Martin Duff and Steve Smythe look ahead to this weekend’s big relay event at Sutton Park which sees the best of England up against top clubs from Scotland and Wales

Leeds City will be defending their men’s and women’s titles when the English Road Running Association (ERRA) Road Relay Championships return on Saturday (April 9) after a two-year hiatus caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Run over alternative long and short stages of 5.38 miles and 3.165 miles, the men’s event will continue the tradition in this race which dates back to 1967, with the first outing at Sutton Park in 1970. The race took over from the News of the World-sponsored London to Brighton event when the course was considered too dangerous to continue to host the race.

Leeds men won the North of England title two weeks ago by a minute from Salford and with Phil Sesemann the fastest overall on their relatively short long leg. Leeds also have 27:43 10km performer Emile Cairess, who was fastest on the short stage when the event was last run.

Men’s Midland winners, Notts AC will challenge over the course on which they won that title, albeit with only four long legs then and could well be boosted by Doug Musson, who was fastest short stage runner in 2017. Omar Ahmed was easily the quickest over the Midland long leg and he is on the Birchfield entry list.

This year’s South of England winners Tonbridge were champions here in 2018 and could again challenge with a well balanced squad, similar to the dozen who ran in Milton Keynes recently with the addition of Miles Weatherseed and Keiran Reilly.

Southern bronze medallists Bedford could also be a factor with the addition of Ben Alcock to their Milton Keynes squad while 2018 runners-up Highgate also look to have a very strong dozen.

The Celtic nations have been invited to send representative clubs and Swansea, who won in 2017, have Dewi Griffiths, who was fastest long stage runner in 2016 and 2017, along with recent 2:11:24 marathoner Josh Griffiths.

Scotland’s Central AC have double Olympic 5000m finalist Andrew Butchart, who was the fastest long stage runner back in 2014, in their entry list. Both will be chasing UKA medals only, while ERRA gongs will only go to English clubs.

Although they have not featured much in this race for many years, English National cross-country champions Southampton have Alex Teuten and the Mahamed brothers, Zak and Mahamed, among their entries.

Double Olympic triathlon medallist Alex Yee was quickest long stage runner here in both 2018 and 2019 for Kent AC and is entered, as is Manchester Marathon winner Jonny Mellor for Liverpool and Olympic marathoner Chris Thompson for Aldershot.

The latter ran the fastest leg in 2003, 2004 and 2006!

The women’s six-stage event has only been held since 2000, when it was run over six short stages, then in 2015 moved to include two long legs, on stages one and four. Leeds have won the last three events, succeeding Aldershot, who had a run of six straight victories before that. The Southern bronze medallists have Louise Small, Alice Garner, Georgie Bruinvels, Philippa Bowden, Lilly Coward, Pippa Roessler  and Niamh Brown among their entries.

Leeds women have not been much of a force in the last year or so and it was Vale Royal who won the Northern title from Hallamshire but surprisingly Vale Royal are not entered.

Leeds, though, should start challenge here with a squad including Bronwen Owen, Jennifer Walsh, Georgia Malir and recent Podium 5km winner Steph Pennycook.

Midland champions Coventry Godiva have surprisingly not entered and neither have runners-up City of Stoke and it is bronze medallists Birchfield who will probably lead the Midlands challenge but watch out for former winners Charnwood, who may field a stronger team this time round.

Incredibly, all three area champions will be absent as overwhelming four-minute Southern winners Cambridge Harriers have also not entered.

Runners-up Belgrave are entered but will be without their star runner Sarah Astin, who was fastest overall on the long-leg in Milton Keynes.

Swansea could call on Carys Jones and Verity Ockenden, who was fastest long-leg runner in 2017 in the line-up and will hope to improve on their 2017 silver medals.

Young athletes have their own 5km English championships before the senior relays but disappointingly have very few entries for a National event with just 43 athletes entered in the four age groups.

You can catch up with results from this year’s area road relay championships for the South here, Midlands here and North here.

Timetable

11:00 Young athletes’ 5km races
12:00 Men (6×5.38M and 6×3.165M alternating)
12:20 Women (2×5.38M on legs 1 & 4 with 4×3.165M on the rest)

History

While the London to Brighton race was effectively a national championships, the AAA organised their first official championships in 1967 at Whetstone which Coventry Godiva won.

The fastest legs were set by future British 5000m and 10,000m record-holder Dick Taylor on the long leg and by Derek Ibbotson on the short, 10 years after he set a world mile record at White City.

The quality of the fastest legs – especially the long legs in the early years – is stunning with most being set by Olympians or British record-holders.

Apart from the quality it is also noticeable how many of Britain’s best runners (with many among the best in the world) regularly turned out for their club.

While some star names will still show, it seems that many even non internationals have this further down their list of priorities with many away doing warm-weather training or focussing on marathon racing.

Non-Sutton Park results
1967 (Whetstone): 1 Coventry G 4:34:35 2 Derby & Co 4:35:03 3 Portsmouth 4:35:36

Short leg: Derek Ibbotson (Longwood) 16:23 Long leg: Dick Taylor (Coventry) 27:08

1968 (Leicester): 1 Coventry G 4:14:36 2 Derby & Co 4:16:44 3 Belgrave 4:16:55

Short leg: D Inns (Portsmouth) 13:54 Long leg: Mike Freary (Bolton) 26:33

1969 (Leicester): 1 Coventry G 4:05:01 2 Belgrave 4:07:02 3 Tipton 4:07:06

Short leg: Bill McKim (Tipton) 13:04 Long leg: Dick Taylor (Coventry) 25:55

1973 (Derby): 1 Birchfield 4:06:10 2 Tipton 4:06:39 3 Coventry G 4:09:06

Short leg: Dave Moorcroft (Coventry) 13:00 Long leg: Ian Stewart (Birchfield) 26:24

Results on the Sutton Park Course (5:38M/2:995M, 1970-1972 slightly longer)
1970: 1 Coventry G 4:13:52 2 City of Stoke 4:14:56 3 Manchester & D 4:16:06

Short leg: Eddie Strong (Bristol) 14:26 Long leg: Ian Stewart (Birchfield) 25:13

1971: 1 Birchfield 4:10:58 2 Coventry G 4:11:31 3 Tipton 4:13:17
Short leg: David Moorcroft (Coventry) 14:27 Long leg: Mike Freary (Bolton) 25:47

1972: 1 Tipton 4:13:17 2 Birchfield 4:13:35 3 Coventry G 4:13:41

Short leg: Allan Rushmer (Tipton) 14:42 Long leg: Ricky Wilde (Manchester & D) 25:33

1974: 1 Tipton 4:06:35 2 Edinburgh S 4:07:06 3 Cardiff 4:07:15

Short leg: G Morgan (Cardiff) 14:11 Long leg: Brendan Foster (Gateshead) 24:28

1975: 1 Gateshead 4:06:11 2 Edinburgh S 4:06:32 3 Coventry G 4:06:42

Short leg: Brendan Foster (Gateshead) 13:58 Long leg: Bernie Ford (Aldershot) 24:45

1976: 1 Gateshead 4:04:14 2 Liverpool 4:04:51 3 Tipton 4:08:49

Short leg: Brendan Foster (Gateshead) 13:37 Long leg: Dave Black (Small Heath) 25:00

1977: 1 Gateshead 4:05:00 2 Liverpool 4:07:41 3 Tipton 4:09:08

Short leg: Brendan Foster (Gateshead) 13:48 Long leg: Bernie Ford (Aldershot) 25:03

1978: 1 Tipton 4:04:49 2 Aldershot 4:07:48 3 Wolv & B 4:08:01

Short leg: Ray Smedley (Birchfield) 13:54 Long leg: Ian Stewart (Tipton) 24:38

1979: 1 Gateshead 4:03:25 2 Birchfield 4:04:44 3 Tipton 4:04:55

Short leg: Mike Densley (Birchfield) 14:09 Long leg: Brendan Foster (Gateshead) 24:33

1980: 1 Bristol 4:00:37 2 Tipton 4:01:51 3 Gateshead 4:03:44

Short leg: Barry Smith (Gateshead) 13:36 Long leg: Bernie Ford (Aldershot) 24:42

1981: 1 Tipton 4:05:33 2 Aldershot 4:8:10 3 Birchfield 4:10:09

Short leg: Ian Stewart (younger) (Invicta) 13:52 Long leg: Andy Armitage (Charnwood) 25:11

1982: 1 Aldershot 4:03:01 2 Tipton 4:03:11 3 Gateshead 4:03:42

Short leg: Barry Smith (Gateshead) 13:43 Long leg: Dave Moorcroft (Coventry) 24:27

1983: 1 Birchfield 4:05:16 2 Tipton 4:05:50 3 Staffs Moorlands 4:08:09

Short leg: Ken Newton (Sheffield) 14:06 Long leg: Steve Harris (Shaftesbury) 24:56

1984: 1 Tipton 4:04:43 2 Gateshead 4:06:36 3 Birchfield 4:07:45

Short leg: Mike O’Reilly (Highgate) 13:59 Long leg: Richard Partridge (Birchfield) 25:27

1985: 1 Tipton 4:04:52 2 Birchfield 4:05:09 3 Gateshead 4:07:02

Short leg: Billy Dee (Luton) 14:00 Long leg: Jack Buckner (Charnwood) 24:51

1986: 1 Tipton 4:02:58 2 Birchfield 4:03:38 3 Gateshead 4:04:28

Short leg: Paul O’Callaghan (Wolves) 13:44 Long leg: Tony Milovsorov (Tipton) 24:59

1987: 1 Gateshead 4:02:56 2 Tipton 4:04:02 3 Birchfield 4:04:04

Short leg: Simon Mugglestone (Westbury) 13:55 Long leg: Kevin Forster (Gateshead) 25:31

1988: 1 Gateshead 4:02:01 2 Birchfield 4:02:53 3 Coventry G 4:03:04

Short leg; Martin Hawkins (Bingley) 13:54

Long leg: Craig Mochrie (Leicester)/Geoff Turnbull (Gateshead)/Phil Jenkins (Newport) 25:04

1989: 1 Tipton 4:03:49 2 Wolves & Bilston 4:05:00 3 Birchfield 4:05:46

Short leg: Ian Manners (Highgate) 13:59 Long leg: Eamonn Martin (Basildon) 24:47

1990: 1 Tipton 4:03:43 2 Wolves & Bilston 4:07:09 3 Coventry G 4:07:52

Short leg: Rob Denmark (Gateshead) 13:42 Long leg: Paul Evans (Belgrave) 24:58

1991: 1 Tipton 4:04:13 2 Shaftesbury 4:05:57 3 Swansea 4:06:17

Short leg: Richard Hollingsworth (Notts) 13:55 Long leg: Eamonn Martin (Basildon) 25:03

1992: 1 Tipton 4:04:51 2 Coventry G 4:07:47 3 Swansea 4:08:08

Short leg: Rob Denmark (Basildon) 13:33 Long leg: Colin Walker (Gateshead) 25:07

1993: 1 Shaftesbury B 4:06:24 2 Boxhill Racers 4:07:01 3 Swansea 4:07:07

Short leg: Kevin McCluskey (Copeland) 13:41 Long leg: John Sherban (Shaftesbury) 25:07

1994: 1 Swansea 4:06:26 2 Boxhill RR 4:07:28 3 Blackheath 4:07:47

Short leg: J Hobbs (Cardiff) 13:40 Long leg: Rob Denmark (Basildon) 24:30

1995: 1 Blackheath 4:03:04 2 Bingley 4:05:56 3 Morpeth 4:06:10

Short leg: Ged Davey (Sale) 13:45 Long leg: Justin Hobbs (Cardiff) 25:54

1996: 1 Bingley 4:02:06 2 Tipton 4:06:27 3 Cardiff 4:06:41

Short leg: Jon Solly (Herne Hill)/Darius Burrows (Bir) 13:44 Long leg: Richard Nerurkar (Bingley) 24:50

1997: 1 Salford 4:06:37 2 Coventry G 4:06:45 3 Birchfield 4:07:53

Short leg: John Mayock (Cannock &S) 13:50 Long leg: Andy Pearson (Longwood) 24:52

1998: 1 Birchfield 4:07:06 2 Salford 4:09:04 3 Tipton 4:10:04

Short leg: Rob Whalley (C of Stoke) 13:49 Long leg: Malcolm Price (Sunderland) 25:49

1999: 1 Tipton 4:06:22 2 Salford 4:11:18 3 Morpeth 4:11:41

Short leg: Adrian Passey (Brom & Red) 13:44 Long leg: Mark Morgan (Swansea) 25:34

2000: 1 Salford 4:08:04 2 Tipton 4:10:32 3 London Irish 4:11:39

Short leg: J Kimtai (Tipton) 13:54 Long leg: Mark Morgan (Swansea) 25:56

2001: 1 Tipton 4:10:27 2 Belgrave 4:10:33 3 Salford 4:12:34

Short leg: Chris Davies (Telford) 14:03 Long leg: Mark Miles (Belgrave) 25:45

2002: 1 Belgrave 4:04:51 2 Birchfield 4:11:17 3 Morpeth 4:12:12

Short leg: Andy Graffin (Belgrave) 14:03 Long leg: Allen Graffin (Belgrave) 25:45

2003: 1 Belgrave 4:08:55 2 Tipton 4:11:02 3 Birchfield 4:12:49

Short leg: Chris Thompson (AFD) 13:47 Long leg: Mick McCarthy (London Irish) 25:48

2004: 1 Aldershot F & D 4:10:15 2 Belgrave 4:11:47 3 Salford 4:26:31

Short leg: Chris Davies (Telford) 13:23 Long leg: Chris Thompson (AFD) 25:27

2005: 1 Belgrave 4:08:36 2 Birchfield 4:12:13 3 Leeds City AC 4:15:59

Short leg: Steve Hepples (NEB) 14:15 Long leg: Chris Davies (Telford) 25:21

2006: 1 Newham & EB 4:10:08 2 Sale 4:11:39 3 Belgrave 4:12:09

Short leg: Chris Thompson (AFD) 14:02 Long leg: Mo Farah (NEB) 25:27

2007: 1 Leeds City AC 4:11:31 2 Morpeth Harriers 4:13:42 3 Belgrave Harriers 4:14:43

Short leg: Nick McCormick (Morpeth) 13:39 Long leg: Jean Ndayisenga(Birchfield) 25:21

2008: 1 Leeds City AC 4:09:40 2 Notts AC 4:11:01 3 Belgrave Harriers 4:11:58

Short leg: Andy Baddeley (Harrow AC) 13:39 Long leg: Jean Ndayisenga (Birchfield) 25:33

2009: 1 Belgrave Harriers 4:04:43 2 Newham & Essex Beagles 4:09:54 3 Tipton Harriers 4:11:48

Short leg: Jonny Taylor (Morpeth H) 13:57 Long leg: Phil Wicks (Belgrave H) 25:13

2010: 1 Newham & Essex Beagles 4:09:12 2 Tipton Harriers 4:11:26 3 Shettleston Harriers 4:12:01

Short leg: Bruce Raeside (Notts Ac) 14:01 Long leg: Moumin Geele (Newham&EB) 25:37

2011: 1 Tipton Harriers 4:10:36 2 Newham & Essex Beagles 4:10:58 3 Morpeth Harriers 4:11:02

Short leg: Nick McCormick (Morpeth) 13:49 Long leg: Philip Nicholls (Tipton) 25:48

2012: 1 Tipton Harriers 4:10:17 2 Leeds City AC 4:13:12 3 Notts AC 4:14:13

Short leg: Ross Murray (Gateshead) 14:00 Long leg: Patrick Martin (Stockport) 26:01

2013: 1 Leeds City AC 4:13:10 2 Cardiff 4:14:55 3 Notts AC 4:15:56

Short leg: Stephen Mitchell (Bristol&W) 14:13 Long leg: Joe MacDonald (Cardiff) 26:01

2014 (shorter course 5.08M/2.69M):  1 Leeds City AC 3:50:41 2 Morpeth H 3:51:38 3 Aldershot Farnham & District 3:51:57

Short leg: Niall Brooks (Sale) 12:39 Long leg: Andy Butchart (Central) 24:20

2015 (longer course 5.57M/3.19M): 1 Morpeth H 4:21:52 2 Notts AC 4:23:06 3 Leeds City AC 4:25:34

Short leg: Samuel Mitchell (Notts) 15:01 Long leg: Michael Callegari (Shaftesbury) 26:41

2016 (new course 5.38M/3.165M): 1 Highgate H 4:16:30 2 AFD 4:17:15 3 Bristol And West AC 4:18:08

Short leg: Ross Murray (Gateshead) 15:14 Long leg: Dewi Griffiths (Swansea) 25:28

2017: 1 Swansea Harriers 4:15:06 2 Bristol & West AC 4:19:55 3 Liverpool Harriers & AC 4:20:51

Short leg: Douglas Musson(NottsAc ) 14:46 Long leg: Dewi Griffiths ( Swansea) 25:10

2018: 1 Tonbridge AC 4:17:24 2 Highgate Harriers 4:18:56 3 Swansea Harriers 4:19:42

Short leg: Kieran Wood(Cambridge&C) 15:06 Long leg: Alex Yee (Kent AC) 24:57

2019: 1 Leeds City AC 4:12:21 2 Bristol & West AC 4:14:33 3 Aldershot Farnham & District 4:14:39

Short leg: Emile Cairess (Leeds City) 14:43 Long leg: Alex Yee (Kent AC) 25:00

Top Individual short legs 1974-2013
1 Chris Davies Telford 13:23 2004
2 Rob Denmark Basildon 13:33 1992
3 Barry Smith Gateshead 13:36 1980
4 Brendan Foster Gateshead 13:37 1976
eq 5 Andy Baddeley Harrow AC 13:39 2008
eq 5 Nick McCormick 13:39 2007
eq 7 Ian Hamer Swansea 13:40 1992
eq 7 Justin Hobbs Cardiff 13:40 1994
9 Kevin McCluskey Copeland 13:41 1993
eq 10  Paul O’Callaghan Wolvs & B 13:44 1986
eq 10 Darius Burrows Birchfield 13:44 1996
eq 10 Jon Solly Herne Hill 13:44 1996
eq 10 Adrian Passey Bromsgrove 13:44 1999
14 Ged Davey Sale 13:45 1995
eq 15 David Heath Blackheath 13:47 1999
eq 15 Chris Thompson AFD 13:47 2003
eq 17 Richard Hollingsworth Notts 13:49 1992
eq 17 Darren  Mead Belgrave 13:49 1994
eq 17 Rob Whalley C of Stoke 13:49 1998

Top individual long legs 1974-2013
1 David Moorcroft Coventry 24:27 1982
2 Brendan Foster Gateshead 24:28 1974
3 Rob Denmark Basildon 24:30 1994
4 Nick Rose Bristol 24:36 1979
5 Ian Stewart Tipton 24:38 1978
6 Bernie Ford AFD 24:42 1980
7 Eamonn  Martin Basildon 24:47 1989
eq 8 Allister Hutton Edinburgh S 24:50 1982
eq 8 Richard Nerurkar Bingley 24:50 1996
eq 10 Julian Goater Shaftesbury 24:51 1979
eq 10 Jack Buckner Charnwood 24:51 1985
12 Andy Pearson Longwood 24:52 1997
13 Steve Jones Bristol 24:53 1980
eq 14  Steve Kenyon Bolton 24:54 1979
eq 14 Justin Hobbs Cardiff 24:54 1995
eq 16 Dave Black Small Heath 24:56 1974
eq 16 Steve Harris Shaftesbury 24:56 1983
18 Paul Evans Belgrave 24:58 1990
eq 19 Tony Milovsorov Tipton 24:59 1986
eq 19 Glyn Tromans Coventry 24:59 1997

Women’s results – Sutton Park (2.995M course)

2000: 1 Shaftesbury Barnet 1:40:33 2 Birchfield 1:42:10 3 Tipton 1:44:00

Fastest leg: Hayley Yelling (Hounslow) 15:58

2001: 1 Charnwood 1:42:47 2 Sale 1:42:49 3 Shaft Barnet 1:43:12

Fastest leg: Hayley Yelling (Hounslow) 15:47

2002: 1 Bristol 1:39:22 2 Shaft Barnet 1:41:32 3 Liverpool 1:43:29

Fastest leg: Lucy Elliott (Shaftesbury Barnet) 15:55

2003: 1 Sale HM 1:41:00 2 WSEH 1:44:56 3 Chester-Le-Street 1:45:32

Fastest leg: Hayley Yelling (Windsor, SHE) 15:59

2004: 1 Coventry Godiva 1:42:46 2 Tipton 1:43:13 3 Shaft Barnet 1:45:51

Fastest leg: Helen Clitheroe (Preston) 15:41

2005: 1 Bristol & West 1:43:32 2 Shaft Barnet 1:45:04 3 City of Glasgow 1:45:09

Fastest leg: Kate Reed (Bristol & West) 15:42

2006: 1 Chester-le-Street 1:44:12 2 Winch & D 1:44:42 3 Bristol & West 1:44:49

Fastest leg: Hatti Dean (Hallamshire) 16:16

2007: 1 Charnwood 1:41:14 2 AFD 1:41:23 3 Chester:Le Street 1:41:56

Fastest leg: Steph Twell (Aldershot) 15:57

2008: 1 AFD 1:41:48 2 Chester Le Street 1:41:52 3 Winchester & District 1:44:45

Fastest leg: Juliet Potter (Charnwood) 16:06

2009: 1 Charnwood AC 1:38:14 2 AFD 1:38:21 3 Bristol & West 1:40:44

Fastest leg: Steph Twell (Aldershot) 15:15

2010: 1 AFD 1:40:30 2 Swansea Harriers 1:44:27 3 Coventry Godiva Harriers 1:45:40

Fastest leg: Steph Twell (Aldershot) 15:22

2011: 1 AFD 1:41:21 2 Charnwood AC 1:45:46 3 Swansea Harriers 1:47:25

Fastest leg: Charlotte Purdue (AFD) 15:23

2012: 1 AFD 1:36:30 2 Swansea Harriers 1:41:27 3 Leeds City AC 1:42:42

Fastest leg: Charlotte Purdue (AFD) 15:29

2013: 1 AFD 1:37:56 2 Bristol & West 1:44:13 3 Birchfield Harriers 1:45:00

Fastest leg: Katrina Wootton (Coventry) 15:39

Top individual legs (2000-2013)
1 Steph Twell AFD 15:15 2009
2 Steph Twell AFD 15:22 2010
3 Charlotte Purdue AFD 15:23 2011
4 Charlotte Purdue AFD 15:29 2012
5 Charlotte Purdue AFD 15:31 2009
6 Katrina Wootton Bed C 15:38 2009
7 Katrina Wootton Coventry 15:39 2013
eq 8 Helen Clitheroe Preston 15:41 2004
eq 8 Lauren Howarth Leigh 15:41 2011
10 Katie Reed B&W 15:42 2005
11 Hayley Yelling Hounslow 15:47 2001
12 Sonia O’Sullivan THH 15:55 2001

Recent winners

2014 (shorter course 2.69M): 1 AFD 1:27:00 2 Swansea Harriers 1:29:28 3 Bristol & West Ac 1:32:03

Fastest leg: Emelia Gorecka (AFD) 13:51

2015 (longer course ([email protected]/[email protected]): 1 AFD 2:13:49 2 Bristol And West 2:16:44 3 Swansea Harriers 2:17:01

Short leg: Laura Weightman (Morpeth) 16:44 Long leg: Emelia Gorecka (AFD) 29:53

2016 (new course (5.38M/3.165M): 1 AFD 2:08:44 2 Leeds City AC 2:13:41 3 Cambridge & Coleridge AC 2:16:32

Short leg: Susan Partridge (Leeds City) 17:01 Long leg: Stephanie Twell (Aldershot) 28:31

2017: 1 Leeds City Ac 2:12:44 2 Swansea Harriers 2:16:21 3 Winchester & District AC 2:16:35

Short leg: Kate Maltby (Bristol&W) 16:38 Long leg: Verity Ockenden (Swan H) 29:45

2018: 1 Leeds City AC 2:11:27 2 Cambridge & Coleridge Ac 2:14:19; 3 Rotherham Harriers  2:15:45

Short leg: Julia Paternain (Cambridge & C) 17:02 Long leg: Tracy Barlow (ThamesVH ) 29:07

2019: 1 Leeds City Ac 2:10:40 2 Herne Hill 2:11:31 3 Birchfield Harriers 2:12:06

Short leg: Katie Snowden 17:02 Long leg: Anna-Emilie Möller 28:01