunlight shone on Charnwood who dominated the women’s title race and they led from the start after Jane Potter gave them a lead over Cheshire Dragons’ Louisa Thompson on the first 3km lap.

She admitted that she “didn’t lead all the way and I’ve had a bit of a niggle,” but her 11:30 wound up fourth quickest W35 time. Then Emily Smith with 11:32 took Charnwood’s lead out to over a minute mid-race.

The third and final leg saw former European champion Gemma Steel double the advantage after posting after a course record 10:19. The 36-year-old then embarked on an eight by one-minute reps session around the local cricket pitch.

Following that extended session she was pleased to say: “It was a race record and the quickest I’ve gone for a while, as I only ran 10:36 last time. It has also given me a bit of confidence for Mansfield.”

Charnwood’s team time was also an age group record.

Behind her, Cheshire’s Joanna Marsden was hanging on with the second-best effort of 11:21.

Last year Cheshire Dragons won the W35 title but, this time, it was the W45 top slot that was theirs. They too led their age group from the start, as 57-year-old Sara Avery, who was top ranked W55 over 5km last year, gave them a few metres lead over Sale’s Anne Chinoy before Emma Crow really extended the lead mid race.

Then, Carol Parsons more than doubled the Dragons winning margin with the fastest W45 split of the day. That was 11:19 and she was then pleased to give a bit of background to her running career. “I won the Scottish Schools and was third in the junior Scottish championships as Carol Kettraino.”

Parsons also paid credit to their first leg runner, Avery, who was running an age group down from her normal W55s.

It was a similar story in the W55 age group as Bristol & West who were top W45 squad last year, led from the start before eventually winning by nearly two minutes. Their Sarah Everitt posted 12:13 on that opener and that then stood up as the best of the age group as Rosie Mushens and Clare Jolliffe brought them home.

Only three clubs contested the W65 class as Hogweed Trotters came from behind with their mid-race runner Lesley Harding fastest overall with 15:25. They closed with Caroline Lavis, the second ranked W75 over 10km, whose 16:20 was second best W65 in the race.

W35 (3x3km):

1 Charnwood 33:20 (Jane Potter (1) 11:30, E Smith (1) 11:32, G Steel (1) 10:18); 2 Cheshire 35:33 (L Thompson (2) 11:41, H Harrington (3) 12:31, J Marsden (2) 11:21); 3 Bristol & W 36:04 (J Sanzo (3) 11:45, M Monaghan (2) 12:21, K Roy (3) 11:58); 4 Notts 37:27 (J Clamp (5) 12:21, L Deacon (4) 12:38, C Charlton (4) 12:28); 5 L Eaton 38:12 (J Smith (7) 12:56, D Hartley (8) 13:50, E Venn (5) 11:26); 6 Sale 39:57 (L Cooke (4) 12:19, V Cordingley-Gaunt (7) 14:25, H Hamilton (6) 13:13); 7 Steel 41:01 (L Mella (15) 14:06, K Liddiard (10) 13:30, C Grisdale (7) 13:25); 8 Rushcliffe 41:13 (K Malone (9) 13:16, B Rushton (9) 13:55, R Brandon (8) 14:02); 9 Beeston 41:28 (L Grant (8) 13:09, S Maybanks (6) 13:24, S Wheatcroft (9) 14:55); 10 Nuneaton 41:59; 11 Holme P 42:15; 12 L Eaton B 43:59; 13 Aldridge 44:15; 14 Ripley 44:56; 15 N Derbyshire 45:17

Fastest: G Steel (Charn) 10:18; J Marsden (Chesh D) 11:21; E Venn (L Eaton) 11:26

W45 (3x3km):

1 Cheshire D 36:13 (S Avery (1) 12:20, E Crowe (1) 12:34, C Parsons (1) 11:19); 2 Sale 38:43 (A Chinoy (2) 12:24, S Smith (3) 13:33, C McCarron (2) 12:46); 3 Steel 39:25 (L Broom (4) 12:52, A Smith (4) 13:28, F Jeffries (3) 13:05); 4 Sutton In A 40:13 (L Staley (7) 13:31, K Knight (5) 13:18, T Parker (4) 13:24); 5 Redhill RR 40:32 (M Butler (6) 13:10, C Hay (2) 12:31, S Simpson (5) 14:51); 6 Bristol & W 40:46 (T Chowdhury (3) 12:47, J Ilogu (6) 14:19, L Cronin (6) 13:40); 7 Holme P41:41 (E Vanloon (8) 13:53, M Noble (7) 13:42, C Hayes (7) 14:06); 8 Mansfield 43:25 (B Armstrong (9) 13:58, J Massey (9) 14:55, C Croll (8) 14:32); 9 Holme P B 43:30 (G Granger (13) 14:36, N Jones (8) 13:56, J Chalmers (9) 14:58); 10 L Eaton 44:00 (J Barrow-Cliffe (10) 14:03, S Priestley (11) 15:26, B Peel (10) 14:31); 11 Beeston 44:27; 12 Southwell 44:32; 13 Rushcliffe 46:22

Fastest: C Parsons (Chesh D) 11:19; S Avery (Chesh D, W55) 12:20; A Chinoy (Sale) 12:24

W55 (3x3km):

1 Bristol & W 39:32 (S Everitt (1) 12:13, R Mushens (1) 13:50, C Jolliffe (1) 13:29); 2 Rushcliffe 41:24 (C Todd-McIntyre (2) 13:41, J Davis (2) 14:31, J Bramley-Maye (2) 13:12); 3 Steel 43:42 (K Scott (4) 14:07, M Taylor (3) 14:38, K Clark (3) 14:57); 4 Sale 45:27 (J Cordingley (3) 13:44, H Brint (4) 16:15, C Kinghorn (4) 15:28); 5 L Eaton 48:27 (L McQuade (5) 15:00, W Lauberts (6) 16:59, J Lewis (5) 16:28); 6 Beeston 50:39; 7 Mansfield 60:08

Fastest: S Everitt (B&W) 12:13; J Bramley-Meyer (E’cliffe) 13:12; C Jolliffe (B&W) 13:29

W65 (3x3km):

1 Hogweed 50:13 (S Crump (3) 18:18, L Harding (1) 15:35, C Lavis (1) 16:20); 2 Westbury 52:29 (H Kershaw (1) 16:50, E Noonan (2) 17:26, G Anagnostakis (2) 18:13); 3 Steel 53:07 (K Waddicor (2) 17:41, S Woodhead (3) 18:04, C Beattie (3) 17:22)

Fastest: L Harding (Hogweed) 15:35; C Lavis (Hogweed, W75) 16:20; 3 H Kershawe (W’bury) 16:50

Men

The three youngest men’s age groups’ race began after the women’s prize presentations and two of the 2021 winning clubs retained their titles.

So, Tipton retained the M35 race over five stages but their Tom Holden was headed by Leeds’ John Beattie and Long Eaton’s Ryan Haw on the opener.

Beattie ran 9:39, a time that wound up second best of the afternoon and he said: “I ran from the front but he (Haw) was always there.” He then expressed disappointment that he had not been able to extend a sub-30 run, of 10km, at Leeds the previous week: “I’ve done 13 years under-30 and I am going to Telford to try and extend it.”

Beattie ran for England in the 2010 Commonwealth Games 10,000m.

Haw’s 9:42 was fourth best.

Leeds then dropped back as Darlington Magalela took Long Eaton ahead but Tipton’s Robert Meredith closed right up to a couple of ticks with 9:53 and they were then to take the lead on the middle leg as Martin Williams gave them a narrow lead.

That was over Salford’s Karl Darcy, second quickest last year, but the best this time after a 9:30 split. “He said: “I didn’t realise that I had run so quickly.”

Ben Gamble and, finally Joe Smith with a third best 9:41 saw Tipton home by just under a minute.

Gareth Raven was narrowly first home on the opening stage of the M45 contest, with 10:16, as Leeds were right there through Jonathan Walton. They remained second on stage two as Dulwich Runners’ Tom South went through to the lead with 10:24.

A 10:04 split on the third leg then saw Leeds Mike Burrett give his club a sizeable lead after a 10:04 clocking that was to then stay as the best M45 time of the day.

Dulwich’s Buzz Shephard then overhauled Leeds’ Greg Hull with a 10:29 and then handed over to Andy Bond, who has been selected for the England team for the soon up Masters International, and he comfortably extended the lead to just under a minute with a 10:13 split that was the M45’s second quickest clocking.

Running over just four stages and therefore finishing before their younger brothers, the M55’s efforts were largely obscured but Leicester Coritanian retained their title.

Gordon Lee gave them a narrow first stage lead with 10:44, three seconds quicker than Steve Watmough’s Warrington as their times were overall second and third best.

Leicester dropped back as Brighton’s Phoenix club went ahead after two legs, thanks to Shane Snow’s 11:36 before Gareth Deacon took them into a 50-metre lead on the penultimate leg with a 11:39.

Then it was Phil Makepeace who front ran the fastest leg of the age group, 10:41, for a 40 second win over Salford. He said: “they put me in a good position.”

The men’s M65 ran with the women and, after David Gill had given Warring ton a first lap lead by passing course age group record holder Stan Owen within sight of the finish.

He was pleased with his effort and said: “I won the Leeds Abbey Dash (M65) with 39:00, last week.” It was then Bristol & West who came through to win after Peter Mountain took them ahead mid race before David Bedwell produced the fastest M65 lap of 12:19 and victory by more than two minutes.

“Cross-country isn’t my usual thing, but it’s flat and firm and perfect for lovely training,” said the many-time British Masters middle-distance champion.

The second-best effort went to many-time champions Oxford City’s Brian Green. He revealed to Athletics Weekly that he had been doing some research into runners’ ailments such as Atrial Fibrillation. This backed up the earlier research by your correspondent and found a high incidence of such a problem amongst older runners.

M35 (5x3km):

1 Tipton 49:27 (T Holden (3) 9:57, R Meredith (2) 9:53, M Williams (1) 10:05, B Gamble (1) 9:51, J Smith (1) 9:41); 2 Salford 50:21 (B Lima (4) 10:03, R Hughes (3) 10:26, K Darcy (2) 9:30, P Bannister (3) 10:35, C Hardman (2) 9:47); 3 L Eaton 50:55 (R Haw (2) 9:42, D Magalela (1) 10:06, D Hawley (3) 10:20, A Vize (2) 10:25, A White (3) 10:22); Nuneaton 53:17 (C Jordan (5) 10:12, D Rowen (4) 10:23, A Massey (4) 11:07, L Melling (4) 11:00, I Mansell (4) 10:35); 5 Newark 53:23 (G Gregory (15) 11:04, L Marshall (10) 10:22, R Lindsay (6) 10:48, D Robinson (6) 11:06, J Bailey (5) 10:03); 6 Rotherham 53:24 (G Sampson (9) 10:31, P Hoole (6) 10:37, S Clegg (5) 11:00, R Hastey (5) 10:42, A Johnson (6) 10:34); 7 Mansfield 54:34 (C Monk (16) 11:13, G Berzins (18) 11:49, D Nugent (10) 10:07, M Bottomore (10) 11:22, K Watson (7) 10:03); 8 Milton K 55:07 (G Jones (10) 10:37, M Clarke (13) 11:17, M Dowson (11) 11:22, I Wood (8) 10:37, N Smith (8) 11:14); 9 Sale 57:12 (T Stephenson (14) 10:43, A Curvis (11) 11:05, P Barrett (13) 12:25, O Gaillemin (11) 11:31, J Smalley (9) 11:28); 10 Cannock & S 57:18 (M Blundell (12) 10:41, J Biddle (9) 10:44, C Pearson (9) 11:03, M Clare (12) 13:28, J Price (10) 11:22); 11 Coventry G 57:55; 12 Rushcliffe 58:05; 13 Redhill RR 58:54; 14 Nuneaton 58:58; 15 Holme P 59:17

Fastest: K Darcy (Salf) 9:30; J Beattie (Leeds) 9:39; J Smith (Tip) 9:41

M45 (5x3km):

1 Dulwich R 52:48 (A Russell (3) 10:22, T South (1) 10:24, A Loftus (2) 11:20, B Shephard (1) 10:29, A Bond (1) 10:13); 2 Leeds 53:46 (J Walton (2) 10:18, M Roscoe (2) 11:04, M Burrett (1) 10:04, G Hull (2) 11:34, M Hill (2) 10:46); 3 Salford 54:47 (B McCartney (7) 10:49, D Hudson (4) 11:07, M Collier (3) 10:53, S Warburton (3) 10:56, M Russell (3) 11:02); 4 Sale 56:34 (J Bowers (11) 11:25, M Hatch (11) 11:45, S McCarron (6) 10:50, R Edwards (5) 11:10, M Spragg (4) 11:24); 5 E Cheshire 57:07 (G Raven (1) 10:16, D Smith (3) 11:30, J Aust (4) 11:25, C Hodskinson (4) 11:55, D Thomas (5) 12:01); 6 Wirral 57:17 (J MacKie (5) 10:25, S Spence (8) 12:02, A Fraser (7) 11:40, M Hulmston (8) 11:45, C Phillips (6) 11:25); 7 Sutton In A 57:29 (D Cass (6) 10:35, P Whittingham (5) 11:27, W Lowe (5) 11:56, N Burnside (7) 11:50, T Clayton (7) 11:41); 8 L Eaton 58:03 (M Rocchelli (9) 11:12, T King (10) 11:55, I Chant (10) 11:25, P Lewis (9) 11:37, G Riches (8) 11:54); 9 Cannock & S 58:46 (A Cotterill (10) 11:23, M Shephard (6) 10:59, M Green (9) 12:09, D Wilde (10) 12:08, P Lester (9) 12:07); 10 Halesowen 58:51 (M Turner (8) 10:52, B Gardner (9) 12:13, D Lewis (8) 11:21, A Yapp (6) 10:47, J Ludlow (10) 13:38); 11 Mansfield 59:51; 12 Rotherham 62:28; 13 Redhill RR 64:30; 14 Beeston 66:00

Fastest: M Burrett (Leeds) 10:04; A Bond (Dulw R) 10:13; G Raven (E Chesh) 10:16

M55 (4x3km):

1 Leicester C 45:15 (G Lee (1) 10:44, R Sheen (2) 12:11, G Deacon (1) 11:39, P Makepeace (1) 10:41); 2 Salford 45:55 (D Crewe (4) 11:17, G Dale (3) 11:49, S Chambers (2) 11:42, P Leybourne (2) 11:07); 3 Cambuslang 46:12 (K Newberry (6) 11:46, C Feechan (4) 11:49, D Thom (4) 11:42, C Upson (3) 10:55); 4 Brighton Phoenix 46:31 (A Haines (3) 10:54, S Snow (1) 11:36, P Grabsky (3) 12:29, S Atkinson (4) 11:32); 5 Beeston 46:43 (M Lyons (7) 11:56, S Barnes (6) 12:19, J Hunt (5) 11:39, A Taplin (5) 10:49); 6 Warrington 48:22 (S Watmough (2) 10:47, P Hicken (5) 13:26, D Newman (6) 12:10, S Ogden (6) 11:59); 7 Peterborough & NV 49:28; 8 Sheffield RC 50:15; 9 L Eaton 52:18; 10 Beeston B 54:03

Fastest: P Makepeace (Leic C) 10:41; G Lee (Leic C) 10:44; S Watmough (Warr) 10:47

M65 (3x3km):

1 Bristol & W 38:06 (J Goodland (3) 13:00, P Mountain (1) 12:47, D Bedwell (1) 12:19); 2 Warrington 38:34 (D Gill (1) 12:33, M Ward (2) 13:18, D Watson (2) 12:43); 3 Redhill RR 39:43 (S Pascoe (4) 13:33, D Gibbons (3) 12:32, R Poynter (3) 13:38); 4 Sheffield 39:51 (M Quinn (5) 13:51, L Morton (5) 13:12, R Pearson (4) 12:48); 5 Oxford C 40:19 (J Exley (8) 14:17, B Green (4) 12:30, B Vaughan (5) 13:32); 6 Belper 42:05 (R Banks (6) 14:10, R Morgan (6) 14:20, M Weir (6) 13:35); 7 Leamington 43:04; 8 Beeston 43:56; 9 Salford 45:05; 10 Charnwood 45:31

Fastest: D Bedwell (B&W) 12:19; B Green (Oxf C) 12:30; D Gibbons (Red RR) 12:32