NATIONAL ROAD RELAYS

21 st OCTOBER 2006

B & R MEN FIND IT TOUGH AT THE TOP

Seventy-four teams competed at Sutton Park on Saturday.  B & R’s team managed 62nd place in 2:02:11, around 17 min behind the winners Newham & Essex who included an international or two.

Left: Dave Henderson on the downhill from the Jamboree Stone on Leg 3. Right: Britain's European 5,000m silver medallist Mo Farah well clear on the last leg.

Despite Damian Lewis and first reserve Ross Matthews both having to cry off shortly before the fixture, the team still put in a good performance.  A slightly off-colour Matt Addison ran the 5.847 km loop on leg 1 in 19:14 before James Adie on leg 2 produced the quickest B & R leg of the day in 18:58. Leg 3 was in the capable hands (or should that be feet) of Phil Carbutt who recorded 20:16.  Dave Henderson and Paul Atkins (second reserve), both stepped up from the ‘B’ team at the Midland qualifier, and came in with 20:56 and 21:40 respectively leaving Kevin Lanckham to again run the anchor leg for which he was timed at 21:07.

Left: Paul Atkins heads for the turn on Leg 5. Right: Kevin Lanckham sprints in to the finishing straight on Leg 6.

James, Phil, Paul and Kevin were all quicker than they had been at the ‘Midland’ in September with James showing an impressive 48 sec improvement.

Well done team and special thanks to Matt and Dave who both travelled long distances to turn out for the Club.

Above: The B&R team and supporters (including out-going chairman Mike Mole & newly-elected Ken Quartly) line up the autumnal sunshine at Sutton Park.

Also thanks for the valuable support on the day from Ross, Phil Scarr, Phil Anderson, Mike Mole, and other family members.

Birchfield Harriers (59:33) regained the women’s 4-stage title over the shorter course, finishing just 6 seconds ahead of Aldershot, Farnham & District. Another midlands club, Charnwood (1:00:17) took the bronze medals whilst last year’s champions Bristol & West finished eighth.

Len

Other local team performances:

2nd   Tipton ‘A’ 1:46:24

3rd    Bristol & West ‘A’ 1:47:01

14th  Birchfield 1:50:54

16th  Owls ‘A’ 1:51:16

20th  Bristol & West ‘B’1:51:51

28th  Tipton ‘B’ 1:52:50

31st   Owls ‘B’ 1:53:43

38th   Coventry Godiva ‘A’1:55:28

39th   Cheltenham 1:55:44

62th   B & R 2:02:11

63rd   Kidderminster 2:03:17

65th   Halesowen 2:05:00

69th   Coventry Godiva ‘B’ 2:06:53

72nd   Solihull 2:12:12