UK Road Relay Title Retained in Outstanding Team Performance
- Lucy
- 13 minutes ago
- 4 min read
We may have felt crestfallen at missing out on a hat-trick of successive National cross country titles at Sedgefield, County Durham in February - having to settle for silver behind long-time rivals Tonbridge - but the team more than redeemed itself at Sutton Park, Birmingham on Saturday.
In a superb all-round performance, the club retained the UK and English 12-stage road relay title, widely regarded as the blue riband event of club road racing. It capped a memorable day for the club, with the women’s team also delivering an excellent result (see below).
As defending champions, we were not among the pre-race favourites. Much of the attention centred on Tonbridge, newly crowned cross-country champions, along with Cambridge & Coleridge - autumn’s 6-stage winners and Southern champions.
However, the determination within the squad told its own story. Following the disappointment in Durham, the team gathered that evening and made a collective vow to respond when defending their 12-stage title. In the weeks leading up to the race, the message was clear: everyone would need to go the extra mile.
That mindset was summed up when MILAN CAMPION brought the group together to produce something special in recognition of captain JACK MILLAR, who is set to take a sabbatical in Australia after the season. His leadership throughout the winter had kept the squad united and motivated.
The response was emphatic. Every runner raised their level. The eight athletes who had competed in the Midland qualifier improved by an average of 15 seconds each, and the team was the only one to have all 12 runners break 17 minutes on the demanding 5.47km course.
Interestingly, unlike last year, when we led for long periods before a dramatic late comeback secured victory, this time neither we nor our main rivals featured prominently early on. All three teams remained within striking distance but hovered just inside the top ten during the opening half of the race.
A strong start has always been key, and FLYNN JENNINGS (16:00) delivered on the opening leg. Running confidently in the lead group, he finished 5th, just 15 seconds off the lead, in an excellent debut at this level.
WILL PARKIN (16:52) followed with a composed run on leg two, handling pressure from behind well despite a busy week leading into the race.
DYLAN RIGBY (16:43) then made a significant impact, recovering three places to move the team back into the top six with a performance over 30 seconds quicker than at the Midlands.
DAGE MINORS (16:51) maintained a strong pace, despite slipping slightly in position, while FELIX MCGRATH (16:16) began the team’s push forward, powering through the field to return us to the top six.
TIM LEFROY (16:32), making a welcome return after injury, delivered a controlled run to consolidate position, before MILAN CAMPION (16:39) produced a major turnaround from his Midlands performance to move the team into 4th.
JOE MORROW (16:41) closed the gap further, setting up PETER LE GRICE (16:12), who moved the team into the bronze medal position with one of the fastest runs of the day.
With pressure mounting from behind, LUKE BURGESS (16:13) produced a standout performance - catching and passing the leaders to put the team into first place with two stages remaining.
Captain JACK MILLAR (15:59) then extended the lead with a composed front-running effort, handing WILL BATTERSHILL (15:46) a commanding advantage on the anchor leg.
Despite battling a recent cold, Battersill still delivered the fastest leg for the team, crossing the line 37 seconds clear of Tonbridge, with Cambridge & Coleridge securing bronze further back.
The B team also produced a highly creditable performance, finishing 27th out of 62 teams - 4th among B teams and ahead of all but three other Midland clubs.
Reflecting on the day, captain JACK MILLAR described it as an almost perfect end to the season, with the team not only avenging their defeat at the National cross-country championships but also overturning their Midland result.
Over the past decade, the team has achieved remarkable success, underpinned by a strong sense of unity. While athletics is often seen as an individual sport, this squad continues to embody the spirit of all for one and one for all.
Women’s Team Continue Strong Season
A cold, blustery day greeted runners at Sutton Park, but that did little to dampen the spirits of the women’s team, who were determined to improve on last year’s 11th-place finish.
The opening leg, a crucial stage, was entrusted to one of the club’s most promising young athletes, SIAN DUVALL. Settling quickly into the leading group, she held her position well as the field stretched on the incline, finishing 15th in 19:27 and giving the team a solid platform.
MARIA JONES (20:25) followed with a composed run to maintain position, before BRYONY SHEPHERD (19:57), now recovering well from illness, moved strongly through the field to lift the team into 13th.
AMY NICHOLLS (20:17), now based at Birmingham University, continued the momentum, bringing the team up to 11th at the halfway stage.
The final two legs saw a decisive surge. CHELSEA BAKER produced one of the standout runs of the day, overtaking six teams to record an impressive 18:30.
On the final leg, CHARLOTTE TAYLOR delivered an exceptional performance. Despite racing heavily in recent weeks, she clocked the fastest time of the day (17:53), securing a highly impressive 5th-place finish overall.
While just outside the medals, it was a performance of real quality - one that would have comfortably secured victory at the Midlands by over two minutes.
The women’s team can reflect on an excellent season, including:
National 4 Stage Road Relays – Silver
Midlands Cross Country Relays – Silver
Midlands Cross Country Championships – Bronze
Gwent League Cross Country – Gold
Other Results
Lightning Bolt 10K Joe Ballard 1st – 32:17 Elliott Chard – 35:27 Ben Ashby – 39:31 Hannah Green (3rd Female) – 39:31 Adrian Bailey (M40) – 49:25
Brighton Marathon Daniel Shepherd 19th – 2:41:34 Amy Brammer (40th Female) – 3:19:32 James Hodge (M50) – 3:21:44
Lincoln 10K Megan Brewer (6th Female) – 39:06
Big Cheese 15 Mile Trail Race Miri King (2nd Female) – 1:58:30 Jessie Sanzo (1st W45) – 1:58:33
Tewkesbury Half Marathon - Jane Bennett (2nd W55) – 1:48:01
Comments