Competitive and quality races at Birkenhead, Sutton Park and Aldershot show British road relay running at its finest

MIDLANDS ROAD RELAYS, Sutton Park, September 23

Birchfield Harriers came from behind to win the senior mens race, while Western Tempo were convincing womens winners, Martin Duff reports.

On a bright day that began in glorious autumn sunshine, the young athletes were away first and the Wreake & Soar Valley club took all three girls events.

In an effort to bolster participation, Midland Counties reduced the distance for the two youngest age groups but uptake was on a par with recent years.

Men
The final event of the day had been the senior and veteran mens event and Bristol & West looked to be heading for victory as they led for the first four 5.88km laps. However, word spread that Birchfield were finishing with Omah Ahmed and Kadar Omar and the pair duly delivered, with the two fastest mens race laps.

Ahmed, who has been on good form all summer, took over in fifth spot on stage five and, after just 16:52, brought them home narrowly ahead of the Birmingham Running and Triathlon (BRAT) outfit.

He said: I wasnt feeling well as my back was in pain, but this did not seem to hamper his performance.

Ahmed added, about his citizenship status: I have been here nearly 10 years but need three more to qualify.

The 26-year-old said that he is running 100 miles a week and will probably contest the Great South Run on the weekend of the National 6-stage.

Omar then finished the job with a 17:12 clocking and victory went to the Stags by 57 seconds.

Earlier Jack Millar had won the opening stage with 17:34, ahead of Rugby & Northamptons Josh Lay in a time that stayed as the fourth best of the afternoon, as Birchfield were back in 11th spot before moving up to fifth with Dominic Smith on the second stage.

After Telfords Dan Galloway had made an early bid for glory by breaking clear and then still leading after the opening 800-metre loop, Millar said: I was near the front and accelerated going out up the hill, then I pushed it on the dog-leg.

Then, it was Daniel Studleys 18:12, for Bristol, again with Rugby snapping at his heels who led, before Max Davis, with a third best of the race 17:30, gave the west-country team a 36 second lead at the half-distance ahead of BRATs Charlie Davis.

Bristol then wheeled out veteran John Thewlis but lost ground to BRATs Jethro McGraw and Western Tempos Dom James.

Then it was all over as Ahmed and Omar completed the job for Birchfield. Omar said of his recent runs: this year has been good and, of his second quickest time, added: the boys did most of the work. He was reticent about his racing future, saying: I enjoy what I am doing, but have no races planned.

Men (65.88km): 1 Birchfield 1:46:49 (J Vaughan (15) 18:25, D Smith (5) 18:01, E Banks (4) 18:07, J Bennett (5) 18:12, O Ahmed (1) 16:52, K Omar (1) 17:12); 2 BRAT 1:47:45 (A Hill (14) 18:24, J Tuffin (3) 17:46, C Davis (2) 17:45, J McGraw (2) 17:55, A Peacock (2) 17:50, J Stolberg (2) 18:05); 3 Bristol & West 1:47:51 (J Millar (1) 17:34, D Studley (1) 18:15, M Davis (1) 17:30, J Thewlis (1) 18:12, A Stewart (3) 18:18, B Robinson (3) 18:02); 4 Western Tempo 1:48:00 (M Nelson (6) 18:01, J Bancroft (4) 18:24, B Price (5) 18:15, D James (3) 17:37, D Gillett (4) 17:53, C Jones (4) 17:50); 5 Swindon 1:50:50 (B Lines (16) 18:28, H Woods (9) 18:20, F Hart (8) 19:04, S Byrne (7) 17:37, L Byrne (7) 18:46, M Woodward (5) 18:35); 6 Rugby 1:50:59 (J Lay (2) 17:40, H Arnall (2) 18:15, A Wright (3) 18:12, B Musgrove (4) 18:20, N Bennett (5) 19:09, L Starr (6) 19:23); 7 N Somerset 1:51:03 (M Howard (8) 18:12, T Gostelow (7) 18:18, A Hocking (6) 18:35, B Hamblin (6) 18:23, J Gentry (6) 18:27, W Cheek (7) 19:08); 8 W Tempo B 1:51:50 (T Evetts (24) 18:46, L Davis (11) 18:17, P Wylie (7) 18:29, M Brunnock (8) 18:23, H James (8) 19:10, D Owen (8) 18:45); 9 Notts 1:52:37 (S Spencer (10) 18:15, M Williams (15) 19:11, G Phillips (11) 18:47, J Holland (9) 19:02, A Watson (9) 17:53, M Tkue (9) 19:29); 10 BRAT B 1:53:15 (D Robinson (22) 18:42, S Turner (24) 19:29, J Williamson (16) 18:50, W McKemey (13) 18:54, P Townsend (10) 18:52, H Brocklehurst (10) 18:28); 11 T Bath 1:53:42 (D Stoneman (12) 18:22, A Pritchard (23) 19:45, A Daniel (20) 19:10, E Avis (17) 18:50, S Barry (13) 18:55, J Davies (11) 18:40); 12 Shrewsbury 1:53:52 (L Rawlings (29) 19:07, E Garamszegi (17) 18:30, P Aston (15) 19:22, M Costello (10) 18:41, C Costello (14) 19:32, D Husbands (12) 18:40); 13 Coventry G 1:54:02 (S Hudspith (7) 18:11, P Clisham (10) 18:44, J Hnatushka (9) 19:09, J Mcleod (12) 19:41, W Fuller (11) 19:14, N Woolley (13) 19:03); 14 Tipton 1:55:11 (N Hardy (18) 18:33, M Banks (13) 18:42, J Read (19) 19:59, J Smith (16) 18:51, R Carpenter (12) 18:55, T Bentley (14) 20:11); 15 W Tempo 1:55:15 (L Colahan (44) 19:35, T Whetton (44) 20:17, A Jones (36) 19:44, A Lee (27) 18:34, J Denne (18) 18:49, S Derrett (15) 18:16); 16 Mansfield 1:55:30 (A Hampson (5) 17:48, L Boswell (8) 18:54, J Greenhalgh (10) 19:30, B Burnham (11) 19:30, B Caress (15) 20:04, J Boam (16) 19:44); 17 Worcester 1:55:39 (G Beardmore (3) 17:41, L Roberts (18) 20:00, S Davey (21) 19:40, A Wilson-Spence (14) 18:38, A Pollock (17) 20:53, A Jeavons (17) 18:47); 18 Stoke 1:55:59 (S Janally (27) 19:03, S Fisher (28) 19:28, S Marriott (25) 18:59, L Hendricken (18) 19:14, J Arnold (16) 19:16, A Dennett (18) 19:59); 19 Leamington 1:56:26 (S Doxey (35) 19:15, F Knowles (19) 18:27, D Mawby (17) 19:28, J Sispal (21) 20:02, C Rawcliffe (24) 20:47, B Kampola (19) 18:27); 20 Wolverhampton & Bilston 1:56:34 (D Turner (28) 19:04, H Dyall (32) 19:39, T Hawley (27) 19:34, J Neilson (24) 19:12, L Lambeth (23) 19:50, R Meredith (20) 19:15); 21 Swindon 1:56:35; 22 Westbury 1:57:14; 23 Bromsgrove & Redditch 1:57:24; 24 Birchfield B 1:57:40; 25 Newark 1:58:12; 26 B&W B 1:58:34; 27 Telford 1:59:18; 28 Notts B 1:59:22; 29 B&W C 1:59;23; 30 R Sutton Coldfield 1:59:25
Fastest: Ahmed 16:52; Omar 17:12; Davis 17:30; Millar 17:34; Byrne/James 17:37

Masters
Mansfield led throughout the M40 age group of the mens race after Paul Wrights opening 18:31 a time that then stood up as the quickest of the race, ahead of Ian Williams 18:43 for Tipton. All four of the Mansfield runners were in the top ten fastest.

M40 (65.88km): 1 Mansfield 1:55:44 (P Wright (1) 18:21, J Bailey (1) 18:50, D Wheat (1) 19:53, K Watson (1) 18:53, D Cass (1) 20:26, D Nugent (1) 19:21); 2 Tipton 1:56:42 (T Holden (6) 19:42, D Perry (4) 19:41, B Gamble (2) 18:58, I Williams (2) 18:43, G Whitehouse (2) 19:42, M Williams (2) 19:56); 3 BRAT 2:00:42 (R Vaughan (7) 19:48, S Dunsby (5) 19:45, A Tsolakis (3) 19:49, C Bailey (3) 20:20, A Adedimeji (3) 20:34, M Pollard (3) 20:26); 4 Worcester 2:02:04 (R Campbell (12) 20:38, D Geisler (7) 19:18, D Price (7) 20:58, D Kirby (5) 21:07, T Farnsworth (4) 19:37, M Fritchley (4) 20:26); 5 T Bath 2:02:58 (D Jones (3) 19:19, A Fooks (3) 19:41, S Brace (4) 20:24, M Treby (6) 23:14, J Donald (6) 20:49, P Grist (5) 19:31); 6 Royal Sutton Coldfield 2:03:18 (R Burman (9) 20:00, O Harradence (6) 19:38, T Davies (5) 20:29, M Rickards (4) 21:02, R Naylor (5) 20:37, S Lumsden (6) 21:32); 7 Bromsgrove & R 2:06:15 (N Dale (14) 21:04, S Beverley (13) 22:03, D Thomas (10) 21:03, B Elesmore (10) 20:53, W Watkins (8) 20:52, P West (7) 20:20); 8 W&B 2:08:30 (J Hart (2) 19:10, D Brazier (8) 22:07, R Amor-Wilkes (9) 22:25, R Cartwright (9) 21:04, D Milligan (9) 22:30, A Atkinson (8) 21:14); 9 Telford 2:09:08 (P OBrien (13) 20:46, D Gapper (10) 21:16, D Hands (13) 23:08, D Onyango (11) 20:23, J Wilson (12) 23:29, P Ward (9) 20:06); 10 Nuneaton 2:09:09 (C Jordan (4) 19:28, D Rowen (2) 19:22, A Massey (6) 21:45, P Smith (8) 22:21, A Parkes (7) 22:34, C Hamer-Hodges (10) 23:39); 11 Rugby & N 2:10:46; 12 Halesowen B 2:11:31; 13 BRAT B 2:14:47; 14 Holme P 2:17:10; 15 Wreake 2:19:32
Fastest: Wright 18:31; Williams 18:43; Bailey 18:50
141 senior and Masters mens teams finished

Women
The senior women ran their normal lap of 4.33km and, while holders Charnwood started well through Mia Atkinsons fastest overall lap of 14:25, for the opening circuit they finished just outside the medals in fourth spot. She said: I have not raced since May so this was my first race back.

It was Western Tempo, originally formed out of the Cheltenham club but who now attract newcomers from elsewhere, who came through with a consistent quartet. Their runners all ran within 21 seconds of each other and it was Jordan Matthews who took them ahead on stage two after Abbie Milnes had given them a solid start in third, on the opener, finishing behind Atkinson and Wreake & Soar Valleys Bethan Homer, whose 14:49 stood as the third best.

Jordan Matthews ran second for the winners and then Lauren Cooper took the advantage out to nearly a minute as Team Bath moved up, to second, but they could not maintain their momentum as Bryony Gunn gained four places at the death to give Birchfield the silver medals with the second fastest time of 14:37. This was behind Western Tempos Megan Marchant, whose 15:53 was fourth quickest and their club had three of the top ten times. She said: we were third last year but most of the team are new to the club.

(44.33km): 1 W Tempo 60:18 (A Milnes (3) 14:58, J Matthews (1) 15:13, L Cooper (1) 15:14, M Marchant (1) 14:53); 2 Birchfield 62:38 (R Straw (7) 15:26, R Nicholls (6) 16:09, E Watters (6) 16:26, B Gunn (2) 14:37); 3 T Bath 62:43 (F Spruit (6) 15:24, B Francis (4) 15:45, A Domville (2) 15:12, A Wallace (3) 16:22); 4 Charnwood 62:55 (M Atkinson (1) 14:25, G Tongue (2) 16:18, A Seager (3) 16:25, J Potter (4) 15:47); 5 Stoke 63:39 (E Taylor (4) 15:12, D Sherwin (3) 15:45, A Aberley-Barker (4) 16:31, N Nokes (5) 16:11); 6 Rugby & N 64:05 (L Stevens (17) 16:23, M Jacks (14) 16:44, A Belcher (7) 14:55, R Andrews (6) 16:03); 7 Bristol & W 64:35 (K Mactear (12) 15:44, A Ford (10) 16:43, K Entwistle (5) 15:33, H Green (7) 16:35); 8 W B 64:39 (I Padfield (13) 15:58, A Bullingham (9) 16:07, J Rockliffe (8) 16:10, E Powell (8) 16:24); 9 Leamington 66:20 (R Gifford (5) 15:13, R Gugutkova (11) 17:17, M Williamson (11) 17:01, Z Hadfield (9) 16:49); 10 Shrewsbury 66:34 (L Cooper (8) 15:27, J Cook (7) 16:33, R Handley (10) 17:16, N Cook (10) 17:18); 11 Wreake & Soar V 66:47 (B Homer (2) 14:49, L Bryan (5) 16:39, J Smith (12) 18:51, I Wrightam (11) 16:28); 12 Birchfield B 67:05 (M Beesley (26) 16:50, S McManus (12) 15:50, V Weir (9) 16:32, S Watters (12) 17:53); 13 Stroud 67:32 (E Chandler (15) 16:16, G Greenwood (18) 17:18, T Bird (14) 17:49, K Newcombe (13) 16:09); 14 Tipton 67:50 (K Hawkins (9) 15:30, S Banks (17) 17:55, M Woodward (20) 18:37, J Charlton (14) 15:48); 15 Bristol & W B 68:54 (M Powell (30) 17:07, D Sinclair (21) 17:24, C Buckeridge (17) 17:05, S Everitt (15) 17:18); 16 Huncote 69:20 (M Ribton (24) 16:47, T Tosh (32) 19:14, N Nealon (22) 17:08, R Nealon (16) 16:11); 17 Mansfield 69:24 (M Johnson (27) 16:53, G Manson (20) 17:22, P Roadley (19) 17:45, S Toyn (17) 17:24); 18 RSC 69:39 (O Harris (22) 16:39, G Delaney (16) 16:35, E Humpherston (16) 18:18, C Tarnowski (18) 18:07); 19 W Tempo 69:44 (A Watson (14) 16:07, B Teague (15) 17:01, I Broady (13) 17:56, R Jones (19) 18:40); 20 Kenilworth 70:01 (A Fuller (10) 15:35, L Pettifer (13) 17:32, J Vaughan (15) 18:17, L Andrews (20) 18:37); 21 Worksop 71:04; 22 Bromsgrove & R 71:11; 23 Stoke B 71:22; 24 Bournville 71:23; 25 Notts 71:25; 26 BRAT 71:46; 27 Halesowen 72:25; 28 Tipton B 72:39; 29 Shrewsbury B 72:42; 30 Lichfield 72:47
Fastest: Atkinson 14:28; Gunn 14:37; Homer 14:49; Marchant 14:59; Belcher 14:55; Milnes 14:58

Masters
Team Bath dominated the masters womens race after Amber Gascoigne, the former junior international, posted the fastest time on the opening stage with 14:55.

Catherine Dale then kept them ahead on two before Laura Parsonage ran the second quickest in the separately scored veterans race with 15:46, before Ruth McKean brought them home nearly three minutes clear of CLC Striders.

It should be noted that 41-year-old Juliet Potter ran 15:47 in the senior womens section.

W40 (44.33km): 1 T Bath 65:49 (A Gascoigne (1) 14:55, C Dale (1) 18:36, L Parsonage (1) 15:46, R McKean (1) 16:32); 2 CLC 68:43 (K Telford (3) 16:45, R Vines (3) 18:00, H Knight (2) 16:28, L Bradshaw (2) 17:30); 3 Bromsgrove & R 68:52 (F Stanyard (6) 17:14, L Vaughan (5) 17:55, L Thomas (3) 16:07, T Freeman (3) 17:36); 4 Westbury 68:53 (T Chick (8) 17:35, S Voller (6) 17:44, K Hughes (4) 16:51, C Treble (4) 16:43); 5 Wolverhampton & B 69:12 (H Creamer (7) 17:17, B Palmer (9) 18:21, S Thomas (6) 17:19, V Mackay (5) 16:15); 6 Cheltenham 70:24 (J Fairbairn (5) 17:07, A Potts (7) 18:20, M Brush (5) 16:56, P Vymetalova (6) 18:01); 7 Bitton 70:56 (H Clark (16) 18:45, L Sanigar (10) 17:03, F Blackmore (8) 18:20, R Stowell (7) 16:48); 8 Charnwood 71:11 (V Baddick (4) 16:46, K Ramsey (4) 18:16, E Damant (7) 18:05, C Mckittrick (8) 18:04); 9 Spa 71:58 (C Hinton (13) 18:09, E Sherwin (12) 18:04, C Davidson (10) 19:07, J Fleming (9) 16:38); 10 Severn 72:48; 11 Mansfield 73:47; 12 Trentham 74:06; 13 Rugby & N 75:55; 14 Halesowen 76:13; 15 Aldridge 77:09
Fastest: Gascoigne 14:55; Parsonage 15:46; Tomas 16:07
104 womens and Masters womens teams finished

Young athletes
Wreake & Soar Valley were missing some of their top athletes but still took all three girls events, whilst their boys are gaining ground and had one fastest lap, a second team and two fourth team spots.

U17 men
Although their senior mens race was later, Birchfield gave their seniors something to aim for, after a comprehensive under-17 race win. They were led off by Ash Burgess, whose 11:51 for the regularly used 3.88km lap then stood up as the best of the race.

He said that he took the lead early and thought he could keep it. Looking forward Burgess added: I am feeling confident about National team gold.

He was followed by Kames Bradley and Paul Harrison, who both added to the Birchfield clubs lead over Mansfield. They moved into second ahead of City of Stoke on lap two, after Jack Whittingham had the overall second-best effort on the first leg.

(43.88km): 1 Birchfield 36:38 (A Burgess (1) 11:51, J Bradley (1) 12:22, P Harrison (1) 12:25); 2 Mansfield 37:31 (E Sankey (4) 12:15, E Holden (2) 12:38, J Nugent (2) 12:38); 3 BRAT 37:47 (J Price (6) 12:16, D Teasdale (4) 12:51, G Astbury (3) 12:40); 4 Wreake & Soar 37:50 (L Paddison (10) 12:39, J Llewellyn (3) 12:23, H Dadd (4) 12:48); 5 N Somerset 38:01 (P Hipkiss (13) 12:46, B Collins (7) 12:47, R Wadey (5) 12:28); 6 Rugby & N 38:27 (N Lamb (7) 12:28, B Smith (8) 13:27, M Collins (6) 12:32); 7 Stoke 38:31 (J Whittingham (2) 12:10, D Hilditch (5) 13:11, L Smith (7) 13:10); 8 Westbury 38:54 (T Cummins (5) 12:15, H Watson (9) 13:40, T Darton (8) 12:59); 9 Birchfield B 39:18 (J Sohna (23) 13:14, S Adachialim (11) 12:58, C Smith (9) 13:06); 10 N Somerset B 39:46 (S Barker (12) 12:44, J Forsbrook (16) 13:48, S Leaney (10) 13:14); 11 Banbury 39:51 (R Buckner-Rowley (19) 13:02, R Mack (20) 14:12, R Brooks (11) 12:37); 12 Swindon 39:53 (A Molinazekri (11) 12:41, A Williams (14) 13:49, A Widdows (12) 13:23); 13 Kettering 39:56 (E Willis (18) 12:59, J Pickering (13) 13:30, D Ransom (13) 13:27); 14 Tipton 40:03 (T Lucas (27) 13:29, L Bailey (15) 13:02, W Evans (14) 13:32); 15 Solihull & Small Heath 40:14 (D Wort (17) 12:55, C Williams (12) 13:21, M Bate (15) 13:58); 16 Stratford 40:15; 17 Bromsgrove & R 40:38; 18 BRSAT B 40:42; 19 Charnwood 40:59; 20 Rugby & B 41:17
Fastest: Burgess 11:51; Whittingham 12;10; W Pridden (B&R) 12:11; Cummins/Sankey 12;15; Price 12;16
32 teams finished

U15 boys
The under-15 boys ran the reduced 2.6km lap and there was a very close first stage race, which was won by Arthur Elliott for City of Stoke, from Wreakes Jake Tyrrell,

Oscar Davis then took Wolverhampton & Bilston through to the lead with a race fastest 7:11 and they held on despite Sam Ball closing for Wreake on the last stage.

(42.6km): 1 Wolverhampton & B22:04 (F Jones (3) 7:16, O Davis (1) 7:11, J Stockton (1) 7:37); 2 Wreake & Soar Valley 2:10 (J Tyrrell (2) 7:14, N Homer (2) 7:27, S Ball (2) 7:29); 3 Stoke 22:53 (A Elliott (1) 7:13, L Goodwin (5) 8:09, M Loton (3) 7:31); 4 N Somerset 22:58 (J Bennett (16) 7:49, J Finch (6) 7:35, L Darlington (4) 7:34); 5 Charnwood 23:02 (J Adkin (6) 7:28, O Lockton (4) 7:49, M Muddle (5) 7:45); 6 Leamington 23:22 (K Halsey (21) 7:59, A Lane (3) 7:10, J Mothersdale (6) 8:13); 7 Cheltenham 23:29 (T Spurr (14) 7:47, P Paul (8) 7:44, T Wightman (7) 7:58); 8 Telford 23:34 (S Bagshaw (12) 7:46, R Brown (9) 7:57, L Howard (8) 7:51); 9 OWLS 23:44 (E Orchard (7) 7:38, C Allen (14) 8:16, H Campion (9) 7:50); 10 Bristol & W 23:46 (B Colclough (8) 7:39, S Redfern (11) 8:09, O O-Hallorhan (10) 7:58); 11 Cannock & S 23:51 (C Pearson (25) 8:10, J Hadley (18) 7:58, B Allen (11) 7:43); 12 Bromsgrove & R 24:02 (G Wagstaff (4) 7:22, F Giles (7) 8:07, N Watkins (12) 8:33); 13 Wolverhampton & B B 24:09 (S Thursfield (19) 7:55, W Hughes (10) 7:50, J Burdish (13) 8:24); 14 Stratford 24:17 (W Hovell (13) 7:47, J Davies (20) 8:30, T Fisher (14) 8:00); 15 Dudley & S 24:19 (J Hayes (15) 7:48, M Robbins (12) 8:00, F OBrien (15) 8:31); 16 Wreake & Soar V 24:26; 17 Swindon 24:27; 18 Kettering 24:29; 19 Mansfield 24:30; 20 Wreake & Soar V C 24:39
Fastest: Lane 7:10; O Davis 7:11; Elliott 7:13; J Tyrrell 7:14; Jones 7:16; G Wagstaff (B&R) 7:22
38 teams finished

U13 boys
The first race of the day had been the under-13 boys event and it was Swindon Harriers James Mayneord whose 5:12 for the truncated 1.6km lap who gave them a lead that they were never to lose.

Last leg runner Jesse Bryant was nervous about his run and said after finishing: I didnt want anyone to catch me.

Wreake had a slow start to the race but their Kieran James started the final lap of this group back in 11th spot before all but securing bronze team medals with a 5:12 fastest lap split.

(31.6km): 1 Swindon 16:11 (J Mayneord (1) 5:12, F Byrne (1) 5:32, J Bryant (1) 5:27); 2 N Somerset 16:32 (A Rice (16) 5:40, E Stoate (7) 5:34, O Finch (2) 5:18); 3 Wolverhampton & B 16:40 (R Hawley (5) 5:23, T Ulfig (2) 5:44, J Yang (3) 5:33); 4 Wreake 16:41 (C Adkins (20) 5:46, E Rudkin (11) 5:43, K James (4) 5:12); 5 Birchfield 17:03 (J Longworth (2) 5:13, O Evans (3) 5:55, I Beckford (5) 5:55); 6 Bristol & W17:03 (A Ramdani (27) 5:55, F Rogers (10) 5:33, F Barnes (6) 5:35); 7 Kettering 17:04 (J Spavins (10) 5:31, O Smith (6) 5:41, R Davey (7) 5:52); 8 Shrewsbury 17:07 (A Cooper (28) 5:56, O Adams (8) 5:22, C Stuart (8) 5:49); 9 Shrewsbury 17:17 (J Smith (19) 5:45, H Marston-Jones (12) 5:44, M Elhassan (9) 5:48); 10 RSC17:18 (M Randhawa (11) 5:33, W Seager (19) 6:10, O Alsop (10) 5:35); 11 Rugby & N 17:25 (A Kampta (7) 5:27, D Allen (9) 5:57, I Brierley-York (11) 6:01); 12 Swindon 7:28 (O Hughes (9) 5:30, D Necrews (5) 5:40, H Murray (12) 6:18); 13 Stoke 17:31 (K Ratnayake (8) 5:28, A Salt (18) 6:12, M Roberts (13) 5:51); 14 Charnwood 17:41 (H Fletcher (17) 5:42, W Norman (16) 5:53, J Cunnington (14) 6:06); 15 Cheltenham 17:42 (M Harrison (31) 5:59, N Seabright (27) 6:10, A Spurr (15) 5:33); 16 Solihull & SH 17:43; 17 BRAT 17:43; 18 Notts 17:48; 19 RSC B 17:49; 20 Bristol & W B17:51
Fastest: James /Mayneord 5:12; O Finch (N Som) 5:18; S Stanton (C&S) 5:20; O Adams (Shrews) 5:22
37 teams finished

U17 women
Shaikira King dominated the under-17 womens race with a run-away opening lap of 13:19, while her team-mate Imogen Saunders was second best with 13:45, just clear of Westburys Freya Bradley.

Only in her first year in the age group, King said that she wanted to kill the idea that she over-trains. I only do about 20 miles a week and have just taken two weeks off. Here, I just wanted to see how fast I could go, said the European 800m and 1500m record-holder.

Of her plans for next summer, King added: I am just old enough to go for the Euro under-18 championships.

The Wreake strength here was demonstrated by Patience Lamb who followed King home for their B team on the first lap.

(33.88km): 1 Wreake & Soar V 42:20 (S King (1) 13:19, R West (1) 15:16, I Saunders (1) 13:45); 2 Stratford 44:03 (M Spriggs (3) 14:08, N Hillard (2) 14:51, M Linfoot (2) 15:04); 3 Swindon 44:21 (E Spencer (4) 14:13, B Ryder (5) 15:53, E Foster (3) 14:15); 4 Worcester 45:12 (A Lazenbury (15) 15:41, B Rusby (11) 15:35, L Mico (4) 13:560 5 Westbury 45:25 (L Chance (7) 14:47, M Robinson (13) 16:51, F Bradley (5) 13:47); 6 N Somerset 45:57 (F Lowe (9) 15:08, T Hughes (4) 14:55, P Houghton (6) 15:54); 7 Bristol & West 46:23 (E Bott (14) 15:36, M Smith (10) 15:34, H Sanigar (7) 15:13); 8 Rugby & N 46:52 (J Cooper (11) 15:18, S Hancock (6) 15:26, A Rogerson (8) 16:08); 9 Wolverhampton & B 47:42 (M White (10) 15:10, J Yang (12) 16:14, S Willoughby (9) 16:18); 10 Banbury 48:44 (L Denne (18) 15:57, C Smith (9) 15:12, I Wild (10) 17:35); 11 Stroud 49:11 (F McFadden (8) 15:02, A Bond (8) 16:04, D Rossiter (11) 18:05); 12 Cheltenham 49:18 (A Paul (20) 16:17, M Foster (20) 17:31, H Smith (12) 15:30); 13 Swindon B 49:25; 14 Bromsgrove & R 49:31; 15 Stratford B 49:53; 16 Telford 49:54; 17 Kettering 50:06; 18 Wreake & Soar V 50:34; 19 Kidderminster & S 51:06; 20 Notts 51:51
Fastest: King 13:19; Saunders 13;45; Bradley 13:47; P Lamb (Wreake B) 13;49; Mico 13:56; Spriggs 14:08
24 teams finished

U15 girls
The girls ran the same lap as their boys and here, Violet Rudkin gave her team an opening lap win over their 2.6km reduced distance in 7:57, a time that was only just later headed later by Rugbys Olivia McGhee, 7:57.

Thereafter, Luan Power and Phoebe Langlands completed the job. Rudkin said: I took the lead right from the start, then asked about whether she knew where her rivals were, added: you could hear people shouting for them.

(32.6km): 1 Wreake & Soar Valley 25:07 (V Rudkin (1) 7:57, L Power (1) 8:44, P Langlands (1) 8:26); 2 Halesowen 25:22 (L Hellingsworth (2) 8:16, O Thomas (2) 8:38, F Collins (2) 8:28); 3 Stoke 25:33 (T Thursfield (30 8:22, G Burge (30 8:33, L Dundas (30 8:38); 4 Wreake B 25:50 (S Evans (7) 8:32, R West (4) 8:27, A Towlson (4) 8:51); 5 Rugby & N 26:07 (J Lamb (22) 9:08, P Almond (120 9:03, O Mcghee (50 7:56); 6 Stoke B 26:30 (D Cowden (40 8:23, L Smith (50 9:05, M Hearson (60 9:02); 7 Mansfield 26:50 (M Slack (50 8:25, O Shaw (60 9:05, E Pares (7) 9:20); 8 Wolverhampton 26:54 (G Hendy (11) 8:40, L Horton (70 9:03, R Read (8) 9:11); 9 Bromsgrove & R 27:10 (K Welborn (9) 8:38, L Sharp (10) 9:28, C Pridden (9) 9:04); 10 Wreake C 27:18 (H Jackson (16) 8:52, N Stretton (8) 8:57, S Wrightam (10) 9:29); 11 Stroud 27:27 (M Cossins (13) 8:46, L Tomkins (13) 9:31, E Sheffield (11) 9:10); 12 Charnwood 27:28 (F Wheeler (10) 8:39, F Castledine (9) 9:17, J Gordon (12) 9:32); 13 Bristol & W 27:41 (G Ritters-Herratt (19) 9:00, T Coomber (11) 9:09, J Massey (130 9:32); 14 Cheltenham 27:41 (S Eagland (20) 9:03, R Reynolds (15) 9:17, J Sheppard (14) 9:21); 15 BRAT 27:48 (A Smith-Pena (12) 8:43, A Dalmedo (140 9:35, A Emery (150 9:30); 16 27:57; 17 Rugby & N B 28:24; 18 Bristol & W 28:27; 19 N Somerset 28:35; 20 Gloucester 28:41
Fastest: McGhee 7:56; Rudkin 7:57; Hellingsworthn 8:16; Thursfield 8:22; Cowden 8:23; Slack 8:25
37 teams finished

U13 girls
Before that, the Wreake & Soar Valley under-13 squad had taken the clubs first gold of the day. This came after Maisie Mullett had also given them a first lap lead, with 5:21 split, for an early advantage that was never headed. She said: I didnt have the best start but I was flying past them and took the lead up the hill. This was after about 600m of their reduced lap.

They ran the same very short 1.6km lap as the boys as Amiee Watczak and Anna Kemp completed the job. Zara Bratt followed the eventual-winners home on the opener, but her City of Stoke club could never get close to the lead and wound up second.

(31.6km): 1 Wreake & Soar V17:29 (M Mullett (1) 5:21, A Walczak (1) 6:08, A Kemp (1) 6:00); 2 Stoke 17:29 (Z Bratt (2) 5:35, A Harrison (2) 5:58, E Marsh (2) 5:56); 3 Kettering 17:43 (E Bennett (6) 5:46, C Booth (4) 6:03, T Guthrie-Brown (3) 5:54); 4 Mansfield 17:51 (E Clifton (12) 5:51, I Millns (10) 6:20, C Whysall (4) 5:40); 5 Birchfield 18:17 (T Conway (3) 5:36, F Brady (5) 6:16, S Longworth (5) 6:25); 6 Bristol & W 18:20 (D Simpson (9) 5:48, C Lambourne (13) 6:46, L Simpson (6) 5:46); 7 Rugby & N 18:25 (B Lamb (7) 5:47, A Heron (6) 6:13, J Spiller (7) 6:25); 8 Shrewsbury 18:27 (M Buckingham (11) 5:50, L Coss (9) 6:21, E Charman (8) 6:16); 9 Dudley & Stourbridge 18:29 (I Heathcock (10) 5:48, H Parkes (3) 5:59, E Shakespeare (9) 6:42); 10 Wolverhampton & B18:37 (K Guest (4) 5:37, G Billett (7) 6:25, E Nash (10) 6:35); 11 Charnwood 18:44 (F Ball (20) 6:15, D Green (12) 6:07, O Vasas (11) 6:22); 12 Swindon 19:00 (E Scrase (13) 5:53, E Charlesworth (16) 6:58, C Griffiths-Clack (12) 6:09); 13 Tipton 19:07 (L Williams (14) 5:56, S Denwette (15) 6:51, I Perkins (13) 6:20); 14 Stoke B 19:13 (S Hamilton (18) 6:07, M Forrester (8) 6:00, C Smart (14) 7:06); 15 Cheltenham 19:24 (I Wightman (21) 6:16, H Woolley (18) 6:39, K Hodgkinson (15) 6:29); 16 Birchfield 19:27; 17 RSC 19:33; 18 Wreake & Soar V 19:36; 19 Swindon 19:45; 20 Charnwood B 19:52
Fastest: Mullett 5:21; Bratt 5:35; Conway 5:36; Lamb 5:37; Whysall 5:40; Guest 5:45
42 teams finished
(nn) is team position after the appropriate stage.

NORTH OF ENGLAND MENs 6 & WOMENS 4 STAGE & YOUNG ATHLETE RELAYS, Birkenhead Park

City of Leeds scored a mens and womens double senior victory, as Liverpool took two young athletes team golds, with the other junior titles being spread around, Martin Duff reports.

While the senior race numbers seemed to hold up well, the young athletes events generally attracted lower participation that the North West County relays, in the same neck of the woods, two weeks earlier.

Men

For Leeds men, it was their fourth victory in a row, spread over six years, as there were two years without a championship. They did so by back-loading their team and only hitting the front on stage four before pulling away to win by nearly a minute-and-a-half.

The first stage had seen the eventual winners back in seventh spot thanks to Jason Hall. He finished behind City of Yorks Angus McMillan whose 14:15 split for the 6.51km distance was the third best in the final count up and Blackburns Matt Ramsdens 14:23 which was fourth best overall

Tommy Shaw kept York ahead on stage two behind Andrew Heyes 14:17 for Hallamshire as Joe Sagar gained three spots to fourth for Leeds, before John Beattie passed two teams on leg three. However, he was, in turn, passed by two other squads. Jonny Mellor went past first to give his Liverpool outfit a big half-distance lead with a race second-fastest split of 14:01.

In turn, Mellor was upstaged by Morpeths Rory Leonard who scythed through 11 places to third with a race fastest 13:55.

Then it was Leeds turn to shine in the second half of the race and Richard Allen hit the front towards the end of the fourth leg with a stage best 14:31. He then handed over to Graham Rush, who was also best on his leg, to take his club nearly a minute clear.

Then, on the final leg, Linton Taylor finished the job with yet another stage best of 14:29 and a comfortable victory belonged to City of Leeds.

(65.1km): 1 Leeds 88:15 (J Hall (7) 14:47, J Sagar (4) 14:52, J Beattie (4) 14:51, R Allen (1) 14:31, G Rush (1) 14:45, L Taylor (1) 14:29); 2 Liverpool 89:42 (A Sharif (4) 14:37, D Naylor (6) 15:11, J Mellor (1) 14:01, M McCarthy (2) 15:36, T Rogerson (2) 15:19, L Mccay (2) 14:58); 3 Hallamshire 90:05 (J McCrae (9) 14:57, A Heyes (2) 14:27, J Hall (5) 15:15, B Houghton (5) 15:19, J Bartlett (4) 15:13, T Power (3) 14:54); 4 Morpeth 90:22 (S Hancox (19) 15:17, O Devere (14) 15:15, R Leonard (3) 13:55, F Brodie (3) 15:02, P Small-Combe (3) 15:37, W Cork (4) 15:16); 5 Vale Royal 90:28 (R Moore (13) 15:04, R Serif (9) 15:03, C Williams (7) 15:12, C Perry (7) 14:56, J Humphries (6) 15:17, A Dight (5) 14:56); 6 Salford 90:51 (K Darcy (20) 15:17, H Wakefield (7) 14:34, J Dutton (6) 15:02, T Hodgson (6) 15:15, S Hopkins (5) 15:18, T Cornthwaite (6) 15:25); 7 York 91:56 (A McMillan (1) 14:15, T Shaw (1) 14:58, J Tucker (2) 15:13, G Mastrolonardo (4) 15:25, M Bolland-Cage (7) 16:08, A Bateman (7) 15:57); 8 Leeds B 92:10 (N Marsh (22) 15:19, F Hutchinson (10) 14:56, S Flanagan (12) 15:45, M Abshir (8) 15:20, J Woodcock-Shaw (8) 15:23, M Grieve (8) 15:27); 9 Liverpool B 92:17 (J Doherty (21) 15:19, J Horman (16) 15:15, H Blackburn (20) 16:18, M Jackson (10) 14:43, D Devine (9) 15:11, D Gezimu (9) 15:31); 10 Blackburn 92:59 (M Ramsden (2) 14:23, J Birmingham (8) 15:33, B Makin (10) 15:59, L Betts (9) 15:31, T Raynes (10) 15:40, B Fish (10) 15:53); 11 Vale Royal 93:40 (W Ashfield (26) 15:33, A Doyle (20) 15:23, A Miles (11) 15:03, J Brown (11) 15:40, M McCormack (11) 16:04, S Whitehead (11) 15:57); 12 Rotherham 94:17 (Z Ferguson (24) 15:26, J Massingham (13) 15:05, S Hughes (15) 15:45, E Morton (13) 15:57, B Burton (12) 15:51, J Mellor (12) 16:13); 13 Rossendale 94:41 (G Cunliffe (5) 14:38, J Ormrod (12) 15:45, C Clare (17) 16:01, S Corbishley (15) 16:12, M Harris (14) 15:43, J Johnston (13) 16:22); 14 Sunderland 94:44 (J Armstrong (3) 14:32, S Armstrong (3) 15:05, S Rankin (9) 15:51, N Reed (14) 16:50, J Ridding (13) 15:58, A Seed (14) 16:28); 15 Warrington 95:12 (C Field (8) 14:54, B Quinton (5) 14:52, D Fox (8) 15:33, J Wadsworth (12) 16:43, B Pucill (16) 17:23, C Stanford (15) 15:47); 16 Horwich 95:15 (J Scott-Farrington (17) 15:09, B Hall (28) 16:40, S Bruton (28) 16:16, I Conroy (24) 15:36, J Kevan (15) 15:43, J Mercer (16) 15:51); 17 Sale 95:17 (P Robertson (38) 15:56, M Barnes (29) 15:54, P Richardson (26) 16:10, A Lawton (25) 15:49, A Bradford (22) 16:15, N Barry (17) 15:13); 18 Keighley & Craven 95:38 (J Lund (6) 14:39, T Barrett (11) 15:42, C James (19) 16:29, L Hudson (17) 16:02, J Walton (19) 16:41, A Peel (18) 16:05); 19 Border 95:39 (J Salt (16) 15:09, T Humphries (21) 15:49, N Postill (16) 15:23, B Rooney (20) 16:48, R Landon (21) 16:48, J Douglas (19) 15:42); 20 Salford B 95:55 (J Moores (14) 15:06, M Lowrey (23) 16:04, C Livesey (21) 15:43, M Russell (22) 16:25, C Jones (20) 16:32, P Henderson (20) 16:05); 21 Tyne Bridge 96:41; 22 Liverpool Pembroke & Sefton 97:04 (R Harrison (15) 15:09, S Loughlin (17) 15:26, J Niven (13) 15:25, A Procter (16) 16:38, J Dickinson (24) 17:39, J Bride (22) 16:47); 23 Leeds C 97:52; 24 Valley Striders 97:53; 25 Bolton 97:56; 26  Liverpool C 98:00 27 Trafford 98:25; 28 Halifax 98:27; 29 Wirral 98:45; 30 Sale 98:53

Fastest: Leonard 13;55; Mellor 14:01; A McMillan (York) 14:15; M Ramsden (Bburn) 14:23; A Heyes (Hallam) 14:27; Taylor 14:29

89 teams finished

Women

Leeds womens team moved up from second last year and, despite only running four stages had a bigger margin of victory than their men, despite having none of the top five fastest womens laps.

Their fastest runner, Heather Townsend was on the opening 5.4km stage and came back in third behind Lauren Heyes 16:13, whose time was to remain as the best of the race. This was ahead of Emily Kearney for the new Warriors Pentathlon and Athletic Club, which was only formed less than a year ago by former Wirral coach Sarah Kearney who later anchored her new club home

Eleanor Curran then took Leeds ahead with a fastest stage time of 17:11 as Salford and Vale Royal moved up into the top three. Camilla McKnespiey then served up a repeat dose with another stage best, of 16:56 on stage three, for a Leeds lead of just over a minute as places remained the same behind.

Georgia Malir finished the job with a 16:55 split for a solid victory but the experienced Leeds runner had to concede a stage best time to 18-year-old Holly Weedall, who moved Vale Royal up to second by passing Salford with a race fourth best time of 16:31.

Women (45.4km): 1 Leeds 67:32 (H Townsend (3) 16:30, E Curran (1) 17:11, C McKnespiey (1) 16:56, G Malir (1) 16:55); 2 Vale Royal 69:14 (S Dufour-Jackson (9) 17:13, A Howarth (3) 17:26, K Moulds (3) 18:04, H Weedall (2) 16:31); 3 Salford 69:43 (A Bracegirdle (4) 16:42, T Brockley-Langford (2) 17:28, H Smith (2) 17:37, S Mason (3) 17:56); 4 Hallamshire 71:26 (L Heyes (1) 16:13, C Allen (4) 18:54, S Wigfield-Turner (4) 17:48, N Squires (4) 18:31); 5 Rotherham 71:33 (M Taylor (18) 18:06, N Hatswell (8) 17:53, Z Knappy (7) 17:58, S Cowper (5) 17:36); 6 Liverpool 71:38 (J Morgan (10) 17:21, R Burns (5) 17:50, S Howard (6) 18:35, F Ohare (6) 17:52); 7 Sale 72:00 (L Armitage (8) 17:12, J Nugent (6) 18:21, E Taylor (5) 17:47, H Warburton (7) 18:40); 8 Bingley 72:42 (R Flaherty (5) 17:01, S Flaherty (7) 18:36, Y Small (8) 18:55, E Clayton (8) 18:10); 9 Vale Royal B 74:07 (G Roberts (23) 18:32, E Bushill (13) 18:26, S Murphy (9) 18:12, A Begbie (9) 18:57); 10 Salford B 74:27 (E Russell (27) 19:01, L Crawford (18) 18:19, L Lombard (12) 18:30, A Bratt (10) 18:37); 11 Leeds B 75:02 (L Armoush (13) 17:49, W Larkin (20) 19:41, K Ballantyne (10) 17:49, H Hannah-Stroud (11) 19:43); 12 Border 75:38 (O Mason (6) 17:07, R Douglas (9) 19:02, F Todd (11) 19:40, F Smith (12) 19:49); 13 Blackburn 76:25 (L Powell-Smith (33) 19:23, I Holt (19) 18:00, E Taylor (15) 19:24, E Sagar-Hesketh (13) 19:38); 14 York Knavesmire 76:33 (B Penty (11) 17:29, H Morrison (16) 19:42, M Ellwood (24) 21:30, J Rawes (14) 17:52); 15 Steel City 76:38 (C Brock (16) 18:00, H Mainprize (14) 19:04, K Liddiard (19) 20:52, G Allen (15) 18:42); 16 Liverpool B 76:39 (N Donnelly (21) 18:27, S Ryan (25) 19:36, H Love (17) 19:16, A Preece (16) 19:20); 17 Wakefield 77:06 (A Brooke (12) 17:45, H Beck (21) 19:50, P Watson (20) 20:26, N Steel (17) 19:05); 18 Bury 77:07 (H Lucas (19) 18:07, R Marshall (15) 19:02, N Ryan (16) 19:51, C Johnston (18) 20:07); 19 Warriors 77:21 (E Kearney (2) 16:26, L Baker (10) 20:00, E Carney (13) 19:44, S Kearney (19) 21:11); 20 Tyne Bridge 77:24 (R Blain (29) 19:06, H Stewart (28) 19:22, Z Thompson (18) 19:25, R Naylor (20) 19:31); 21 Wigan 77:44; 22 Wirral 78:08; 23 East Cheshire 80:27; 24 St Helens Sutton 80:55; 25 Holmfirth 81:10; 26 Blackburn 81:16; 27  Sale B 81:20; 28 Vale Royal C 81:38; 29 Clayton-Le-Moors 82:18; 30 Border B 82:23

Fastest: Heyes 16:13; E Kearney (Warriors) 16:26; Townsend 16:30; Weedall 16:31; Bracegirdle 16:42; Malir 16:55

59 teams finished

Young athletes

U17 men

It was close between City of York and eventual winners Blackburn in the under-17 mens race but both had to come from further back after Rotherhams Johnson Hughes ran 11:36 on the first of their 3.87km laps.

York then hit the front mid-race before Daniel Smiths 11:40 sealed things for Blackburn with the fastest lap time of 11:40.

(43.87km): 1 Blackburn 36:09 (B Stratton (4) 11:59, O Gill (2) 12:26, D Smith (1) 11:44); 2 York 36:12 (I Stabler (6) 12:03, C McAndrew (1) 12:09, B Jamieson-Wannell (2) 12:00); 3 Morpeth 36:32 (J Close (7) 12:06, O Tomlinson (5) 12:28, E Kelso (3) 11:58); 4 Wirral 36:51 (L Hatton (5) 12:02, J Heap (3) 12:25, B Cronshaw (4) 12:24); 5 Sale 36:52 (F Goddard (8) 12:07, J Obrien (7) 12:34, F Day (5) 12:11); 6 Vale Royal 37:08 (H Parker-McLain (18) 12:35, T Taylor (6) 12:04, T Corwood (6) 12:29); 7 Rotherham 37:15 (J Hughes (1) 11:36, J Williams (4) 12:54, W Platts (7) 12:45); 8 Liverpool 37:51 (M Webster (20) 12:36, O Kewley (9) 12:25, R Malone (8) 12:50); 9 Salford 38:02 (J Barber (24) 12:53, B Burton (15) 12:44, A Simons (9) 12:25); 10 Warrington 38:08 (J Marwood (3) 11:56, J Pryor (8) 13:03, A Rix (10) 13:09); 11 Warriors 38:31 (O Kearney (13) 12:25, J Barnes (14) 12:52, S Clarke (11) 13:14); 12 Border H & AC   38:33 (B Nutter (11) 12:19, A Lamb (11) 12:50, G Tiffin-Lowe (12) 13:24); 13 St Helens Sutton 38:34 (G Mullen (21) 12:42, W Vose (19) 13:32, L Johnson (13) 12:20); 14 Preston 38:41 (M Clark (2) 11:46, E Chadwick (12) 13:27, G Ballantyne (14) 13:28); 15 Derby 38:47 (L Powell (9) 12:08, D Muskos (10) 12:59, J Young (15) 13:40); 16 Blackburn 38:49 17 Leven V 38:51; 18 York 39:00 (W Hardy (19) 12:35, S Dickinson (17) 13:11, I Bastow (18) 13:14); 19 Vale Royal B 39:15; 20 Kendal 40:13

Fastest: 1 Hughes 11:36; Stratton 11:44; M Clark (Preston) 11:46; J Marwood (Warr) 11:56; E Kelso (Morp) D Smith 11:59

27 teams finished

U15 boys

Trafford started steadily in the under-15 boys event over three laps, before coming through for victory even though they did not have a runner in the fastest laps count. They had started off with Tim Ye in fifth behind Liverpools Max Taylors 10:03 on stage one, before hitting the front.

This was through Pio Arons 10:11 before Finlay Dobson-Emmas opened out 40 seconds by the line. Salfords Evan Grime was quickest overall in this group with 9:56 on stage two, when he gained 14 places to fourth.

(43.32km): 1 Trafford 31:01 (T Ye (5) 10:23, P Aron (1) 10:11, F Dobson-Emmas (1) 10:27); 2 Southport W 31:41 (W Delamere (3) 10:05, L McCormick (2) 10:40, C Still (2) 10:56); 3 Rotherham 31:47 (M Bacon (2) 10:04, H Orr (6) 11:27, A Bedford (3) 10:16); 4 Sale 32:04 (L OBrien (12) 10:37, D Oakes (10) 11:11, A Fraser (4) 10:16); 5 Wirral 32:23 (M Phelan (11) 10:36, M Harty (9) 11:09, J Chapman (5) 10:38); 6 Blackburn 32:33 (S Aspey (7) 10:27, H Ward (5) 10:54, A Rothwell (6) 11:12); 7 Derby 32:44 (O Blake (14) 10:53, L Fairey (8) 10:51, H Tatham (7) 11:00); 8 Trafford 33:32 (A Greenwood (6) 10:25, J Royle (7) 11:15, T Harris (8) 11:52); 9 Harrogate 33:34 (T Matthews (13) 10:50, A Charlton (11) 11:01, O Holt (9) 11:43); 10 Liverpool 33:36 (M Taylor (1) 10:03, S Cassell (3) 10:52, D Johnson (10) 12:41); 11 E Cheshire 33:40 (A Manser (8) 10:30, O Walker (12) 11:24, N Dunn (11) 11:46); 12 Tyne Bridge 34:05 (F Palmer (4) 10:20, H Pickett (17) 12:40, I Snell (12) 11:05); 13 Preston 34:12 (T Jepson (10) 10:35, H Smith (13) 11:25, G Darbyshire (13) 12:12); 14 Blackburn 34:25 (M Belshaw (21) 11:30, J Wood (14) 11:14, T Robinson (14) 11:41); 15 Salford 34:35; 16 Halifax 34:36; 17 Rotherham B 34:55; 18 Wirral B 34:58; 19 Wigan 35:06; 20  W Cheshire 35:51

Fastest: Grime 9:56; Taylor 10:03; Bacon 10:04; Delamere 10:05; Aron 10:11; Fraser 10:16

27 teams finished

U13 boys

Liverpool had got their campaign away with a winning start in the first race of the day, the under-13 boys over three laps of 3.32km. They were always in the top three but only took the lead on the final stage thanks to a race lap fastest time of 11:05 by Lucas Guyatt.

The first stage had seen Thomas Hastings score a narrow win over the winners Sebastian Rung, with an 11:13 clocking, before Warrington went ahead through Isaac McGuffie and then it was all Guyett. His team placed three teams in the top six.

(33.32km): 1 Liverpool 33:58 (S Rung (2) 11:14, S Lambert (3) 11:39, L Guyett (1) 11:05); 2 Warrington 34:18 (E Lawton (4) 11:20, I McGuffie (1) 11:23, O Davenport (2) 11:35); 3 Preston 34:49 (A Yates (6) 11:28, S Bates (2) 11:23, J Turner (3) 11:58); 4 Liverpool B 34:58 (P Herring (7) 11:34, C Finch (4) 11:37, B Mcevoy (4) 11:47); 5 Wirral B 35:11 (F Reese (3) 11:15, M Lightfoot (5) 12:19, F Marsden (5) 11:37); 6 Liverpool 36:49 (S Wheatcroft (12) 12:11, M Myles (7) 12:10, L Murphy (6) 12:28); 7 Salford 37:04 (J Farrington (13) 12:15, S Burton (11) 12:22, F Slattery (7) 12:27); 8 Vale Royal 37:12 (H Brown (5) 11:27, G Bright (9) 12:58, G Fraser (8) 12:47); 9 Warriors 37:18 (C Bibby (15) 12:33, J Wilson (20) 13:26, O Oswick (9) 11:19); 10 Sale 37:22 (G Horsfall (8) 11:35, J Harrison (8) 12:46, I Wrigley (10) 13:01); 11 Kirkby Milers 37:32 (E Low (22) 13:08, M Burgan (19) 12:42, H Redhead (11) 11:42); 12 St Helens Sutton 37:45 (B Birkett (9) 11:47, S Callaghan (10) 12:47, J Hughes (12) 13:11); 13 Wakefield 37:51 (T Hastings (1) 11:13, H Beck (14) 14:21, D Jones (13) 12:17); 14 Preston B 38:23 (O Caslake (11) 12:09, J Mawdsley (12) 12:43, E Bone (14) 13:31); 15 Warrington B 38:28 (J Pryor (14) 12:18, E Walker (13) 13:03, L Green (15) 13:07); 16 Wirral C 38:51; 17 Stockport 39:19; 18 W Cheshire 39:25; 19 Wirral 39:40; 20 Liverpool D 39:54

Fastest: Guyett 11:05; T Hastings (Wake) 11:13; Rung 11:14; F Reece (Wirral) 11;15; O Oswick (Warriors) 11;19; Lawton 11:20

25 teams finished

U17 women

The final young athletes event was the under-17 womens race and it was Rotherhams first stage runner Isabela Waugh who gave them a solid lead, over Stockports Freya Murdoch, that they only increased by the end.

It was not plain sailing though, as second leg runner Lilia Harris was surprised to only come home fifth after four teams ran a shorter distance. Those four stayed ahead to the end but were ruled out, which left Caitlin McCloy to anchor Rotherham for victory.

 (45.1km): 1 Rotherham 41:54 (I Waugh (1) 13:21, L Harris (5) 14:05, C Mccloy (5) 14:28); 2 Warriors Pentathlon 44:39 (H Brearton (12) 14:43, E Smith (8) 14:53, S Smith (6) 15:03); 3 Vale Royal 45:14 (S Harding (6) 14:02, D Murphy (7) 14:51, Z Broughton (7) 16:21); 4 Stockport 45:30 (F Murdoch (2) 13:39, N Mackintosh (9) 16:13, E Buckley (8) 15:38); 5 Harrogate 46:35 (N Robinson (4) 13:51, H Forrest (6) 14:53, S Melling (9) 17:51); 6 Rotherham B 47:24 (K Battle (9) 14:25, M Powell (10) 16:13, H Tompkin (10) 16:46); 7 Trafford 47:49 (E Sinclair (19) 15:46, M McCormack (12) 16:23, I Thomas (11) 15:40); 8 Sale 49:43 (M Holt (25) 16:46, S Armitage (13) 15:58, M Gillham (12) 16:59); 9 Derby B 50:30 (R Davies (14) 15:06, A Hall (15) 18:52, M Joyce (13) 16:32); 10 Southport Waterloo 52:56 (L Kearon (28) 19:16, L Holden (20) 19:10, A Scott (14) 14:30); 11 Sale B 53:45; 12 Trafford B 55:10

Fastest: Waugh 13:21; Wharton 13:37; Murdoch 13:39; Heavey 13:46; K Gardner (Der) 13;48; N Robinson (Harr) 13:51

16 teams finished

U15 girls

Liverpool took the under-15 girls race to repeat their win in the North West Counties event earlier in the month. This time their normal anchor, Holly Cross went out first and finished a relatively close sixth behind leg winner Wakefields Rosie Thistlewoods 11:15.

They then hit the front through Rebecca Murphys 11:02 and finished off with Molly Carvells 11;12, but had to keep aware that Lincoln Wellingtons Ellarose Whitworth was closing with 10:50, the quickest of the race.

 (43.32km): 1 Liverpool 33:50 (H Cross (6) 11:36, R Murphy (1) 11:02, M Carvell (1) 11:12); 2 Lincoln Wellington 34:05 (I Porter (3) 11:18, M Grant (4) 11:57, E Whitworth (2) 10:50); 3 Sale 34:17 (I Hill (2) 11:16, O McManus (2) 11:36, I Hall (3) 11:25); 4 Rotherham 35:02 (G Igoe (5) 11:23, G Turner (3) 11:35, M Schofield (4) 12:04); 5 Liverpool B  35:29 (E Fay (10) 11:51, V Teare (6) 11:42, I Doran (5) 11:56); 6 Salford 36:03 (S Nation (11) 11:52, H (7) 12:08, S Bartalotta (6) 12:03); 7 Wakefield 36:23 (R Thistlewood (1) 11:15, E Tunney (5) 12:10, S Ellis (7) 12:58); 8 Warriors 37:09 (I Pastor (9) 11:49, H Coates (8) 12:23, A Rogan (8) 12:57); 9 Blackburn 37:40 (B McCredie (18) 12:48, E Robertshaw (13) 12:45, A Taylor (9) 12:07); 10 Rotherham B 37:43 (E Surgey (15) 12:29, R Bailey (11) 12:34, M Holmes (10) 12:40); 11 Derby 37:58 (P Radbourne (8) 11:46, S Wheeler (10) 13:01, I Powell (11) 13:11); 12 Lincoln Wellington 38:12 (F West (21) 12:55, A Norris (14) 12:46, F Prestwood (12) 12:31); 13 Liverpool C 38:47 (E Redmond (13) 12:15, M Phillips (16) 13:36, L Rotherham (13) 12:56); 14 Harrogate 38:52 (L Eastwood (19) 12:51, I Harby (12) 12:34, I Melville (14) 13:27); 15 Wirral 38:58 (E Cowan (23) 13:05, F Chapman (21) 13:33, R Phillips (15) 12:20); 16 Warrington 39:09; 17 Vale Royal 39:18; 18 Keighley & Craven 39:51; 19 Preston 40:18; 20 Morpeth 40:37

Fastest: Thistlewood 10:10; Hill 10:16; Porter 10:18; P Boyle (Leven V) 10:22; Igoe 10;23; Whitworth 10;50

35 teams finished

U13 girls

The under-13 girls event followed the younger boys and saw a domination by the new Warriors club, who had a ninth place in the boys race and here, after a steady start threw in twins Evie and then Isobel Beddow, who produced the two fastest times over their 3.32km lap with times of 11:11 and then 11;10 to win by over a mute from Sale Harriers.

(33.32km): 1 Warriors Pentathlon 34:40 (I Yorke (5) 12:19, E Beddow (1) 11:11, I Beddow (1) 11:10); 2 Sale 35:42 (R Heywood-Young (7) 12:28, C Wetters (3) 11:48, B Soper (2) 11:26); 3 Birtley 36:08 (N Graham (2) 11:52, K Graham (2) 12:14, O Murphy (3) 12:02); 4 Liverpool 36:31 (E Worrall (3) 12:13, M Williams (4) 12:05, A Ball (4) 12:13); 5 Liverpool B 36:43 (D Rushton (8) 12:33, M Mcguirk (5) 12:03, I Parry (5) 12:07); 6 Southport Waterloo 38:31 (L Silcox (15) 13:13, L Delamere (7) 12:55, G Veevers (6) 12:23); 7 Liverpool C 38:51 (B Rawcliffe (6) 12:24, J Hardman (6) 13:36, E Cameron (7) 12:51); 8 Sale 39:05 (G Hill (12) 13:08, M Boyer (8) 13:03, I Anderson (8) 12:54); 9 Sale C 40:09 (M Appleby (23) 13:45, I Connolly (15) 13:28, A Gubas (9) 12:56); 10 Rotherham 40:47 (H Bacon (1) 11:52, I Powell (16) 15:24, M Williams (10) 13:31); 11 Salford 40:59 (E Lowe (11) 13:02, I Woods (10) 13:46, F Lombard (11) 14:11); 12 W Cheshire 41:02 (L Higgins (18) 13:24, A Snowden (21) 14:30, N Manson (12) 13:08); 13 Preston 41:05 (E Blackhurst (9) 12:53, E McKeever (9) 13:46, F White (13) 14:26); 14 Holmfirth 41:08 (A McFarlane (14) 13:12, F Gibbs (14) 13:58, B Morris (14) 13:58); 15 Warrington 41:22 (G Rashud (16) 13:15, E Williams (20) 14:29, E Hayes (15) 13:38); 16 Wigan 41:28; 17 Derby 41:33; 18 Liverpool D  41:38; 19 Liverpool E 42:05; 20 Bury 42:47

Fastest: 1 I Beddow 11;10; E Beddow 11:11; Soper 11:26; C Wetters (Sale) 11;48; H Bacon (Roth)/Graham 11:52;

30 teams finished

(nn) is team position after the appropriate stage.

SOUTH OF ENGLAND ROAD RELAYS, Rushmoor Arena, Aldershot, September 23

For the first time since 2015, the relays successfully returned to its spiritual home at Rushmoor Arena.

Aldershot, Farnham & District did most of the organisational work on the day on behalf of the South of England to make it a top class event and while it may not be the easiest venue to get to, most runners agreed the circuit around the arena is a superb setting and it provided a great atmosphere that was definitely missing when runners were running around a deserted car park at Crystal Palace or a windswept Bedford the last few years.

Men:

With five of their six  runners achieving sub-18s, Shaftesbury Barnet broke Southamptons Championships record of 1:48:25 set in 1997 by over a minute with 1:47:23 , though in last years non Championships Aldershot relays, a strong home squad including Jack Rowe and Ellis Cross ran 1:48:03.

Tom Butler put Shaftesbury third on leg one  with 17:43 with English National under-17 champion Henry Dover keeping them in the hunt after two legs but his 18:25 dropped to fourth. Jeremy Dempsey with a 17:58 moved them up to second before Kieran Clements 17:56 gave them an advantage and after legs of 17:51 by Dylan Evans and 17:31 by Jamie Dee the winning margin was exactly a minute over Cambridge and Coleridge.

Jack Gray on leg three with 17:30 and their anchor Jonathan Escalante Phillips (17:40) were Cambridges two quickest.

Hosts Aldershot were a solid third with 18 year-old James Dargan, the runner-up to Dover at Boulsworth, and a fine fourth in the European under-20 5000 this summer, their quickest with a promising 17:52.

Highgate who led through Jacob Allens 17:23 on leg one were fourth and Tonbridge, not at full strength were fifth but did provide the fastest leg through English National champion James Kingston who blasted a 17:20 fourth leg. Ben Cole also ran a very fast 17:35 on leg two which advanced Tonbridge at the time from 17th to second.

Good depth was shown by Hercules Wimbledon who finished sixth and eighth.

Last year the quality was in a separate rival non championships race at Aldershot and the Crystal Palace winners Victoria Park and Tower Hamlets could only finish 15th and 2022 Championships runners-up there Dulwich finished 12th here even though they had a much stronger team in 2023.

(6x6km): 1 Shaftesbury 1:47:23 (T Butler 17:43, H Dover 18:25, J Dempsey 17:58, K Clements 17:56, D Evans 17:51, J Dee 17:31); 2 Cambridge & C 1:48:23 (N Shreeve 18:02, T Bridger 18:36, J Gray 17:30, J Stanton-Stock 18:28, D Jones 18:09, J Escalante-Phillips 17:40); 3 Aldershot Farnham & D1:49:05 (J Grace 18:03, A Pointon 18:29, J Dargan 17:52, J Morwood 18:02, S Eglen 18:27, C Charleston 18:13); 4 Highgate 1:49:52 (J Allen 17:23, R Wilson 18:41, R Brown 18:27, R Poolman 18:36, A Bampton 18:14, T Fawden 18:33); 5 Tonbridge 1:50:09 (C Chambers 18:23, B Cole 17:35, M Dubery 19:09, J Kingston 17:20, C Death 18:59, W Beeston 18:46); 6 Hercules Wimbledon 1:50:17 (C Wyllie 18:24, C Eastaugh 18:21, J Cornish 17:51, A Milne 18:26, D Cliffe 18:26, G Mallett 18:52); 7 Bedford & County 1:51:27 (B Davies 18:08, J Goodwin 17:46, N Campion 18:03, S Willis 18:25, E Blythman 18:35, A Yabsley 20:31); 8 Hercules Wimbledon B 1:52:10 (E Mallett 18:26, H Silverstein 18:23, S McCallum 18:05, T Jervis 18:45, J Stockings 19:14, E Brady 19:19); 9 Southampton 1:52:26 (A Prinsep 20:18, A Lennan 19:04, A Teuten 17:52, S Costley 18:29, H Smith 18:43, J OHara 18:02); 10 Brighton & Hove 1:52:38 (N Dawson 18:31, A Riley 18:42, T Niner 19:34, M Grindrod 19:17, I Crowe-Wright 18:01, J Turner 18:35); 11 Guildford & Godalming 1:52:58 (T Foster 18:14, D Wallis 18:20, G Dollner 19:16, J Sanderson 18:30, E Dixon 19:24, C Job 19:16); 12 Dulwich R 1:53:04 (M Milarvie 17:53, N Impey 19:18, A Wilson 19:16, J Ramm 18:38, J Hallsworth 19:35, E Chuck 18:25); 13 Belgrave 1:53:08 (O Garrod 18:18, P Wicks 18:33, S Sommerville 18:39, C Whelan 19:21, C Rogers 19:04, F Dyer 19:16); 14 City of Norwich 1:53:08 (S Stevens 19:08, H Smith 18:54, L Smith 18:43, J White 18:27, Z Houghton 19:14, D Adams 18:45); 15 Victoria Park H & Tower H 1:53:29 (A Lawrence 18:10, A Millbery 18:42, J Hotham 19:08, T Brookes 19:19, J Payne 18:54, P Martelletti 19:19); 16 AFD B 1:53:32 (T Renshaw 18:12, J Blacknell 18:57, J OConnell 18:21, C Stephenson 19:00, L Stone 19:13, S Blake 19:50); 17 Radley 1:53:47 (R Miell-Ingram 18:33, Q Miell-Ingram 18:51, B Cumberland 18:55, J Cumberland 19:36, O Conway 18:56, A Miell-Ingram 18:59); 18 Reading 1:54:01 (J Davies 18:01, J Rennie 18:35, R Price 18:55, G Suthon 19:14, L Jolly 19:22, I Farnworth 19:54); 19 Cambridge & Coleridge B 1:54:48 (M Gilbert 19:05, C Pearson 19:07, M Morgan 19:17, S Smith 19:20, B Jones 18:56, I Morgan 19:04); 20 Herne Hill H 1:54:50 (L Laylee 18:33, D Shaw 18:55, H Bell 19:36, S Bramwell 17:48, J Franklin 19:58, R Tanguy 20:03); 21 S London 1:55:13; 22 TVH 1:55:40; 23 Kent B 1:56:10; 24 Poole 1:56:13; 25 Kent A 1:56:15; 26 Lon H 1:56:17; 27 Belgrave B 1:46:22; 28 Highgate B 1:56:38; 29 ESM 1:56:44; 30 Invicta EK 1:56:31
Fastest: Kingston 17:20; Allen 17:23; Gray 17:30; Dee 17:31; Escalante-Phillips 17:40; Butler 17:43; Cornish/Evans 17:51
89 teams finished

M40:

Herne Hill won a hard fought vets race rather lost amongst the seniors with Jeff Cunningham running the second fastest overall leg with 19:32 on leg one but it was M50 Ben Paviour moving down an age group that took them into the lead on leg four.

Kent AC were second just nine seconds back having their plans disrupted when multi masters champion Chris Greenwood, who was intending to double up, pulled a hamstring in the earlier senior race bravely limping the entire second lap to complete his senior leg so their team could finish though ultimately finishing behind their senior B team.

Jonathan Tipper with 19:30 on leg two which took Kent into the lead, was their fastest but the quickest in the Vets (of those competing in the Vets as there were quicker in the senior race) was Brightons Chris Halsey. His 19:20 gave Brighton an early lead on leg one and his colleagues held on to take bronzes.

(4x6km) 1 Herne H 80:18 (J Cunningham 19:32, S Coombes 20:09, R Paranandi 20:25, B Paviour 20:13), 2 Kent 80:27 (J Herrera 20:09, J Tipper 19:30, B Day 20:04, N Phillips 20:46); 3 Brighton & Hove 82:05 (C Halsey 19:20, L Taub 21:00, Z Wattar 21:13, H Bristow 20:33); 4 Southampton 83:23 (K Lau 21:05, D Hunt 21:04, L Cooper 19:51, I Cross 21:25); 5 Kent B 1:25:07 (A Harris 21:27, R Giles 21:08, N Ostrowski 21:08, R Laing 21:27); 6 Winchester 85:53 (T Smales 21:24, D Gaskell 21:31, A Costello 21:48, J Bewley 21:11); 7 Dulwich R 86:22 (T Shakhli 20:59, B Smith 21:05, W Lashley 22:31, E Cross 21:48); 8 AFD 87:43 (P Young 21:29, O Stevenson 22:53, R ONeill 21:05, R Smith 22:19); 9 Poole 88:05 (L Terry 20:07, R Doubleday 20:20, A Barnett 23:50, S Wildbur 23:49); 10 Medway & Maidstone 89:30 (A Webb 19:45, S Turpie 23:45, K Miryanov 22:49, D Wright 23:12); 11 Andover 19:38; 12 AFD B 92:29; 13 Dulw R B 93:01; 14 Winchester 93:33; 15 Read RR 96:40
Fastest: Halsey 19:20; Cunningham 19:32; Tipper 19:30; Webb 19:45; Cooper 19:51

M50:

Kent AC were also runners up here as South London defended their title from Crystal Palace.

David Williams ran a fast 20:58 to take them into the lead on leg two and they held that to the line with Stuart Major anchoring with a 21:10 on leg four.

Kent made inroads on the final leg through Phil Sanders 20:44 which was the days second best and moved them past Orion for whom Roger Maidment ran the fastest leg with an opening run of 20:32.

(4x6km): 1 S London 86:28 (D Gillett 21:23, D Williams 20:58, J Burdett 22:59, S Major 21:10); 2 Kent 86:56 (J Gevers 22:52, T Sloan 21:29, W Pitt 21:53, P Sanders 20:44); 3 Orion H 88:45 (R Maidment 20:32, S Reid 22:11, A Smith 22:54, D Hamblin 23:10); 4 Guildford & Godalming 89:17 (D Williams 23:07, N Tearle 21:09, G Holcroft 22:29, M Tennyson 22:33); 5 Reading RR 90:33 (L Nortcliff 21:35, C Webber 23:19, D Parton 22:51, P Jewell 22:49); 6 Medway & Maidstone 91:48 (L McMeekin 22:29, A Featherstone 22:29, G Williams 23:46, A Rodgers 23:06); 7 Overton H & 92:01; 8 Tonbridge 94:29; 9 Andover 96:33; 10 Reading 96:58
Fastest: Maidment 20:32; Sanders 20:44; Williams 20:58

M60:

The decision to keep this at four legs as well as the younger Vets (when National events are three) didnt help the numbers or quality of this event with many teams struggling to find a quartet on a busy weekend of racing.

South London also defended their title easily here despite no runners among the fastest legs and  last years fastest David Ogden easing round as he wanted to focus on the following days Vitality 10km and their fourth runner being five minutes slower than their first three. Phil Stiffs 24:20 was their fastest but it was Matthew Darville who took them into the lead on leg three with what appears to be just his second race of 2023.

The medallists were the same as at Crystal Palace last year but this time Dulwich and Kent swapped places.

Dulwich were led off by Tony Tuohy whose 23:13 got the fastest lap award in the age group and they held on for second from Kent AC whose Roger Beardsworth fell two seconds short of Tuohy on the last leg and he was two seconds quicker than Vince Maughn who advanced Herne Hill to second on leg three.

Though they had a good opener from former Surrey senior champion, Tom Conlon in a close second, Herne Hill were missing for various reasons, Keith Newton, Mike Boyle, Gary Ironmonger and Graham Moyse who on paper probably make the South London club the strongest M60 team in the country but missing four of their top six here were fourth across the line but may be removed from the results for one of the runners not wearing a chip on his ankle.

A different David Williams of Guildford and Godalmings M50 team, who is now in the M60s, was slightly quicker than Tuohy but ineligible for fastest lap as in a different race.

(4x6km): 1 S London 1:43:12 (D Ogden 24:33, P Stiff 24:20, M Darville 24:30, M Saunders 29:50); 2 Dulwich R 1:45:35 (T Tuohy 23:13, E Prill 25:09, S Smythe 27:26, N Webb 29:48); 3 Kent 1:48:01 (B Hutchinson 29:42, A Gardiner 29:59, D Child 25:07, R Beardsworth 23:15); (Herne Hill 1:54:45 (T Conlon 23:18, T Harran 27:31, V Maughn 23:17; I Strong 40:39); 4 Soton 1:59:13
Fastest: Tuohy 23:13; Beardsworth 23:15; V Maughn (Herne H) 23:17

U17 men

Chelmsford were only ninth on leg one but a surprising 14:07 from Joseph Grange moved them into the lead which they comfortably held over the final leg through Gregory Martin.

City of Norwich were second with English Schools runner-up Alex Lennon advancing Sutton from sixth to third with a 14:19 final leg.

The second fastest on the day in this age group though was Ewan Taylor who led off Cambridge and Coleridge with a 14:08 ahead of Chilterns Alex Hughes 14:13 though neither teams had the necessary strength on later legs to maintain a medal challenge.

(34.6km): 1 Chelmsford 43:26 (J Hurrell 14:42, J Grange 14:07, G Martin 14:38); 2 City of Norwich 43:55 (Z Dunne 14:26, M Clark 14:38, W Percival 14:51); 3 Sutton & District 44:02 (E Newell 14:40, M Hudson 15:04, A Lennon 14:19); 4 St Edmund Pacers 44:27 (S Melero 14:46, J Trangmar 14:47, T Taylor 14:56); 5 Highgate H 44:33 (F Cha-Kent 15:01, A Mulvihill 15:06, T Chadwick 14:27); 6 Reigate Priory 44:38 (E Willis 14:39, S Rolaston 15:40, S Stapley 14:20); 7 Aldershot Farnham & DAC 44:45 (R Herd 15:58, J Pearce 14:35, O Smith 14:12); 8 Sutton & District B 44:45 (T Cloves 14:41, C Cull 15:12, E Manning 14:53); 9 Tonbridge 44:50 (T Bawtree 15:22, J Hunt 14:46, J Hunt 14:43); 10 Chiltern H 44:55 (A Hughes 14:13, I Jessop-Tranter 15:14, E Pinder 15:29); 11 Cambridge & Coleridge 45:18 (E Taylor 14:08, G Christmas 15:08, C Benyan 16:03); 12 Tonbridge B 45:52 (M Bridger 14:51, C Prendergast 15:28, T Beghein 15:34); 13 Waveney Valley 46:02 (J McAllen 15:37, C Copeman 15:38, L English 14:47); 14 Poole 46:06 (L Riggs 16:12, C Collins 15:00, H Cornish 14:55); 15 City of Norwich B 46:13 (J Dorbin 15:53, T Ash 14:52, M Rose-Brown 15:29); 16 B&H 46:16; 17 BMH 46:16; 18 Shaftesbury 46:27; 19 AFD C 46:57; 20 Bedford & C 47:05; 21 Havant 47:15; 22 Bedford & C A 47:33; 23 Medway & M 47:37; 24 AFD B 47:45; 25 WSRH 47:55
Fastest: Grange 14:07; Taylor 14:08; Hughes 14:13; Lennon 14:19; Stapley 14:20
55 teams finished

U15 boys

Blackheath and Bromley won over a  minute over just three fairly short legs.

Joseph Hill got them off to a good start with the days second best of 9;17 and Lucas Elmqvist kept them well clear with a 9:49 but the real damage was done on leg three with England under-15 3000m champion Joseph Scanes blasting to a 9:07.

St Albans Striders and Chiltern, who both had three very consistent legs, took the other medals. Herne Hills Caspian Holmes, the Inter Counties cross-country runner-up, proved the best non Blackheath runner with a 9:21.

3x3km: 1 Blackheath & Bromley 28:12 (J Hill 9:17, L Elmqvist 9:49, J Scanes 9:07); 2 St Albans Striders 29:18 (J Hirst 9:37, l Carlin 9:51, O Nagalingham 9:50); 3 Chiltern H 29:29 (A Suleyman 9:43, J Holdsworth 9:59, I Collier 9:48); 4 Tonbridge 29:36 (J Petrie 9:59, C Warren 9:59, P Fitzmaurice 9:39); 5 Herne H 29:42 (C Holmes 9:21, L Roch 10:28, T Clerkin 9:53); 6 AFD 30:04 (L Shattock 10:08, D Orbell 9:56, B Rivero-Stevenet 10:01); 7 Bracknell 30:11 (M Pointon 10:22, W Humm 9:49, B Lucas 10:01); 8 Shaftesbury 30:19 (E Phillips 10:06, C Hilton 10:23, A Phillips 9:51); 9 Portsmouth 30:23 (O Reynolds 9:42, O Knipe 10:43, O Freemantle 9:59); 10 St Edmund Pacers B 30:25 (O Lambert 9:32, D Lupsa 10:25, E Yaxley 10:30); 11 Tonbridge B 30:50 (B Catchpole 10:18, O Graffin 10:44, S Galliard 9:49); 12 Chelmsford 30:50 (J Eida 10:27, J Parrott 10:37, A Kelly 9:47); 13 Reading 31:00 (S Weeks 10:18, E Hily 10:12, N Chenchery 10:31); 14 Southampton 31:07 (M McIntosh 10:09, S White 10:52, C Chambers 10:07); 15 Lewes 31:08 (A Besley 10:28, J Trotman 10:23, M OConnor 10:18); 16 Brentwood Beagles 31:09 (J Hearn 10:22, Z Thomas 10:25, M Delea 10:23); 17 Chiltern B 31:12 (T Ford 10:01, C Quantrill 10:17, F Danielli 10:54); 18 WSEH 31:13 (T Silvey 9:59, G Hilliar 10:14, T Holmes 11:01); 19 Epsom & E 31:19 (H OShea 10:08, D Street 10:55, T Holland 10:16); 20 S London 31:23 (E Sone 9:59, W Weyham 10:27, F Shaughnessy 10:57); 21 C&C 31:23; 22 WG&EL 31:23; 23 B&B B 31:47; 24 Bed C 31:49; 25 Wycombe P 31:51; 26 Poole 31:59; 27 Tonbridge C 32:01; 28 Tonbridge D 32:11; 29 C&C B 32:16; 30 AFD B 32:17
Fastest: Scanes 9:07; Hill 9:17; Holmes 9:21; Lambert 9:32; Hirst 9:37; Fitzmaurice 9:39
60 teams finished

U13 boys

Herne Hill proved the strongest in the youngest boys age group.

Zac Kelman (10:09) was fourth after the opening leg and Luca Boulton (10:57) moved them to third with Edward Cunliffes 10:16 giving them a 13 second victory over Bracknell with Hercules Wimbledon and defending champion South London only seconds back.

Bracknell had had a clear lead after two legs with Elliott Langley-Aybars 10:08 being the pick of the middle legs.

Chelmsford who won the opening leg through Fred Fermans 9:58 provided the fastest leg with Hercules anchor Theo Creed going close with a 10:00 finale to move his team into the top three.

(3x3km): 1 Herne H 31:21 (Z Kelman 10:09, L Boulton 10:57, E Cunniffe 10:16); 2 Bracknell 31:34 (J Legg 10:10, E Langley-Aybar 10:08, O Pullen 11:17); 3 Hercules 31:36 (J Fraser 10:33, M Harrison 11:04, T Creed 10:00); 4 S London 31:38 (F Jenkin 10:15, W Hughes 10:22, E Englefield 11:02); 5 St Albans 32:14 (E Goodwin 10:43, C Treloar 11:20, I Gibson-Dunt 10:12); 6 Portsmouth 32:17 (T Baker 10:56, J Klepacz 10:54, L De Giovanni 10:28); 7 WSEH 32:26 (A Charles 11:00, T Bainbridge 10:47, J Brooker 10:40); 8 Guildford & Godalming 32:51 (G Bone 10:09, D Baker 11:10, I Middleton 11:33); 9 Brighton & H 32:55 (T Thom-Watts 10:37, J Perez-Rork 11:16, L Ashworth 11:03); 10 Norwich 33:05 (F Winship 10:09, B Nunn 11:50, E Daffron 11:06); 11 Chelmsford 33:12 (F Ferman 9:58, O Stollery 11:47, K Fakazi 11:28); 12 Tonbridge 33:13 (L Szumilewicz 10:50, S Hayes 11:24, J Rogers 10:59); 13 AFD 33:37 (E Squire 11:27, L Bryce 10:45, H Barton 11:27); 14 Portsmouth B 33:38 (J Tyldesley 10:50, O Cameron 11:19, L Cunningham 11:31); 15 St Albans B 33:55 (J McNaught 11:03, J McGrath 11:36, Z Jones 11:17); 16 Shaftesbury 34:00 (E Pascal 10:40, R Parkes 11:34, E Moss 11:47); 17 WSEH B 34:02 (T Fay 10:58, B Hilliar 11:33, F Fraser 11:32); 18 Cambridge & C 34:14 (H Cantell 10:14, F King 11:04, T Jennings 12:57); 19 Hercules B 34:18 (C Sheikh 11:14, A Hughes 11:31, T Hennigan 11:33); 20 Wells 34:34 (O Beck 10:27, J Barker 11:41, D Cook 12:27); 21 Reading 34:37; 22 Bed C 34:41; 23 Watford 34:42; 24 Belgrave 34:53; 25 Vale of Aylesbury 35:05; 26 Epsom & E 35:13; 27 Poole B 35:23; 28 Bracknell 35:29; 29 Abingdon 35:30; 30 Soton 35:44
Fastest: Ferman 9:58; Creed 10:00; Langley-Sabar 10:08; Bone/Kelman/Winship 10:09; Legg 10:10; Gibson-Dunt 10:12
48 teams finished

Women:

In terms of distance, the women were given parity with the men for the first time in the Championships, running two laps of 3km rather than the previous single near 4km loop.

Steph Twell, who ran for Britain in the 1500m in the 2008 Olympics, 5000m in the 2016 Games and the Marathon in 2021 ,got Aldershot off to a great start and her 19:51 gave her a clear lead over Brighton Phoenixs Beth Kidger (20:10) and Newburys Isobel Fry (20:20).

Thereafter though running is isolation, Lauren Hall (20:56) , Maddie Jordan-Lee (20:33) and Kate Estlea (20:31) pulled well clear of the opposition and they finished two minutes clear of the next team who were Aldershot B.

Emily Moyes, Millie Jordan-Lee and Pippa Roessler all ran similar times but on the last leg Lily Coward went quicker than all bar Twell in the A team with a brisk 20:25.

Behind Coward, moving through at a rate of Knots was Belgraves great find of the year Kate Axford. Her club had been 22nd after leg one, ninth and then eighth as she took off but she powered through with a 19:42 to get third place and with B teams ineligible for medals it was fourth across the line Thames Valley who were anchored by marathon international Tracy Barlow who took Southern bronzes.

Axford was only marginally the quickest on the final leg though as 2022 English National winner Jess Gibbon, who has previously stuck to parkruns this year, ran a 19:43 to move from 22nd to 11th.

The fastest woman on the day was another English national winner Amelia Quirk who moved Bracknell from 28th to 11th on leg three with a 19:33.

(4x6km): 1 AFD 81:49 (S Twell 19:51, L Hall 20:56, M Jordan-Lee 20:33, K Estlea 20:31); 2 AFD B 83:48 (E Moyes 21:05, M Jordan-Lee 21:11, P Roessler 21:09, L Coward 20:25); 3 Belgrave H 85:08 (S Hewitt 22:15, K Popadich 21:12, F Harrison 22:01, K Axford 19:42); 4 Thames V H 85:18 (K Olding 20:33, A Mundell 22:00, E Caroll 21:45, T Barlow 21:02); 5 WSEH 86:11 (R Clutterbuck 22:10, A Barbour 21:34, J Ridley 21:23, I Shirley 21:06); 6 Kent 86:55 (B Proctor 21:49, A Clements 21:02, K Rowland 22:02, A Parker 22:04); 7 Brighton Phoenix 87:16 (B Kidger 20:10, M Dickinson 23:11, M Hardman 22:27, N Allan 21:30); (Bedford 87:38) 8 Thames Hare & Hounds 88:19 (S Carter 21:28, E Weir 22:36, E Apsley 21:26, B Murray 22:51); 9 Norwich 88:25 (I Lake 21:45, M Beckett 21:39, M Gadsby 21:54, S Peach 23:09); 10 Reading 88:48 (N Mitchell 20:27, J Henderson 25:11, A Godfrey 23:28, J Gibbon 19:43); 11 Guildford & Godalming 88:50 (S Monk 20:43, H Knights 23:20, C Baxter 22:31, E Warren 22:17); 12 Colchester H 89:03 (L Wellsted 20:34, R Wild 22:31, J Sheekey 24:29, L Callan 21:30); 13 Stragglers 89:05 (E Hawthorn 21:30, S Holt 22:02, S Biggs 23:07, L Bailey 22:27); 14 Cambridge & Coleridge 89:58 (J Leggate 21:40, L Jones 22:54, E Leggate 22:03, J Anthony 23:23); 15 Herne H 90:31 (C Davies 22:12, A Dalton 23:06, J Nandi 22:30, S Grover 22:45); 16 Thames Valley H B 90:34 (C Buckley 22:20, S Ainley 22:19, L Da Silva 23:01, K Simister 22:55); 17 Belgrave B 90:50 (O McGinley 22:43, K Xiang 22:34, R Brown 21:43, S Amend 23:51); 18 Southampton 91:48 (L Hawkins 20:59, S Winstone 21:51, S Kingston 24:33, E Brown 24:26); 19 Bracknell 92:20 (A Wills 22:26, K Flockhart 24:22, A Quirk 19:33, M Hill 26:01); 20 Chelmsford 92:38 (M Williams 23:01, K Atkinson 23:00, R Luxton 23:30, H Bolton 23:08); 21 Herne H B 92:42; 22 Woking 93:02; 23 B&H 93:14; 24 Blackheath & B 93:17; 25 Milton K 93:23; 26 Newbury 93:39; 27 AFD C 94:04; 28 Epsom & E 94:09; 29 Belgrave C 95:20; 30 Read RR 96:39

Fastest: Quirk 19:33; Axford 19:42; Gibbon 19:43; Twell 19:51; Kidger 20:10; I Fry (Newb) 20:20
52 teams finished

W40/W50:

Reading Road runners were surprise winners thanks to an exceptional last leg by sub three marathoner Carol Hoskings who is now in the W55 category, and her 22:50 was narrowly the fastest leg from first leg leader Emma Montiel of Portsmouth who ran 22:52.

Southampton held on for a solid second with Kent moving through to third with W55 Clare Elms their quickest with 23:02 on leg one. She hits the W60s later this year and was quicker than all the M60 men.

W40 Amy Clements, ran for Kent in the senior race and ran 21:10.

South London the sole W50 team, again curiously running the same distance as the senior men and unnecessarily over four legs were able to mix it with the leading W40 teams and their opening runner Debbie Jackson with 24:04 got the fastest lap though again there were quicker athletes in the W40 race.

W40 (4x6km): 1 Reading RR 1:42:05 (H Campbell 26:24, H Pool 25:39, J Rainbow 27:13, C Hoskins 22:50); 2 Southampton 1:42:11 (A Miles 23:56, G Hoppe 25:16, H Willson 27:37, A Burch 25:24); 3 Kent 1:42:38 (C Elms 23:02, L Skinner 25:11, A Dellis 30:58, T Murphy 23:28); 4 AFD 1:43:39 (H Regan 25:58, B Lafreniere 25:23, L Clayton 25:48, H OConnell 26:32); 5 Portsmouth 1:45:13 (E Montiel 22:52, J Kitching 29:05, K Carew-Robinson 27:21, A Coomber 25:57); 6 Fleet & C 1:46:56; 7 Reading 1:48:02; 8 VoA 1:50:02
Fastest: Hoskins 22:50; Montiel 22:52; Elms 23:02; R Wallace (Fleet) 23:07

W50 (4x6km): 1 S London 1:44:22 (D Jackson 24:04, P Iannella 28:20, A Smith 25:59, R Hutton 26:00)
Fastest: Jackson 24:04

U17:

Aldershot not only dominated the senior womens race but also won two other titles.

They were only 17th after the opening leg and still were seemingly out of contention after two legs as Lottie Quinns 17:09 left them seventh.

However, on the closing leg they had Katie Pye, English Schools 3000m bronze medallist and she powered Aldershot up six places with a flying finish with a brisk 15:23.

Lewes held on for second as Portsmouth, who led after leg two with Florence East, the daughter of 2002 Commonwealth Games champion Mike, taking the bronze from a fast closing Bedford.

The quickest leg though came from Eliza Nicholson who almost unnoticed moved Blackheath from 15th to ninth on the closing leg courtesy of a 15:18.

Just ahead of her at the finish was Commonwealth Youth Games champion Phoebe Gill who with a 16:08 advanced from 14th to eighth.

(3x4km): 1 AFD 50:27 (L Barlow 17:56, L Quinn 17:09, K Pye 15:23); 2 Lewes 50:38 (E Stephenson 17:12, G Tuesday 16:45, A James 16:41); 3 Portsmouth 51:29 (C Jones 16:58, F East 16:31, E Smart 18:00); 4 Bedford & C 51:34 (L Danobrega 16:50, M Dunger 17:57, L Farr 16:48); 5 Crawley 51:54 (S Shaw 16:02, A Cox 18:37, N Lesova 17:16); 6 WSEH 52:04 (E Bartlett 16:36, S Massie 18:10, E Davey 17:20); 7 Norwich 52:13 (S Barrett 16:14, G Shirley 18:09, R Dickerty 17:51); 8 St Albans 52:14 (S Jacobs 16:16, R Cray 19:50, P Gill 16:08); 9 Blackheath & B 52:22 (M Slattery 17:45, M Barlow 19:20, E Nicholson 15:18); 10 Chiltern H 53:09 (F Baxter 17:19, E Ford 18:13, L Jessop-Tranter 17:38); 11 Poole 53:17 (E Wells 17:09, L Brown 18:30, N Taylor 17:39); 12 Guildford & Godalming 54:14 (E Hudson 17:07, A Bushell 18:43, R Simons 18:25); 13 Thames Valley H 54:20 (M Sutaria 18:04, S Bishop 19:24, A Svihalkova 16:53); 14 WSEH B 54:46 (A Saha 17:58, M Fieldsend 17:36, Y Grant 19:13); 15 London Heathside 54:58 (E Watkins 18:23, I Cannell 18:56, I Watkins 17:40); 16 Portsmouth B 55:41 (I Palmer Ward 18:01, L South 17:43, E OHanlon 19:58); 17 Basingstoke & Mid Hants 56:05 (I Edwards 17:02, C Vickers 18:18, E Marshall 20:47); 18 Cambridge & C 56:28 (L Harrison 18:50, R Green 18:24, S Birkwood 19:14); 19 Norwich B 56:41 (C Easter 17:32, E Hernon 20:42, M Adams 18:27); 20 Hercules W 57:24 (L Delport 19:37, G Eminson 19:16, D Quinn 18:32); 21 B&B B 57:43; 22 S London 57:46; 23 B&H 58:14; 24 Reigate P 58:20; 25 Wycombe P 58:40; 26 Havant 58:40; 27 Crawley 58:59; 28 Herne H 59:55; 29 Cornwall 60:53; 30 Poole B 60:54
Fastest: Nicholson 15:18; Pye 15:23; Shaw 16:02; Gill 16:08; Barrett 16:14; Jacobs 16:16
35 teams finished

U15 girls

Aldershot were in front earlier in this age group as Tilly Robertson (10:37) and Maya Jobbins 10:48 put them narrowly ahead.

On the last leg though they had South of England cross-country champion Kitty Scott who blasted out a 10:11 for the quickest leg.

Brentwood Beagles took the silver medals as Olivia Forrest advanced from third to second courtesy of a 10:17 which was the days second best.

Windsors Tara Ferguson ran the third fastest time moving her team from 34th to seventh on leg two with a 10:22.

(3x3km): 1 AFD 31:35 (T Robertson 10:37, M Jobbins 10:48, K Scott 10:11); 2 Brentwood Beagles 32:00 (E Warn 10:41, M Tiller 11:04, O Forrest 10:17); 3 Chelmsford 32:32 (D Stollery 11:14, L Wilkin 10:42, E Harrold 10:36); 4 Portsmouth 32:36 (E Bramall 10:36, C Oakley 11:06, A Klidjian 10:55); 5 Hercules W 33:14 (A McAndie 11:15, O Garcia-Davis 11:33, I Harrison 10:26); 6 AFD B 33:19 (R Riedlinger 10:59, K McBride 11:08, K Ealden 11:14); 7 Blackheath & B 33:20 (L Smith 11:24, N Mossi 11:00, I Williams 10:57); 8 St Edmund Pacers 33:37 (R Adams 11:16, A Winstanley 11:19, B Taylor 11:03); 9 Herne H 33:42 (M Minielly 11:21, F Mills 11:05, S Jack 11:17); 10 Cambridge & C 33:42 (C Hughes 11:15, J Christmas 10:39, J Hames 11:49); 11 Basingstoke & M H 33:54 (U Doublet 11:22, D Allford 11:13, O Arnold 11:20); 12 Chelmsford B 33:58 (H Harrison 11:18, A Shipton 11:25, H Matthews 11:16); 13 WSEH 34:03 (G Colley 11:44, T Ferguson 10:22, C Bullock 11:58); 14 Sutton & D 34:11 (L Gowen 11:12, G Brough 11:59, A Tharmakulasingam 11:01); 15 London Heathside 34:13 (A Kirk 10:54, R Cormacain 11:36, K Corkin 11:45); 16 Portsmouth B 34:17 (B North 10:58, A Thomas 11:16, I Sanders 12:03); 17 Cornwall 34:17 (N Hawkins 11:17, A Sutton 10:49, M Lavel 12:12); 18 Guildford & Godalming 34:27 (S Hawthorn 10:56, M Disney 11:08, R Davies 12:24); 19 AFD C 34:31 (T Waller 11:43, J Smykala 11:18, C Mitchell 11:31); 20 Chiltern H 34:42 (I Robinson 10:52, L Cross 12:29, M Nkoane 11:22); 21 Lewes 34:43; 22 Tonbridge 35:00; 23 Portsmouth 35:49; 24 B&H 35:56; 25 S London 36:06; 26 E&E 36:11; 27 AFD D 36:17; 28 Ipswich J 36:19; 29 Soton 36:36; 30 St Albans 36:45

Fastest: Scott 10:11; Forrest 10:17; Ferguson 10:22; Harrison 10:26; E Winton (Lewes) 10:30; Christmas 10:39
52 teams finished

U13 girls

Chelmsford not only won the oldest male junior age group but also took the youngest female age group.

Heidi Woodley put them third on leg one with a 10:54 before a 10:58 from Ava King took them ahead.

On the last leg they moved well over a minute clear as Erin Kelly sped to a 10:40 clocking.

That only proved to be third fastest overall as that was bettered by runner-up Chilterns opening leg runner Kara Gorman who ran 10:34 and HR Runners closing athlete Isla Buchanen who ran 10:35 moving up ten places on the final leg.

Aldershot ensured they had a medal in every womens age group by placing third with their B team finishing fifth.

(3x3km):1 Chelmsford 32:32 (H Woodley 10:54, A King 10:58, E Kelly 10:40); 2 Chiltern H 33:46 (K Gorman 10:34, N Clarke 11:41, M Davis 11:31); 3 AFD 34:01 (F Croucher 11:16, P Guest 11:02, N Walmsley 11:43); 4 St Marys Richmond 34:17 (E Ponkratieva 11:24, M Lepine 11:39, E Archer 11:15); 5 AFD B 34:47 (K Dover 11:31, H Robertson 11:43, J Allen 11:34); 6 St Edmund Pacers 35:05 (S Bolton 11:05, E Stewart 11:24, L McNeill 12:37); 7 Chelmsford B 35:08 (I Eida 11:24, L Sanford 11:52, F Philipps 11:52); 8 Hy Runners 35:19 (12:02,  12:43, I Buchanan 10:35); 9 WSEH 35:46 (Z Allan 10:53, Z Osipova 12:31, O Watson 12:24); 10 Brighton & H 35:59 (S Rowe 12:07, F Matten 12:21, G Fox 11:32); 11 AFD C 36:03 (S Hooper 11:46, D McGlashan 11:57, L Pearson 12:21); 12 Shaftesbury 36:05 (A Porter 10:59, L Casalenuovo 12:30, O Abbott 12:37); 13 Tonbridge 36:15 (A Watts 11:38, H Maeda 12:11, A Launders 12:28); 14 Portsmouth 36:16 (R Baker 11:40, I Shaw 12:29, F Klepacz 12:08); 15 Herne H 36:41 (I Carter 11:42, I Mclennan 12:59, S Mendes 12:01); 16 Harrow 36:59 (B Dalton 11:51, M Sanders 13:01, K Dalton 12:07); 17 S London 37:05 (B Gabriella 11:40, L Tomassi 12:32, S Grace 12:54); 18 Reigate Priory 37:08 (F Shade 12:35, L Tombleson 12:34, F Tombleson 12:01); 19 Bracknell 37:09 (I Nation 11:50, F Brown 13:24, H Lucas 11:56); 20 Reading 37:17 (A Haldane 11:44, V Marsh 13:04, S Simon 12:30); 21 Hercules W 37:23; 22 G&G 37:45; 23 Cornwall 37:59; 24 WSEH B 38:01; 25 Chiltern B 38:41; 26 VoA 38:47; 27 E&E 38:47; 28 Poole 38:54; 29 WSEH D 39:02; 30 Norwich 39:04
Fastest: Gorman 10:34; I Buchanan (Hy R) 10:35; Kelly 10:40; Allen 10:53; Woolley 10:54; King 10:58
38 teams finished

Results courtesy of Martin Duff