Roundup of all the South England Men’s 12 and Women’s 6 road relay action.
SOUTH OF ENGLAND LADIES’ 12 & 6 PALE ROAD RELAY CHAMPIONSHIPS, Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, 29 March
The regional championship was the only one to retain the traditional alternating long and then short stages for the men, as the women ran a long stage on legs two and four.
None of the medal winners from the last few years were on the podium in the men’s and women’s events on a cold and frosty day.
Men
Cambridge and Coleridge and Tonbridge have not been in the medals for the past few years, but both clubs have a good pedigree in the relay championships. Here just four seconds separated them at the end of a run of more than four hours.
Highgate, champions for the past two years, finished sixth ahead of another former champion, Kent, as 2023 winners Aldershot were fourth, despite being almost two minutes off the medals.
It was Belgrave Harriers’ Sam Gebreselassi who took the lead after Victoria Park & Tower Hamlets’ Alex Lawrence made the first move and then for most of the race it looked like Tonbridge would turn it around.
This came after the fastest long stage of 24:50 by James Kingston and then Ted Higgins, whose 25:25 was third best. They also had Jack Higgins’ fastest short lap of 14:43.
However, they ran out of steam on the 11th long stage following a back injury sustained by the usually reliable Stephen Strange, and the race was lost.
Cambridge and Coleridge ran Jack Gray midway through the race with a fifth best long leg of 25:55 to Jonathan Escalante-Phillips’ second fastest 25:44.
Then finally Tom Keane turned the knife in the third fastest short time of 14:59 and victory went to Cambridge & Coleridge.
Hercules Wimbledon had some good moments with long stages from Andrew Penney and Charlie Sandison, but they were only running half distance for third.
Men (6 x 8.6 km and 6 x 4.9 km alternately). 1 Cambridge & C 4:12;18 (C Benyon 26:20, M Walk 15:19, J Moynihan 27:03, W Newcome 15:33, E Spencer 26:46, M Bartram 15:22, J Gray 25:55, T FM 24:24, M. 16:07, J Escalante-Phillips 25:44, T Keen 14:59); 2 Tonbridge 4:12:22 (L Mills 26:46, H Fraser 15:04, A Howard 26:00, T Bawtree 15:41, J Crombie 27:52, J Chambers 15:16, J Kingston 24:50, C Higgins 26:00 14:43, S Strange 29:03, C Chambers 15:36); 3 Hercules W 4:13:11 (G Mallett 26:49, W Lewis 15:01, C Sandison 26:19, J Stockings 15:16, A Penney 26:10, H Silversstein 15:30, O Carrington 27:03, J Bryant 27:03, J Eastaugh 15:50, A Milne 26:27). Hobden 15:53); 4 AFD 4:15:00 (W Smith 27:14, O Russell 15:39, L Stone 27:39, J Gunning 15:59, C Charleston 25:57, D Poulton 15:51, S Eglen 26:26, C Stephenson A2:Blackne 15:15:46, T Doran 26:51, D Blomquist 16:13); 5 Herne H 4:16:34 )Y O’Mahoney 27:36, S Bramwell 14:13, O Mills 26:54, R Hickey 15:45, T Austin 26:45, A ussell 15:44, D Shaw 27:30, H. Bell 27:35, H. Bell 4.7. Patterson 15:42, S Brashaw 27:35, R Brown 15:37); 6 Highgate 4;17:32; 7 Odd 4:18:49; 8 Hertz P 4:23:28; 9 Belgrave 4:24:12; 10 Bedford & C 4:24:30
A total of 33 teams finished
The fastest (8.6 km). Kingston 24:50; Escalante-Phillips 25:44; T Higgins 25:55; O Bell (Herts P) 25:53; S Gebreselassie (Belgium)/Grey 25:55; Charleston 25:57
The fastest (4.9 km). 1 Branwell 14:13; J Higgins 14:43; Kane 14:59; Lewis 15:02; Fraser 15:04; T Beale (Bed C) 15:09
Women
Belgrave Harriers have been winning team championships for the past few years, but not here as they have missed out on gold medals in the same three years. However, it was put right here.
They won by 100 seconds from Herne Hill, with Brighton Phoenix third and champions Aldershot fourth in 20:24. Holders Reading did not set the appearance.
Earlier, Holly Parker led the way for Phoenix in the opening 4.9km, finishing as the fastest provisional short in 16:31, ahead of Sophie Toole, whose mark for Herne Hill was estimated at 16:53.
Phoenix maintained their lead in the second leg and 8.6km stage through Millie Dickinson as Victoria Park & Tower Hamlets finished second thanks to Molly Bryan.
At the halfway point, Molly Canham lifted Belgrave to challenge Phoenix leader Amy Harrisand, before Abby Brooke beat the eventual winners by 44 seconds in the long fourth leg, the fastest provisional long in 29:34.
Herne Hill’s Molly Smith gave a tough chase with second fastest 29:44 and they moved up to second with Phoenix now third.
The penultimate, short leg saw Kristina Popadici clear 80 seconds before Juliet Hodder finished the job with the third-fastest effort of 17:06.
Women (4.9 km, 8.6 km, 4.9 km, 8.6 km, 2×4.9 km). 1 Belgrave 2:09:56 (S Haileselassie 17:18, N Donegan 30:35, M Canham 17:51, A Brooke 29:34, K Popaditch 17:42, J Hodder 17:06); 2 Herne Hill 2:11:36 (S Tooley 16:53, M Coogan 30:47, B Proctor 20:38, M Smith 29:44, S Lockwood 18:18, H Keenan 17:36); 3 Brighton Phoenix 2;16:31 (H Parker 16:31, M Dickinson 30:44, A Harris 18:14, M Trafford 30:38, S Rushforth 18:49, M Edwards 18:55); 4 AFD 2:15:22 (N McLoughlin 17:59, H Preedy 30:33, E Wicks 19:15, L Gent 30:27, A Curtis 19:02, E Stevens 17:06); 5 C&C 2:15:47 (M Hodgson 18:36, J Colley 33:36, J Leggate 17:13, K Lowery 30:33, M Wood 18:47, L Shanahan 17:52); 6 Highgate 2:15:59; 7 VP&TH 2:17:08; 8 TVH 2:18:36; 9 Belgrave B 2:18:55; 10 Guildford & G 2:19:06
33 teams finished
The fastest (8.6 km). Brook 29:34; M Smith 29:44; Gent 30:27; Lowery/Predator 30:33
The fastest (4.9 km). Parker 16:31; Tuli 16:53; Hoder/Stevens 17:06; Legate 17:13; Haileselassie 5:18 p.m
Note: fastest time estimated and timed
