The autumn season has given runners the chance to fly their club colours in national relay championships.
First was the British Fell Relay Championships at Llangynhafal in the Clwydian Hills of Denbighshire, then last weekend it was on to Mansfield for the National Cross Country Relays.
The fell runners would have been champing at the bit for the FRA Relays following the cancellation of the Ian Hodgson Relays in the waterlogged Lake District at the beginning of October, and in a fully subscribed field of 125 teams in Wales, it was Clayton-le-Moors’ veteran men who excelled to come away with the bronze.
These championships are held at a different venue each season, and although two of the stages are flagged and run singularly, two are run in pairs and navigational skills come into the equation.
On the crucial third leg, a map of the route is not released in advance.
In the first stage, British Champion Rob Hope from Wheelton Village gave Yorkshire club Pudsey and Bramley an early lead and they went on to finish second to Bingley Harriers.
Meanwhile Andy Stubbs brought Clayton Vets in 24th, handing to Paul Shackleton and Garry Wilkinson who advanced to 17th.
Dave Nuttall and Over 50 British and English Champion Mike Wallis moved up another place on that critical third stage and although they dropped to 21st during Mark Brown’s home run, they held station in the veteran standings.
Clayton’s non-veterans were East Lancashire’s highest-placed team in 12th after Paul Thompson had opened with seventh on the first leg, and Bowland took 16th.
Blackburn Harriers made 19th with Peter Matthews their ace card finishing within two seconds of Thompson at the start.
Katie Ingram from Chorley was the fastest of the women on the opening stage, but her Horwich club faded to sixth as Bingley women made it a double celebration.
Todmorden Harriers were the pick of the local clubs in 10th ahead of Chorley and Clayton, who were split by only two seconds.
Blackburn Harriers and Ribble Valley demonstrated their commitment in the National Cross Country Relays by fielding 17 teams between them at Berry Park in Mansfield.
Blackburn’s U15 boys were probably the pick of our locals as Alan McKeown, Robert Warner and Dominic Walton took 15th out of 88, one of the largest fields of the day.
Their junior women were also 15th as middle distance star Alison Leonard set them on the way with eighth.
Rachel Wood and Mel Taylor kept the bright start going. Four more teams made the top 30 for the Harriers, although the U15 girls had to be on their mettle to hold off the challenge of Pendle AC.
Blackburn were 24th courtesy of Holly Broughton, Charlotte Atkinson and Beckie Taylor while Pendle took 27th with Jade Lord, Holly Crabtree and Emma Spencer.
Nathan Riding and Robbie Schofield set Ribble Valley on their way to 38th in the U20 men’s race while their highest position was 35th for the U17 women.
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