Michael Laws sealed his place in the A team for the Northern 12-Stage road relay on home soil at Silksworth next Saturday with a fine opening leg for the Harriers B team at the Elswick Good Friday relays.
Laws’ 11:17 was bettered only by the A team’s Steve McMahon amongst Sunderland Harriers on the day and showed he has fully recovered from recent Achilles problems. Laws edged clear of another Harrier on the road back from injury, the A team’s Mark Hood, who proved his fitness after a long lay-off with a solid 11:23 which also cemented his place in the 12-man squad.
McMahon anchored the A team impressively, moving through to 8th place overall with 10:58, two second inside his pre-race goal and a personal best on the Newburn lap, following youngsters Jack Tallentire (11:55) and Sean Mackie (11:57) who will hopefully go on to become stalwarts of the men’s team in years to come.
The men’s B team of Laws, Aidan Crowe (12:41), Jimmy Johnson (13:27) and Shaun Bagley (13:55) finished in 30th place. An incomplete C team comprised Alan McManus (14:04), Gary Fox (14:51) and Jake Jansen (11:30).
In the men’s Vets race, the A team was well in contention for a top 10 finish, having been admirably set up by Paul Collins, making a rare appearance this season, with 12:25, Al Knebel (12:29) and Mark Head (12:42) before Paul Redman was unfortunately directed off course resulting in ultimate disqualification for the team.
The Vets B team of Peter Richardson, Dean Phillips, Tony Allinson and Karl Robinson finished 23rd, with the C squad (Andrew Mitchell, Anthony Erskine, Billy Bittlestone and Tony Thompson) in 37th.
In the women’s race, run over three legs instead of the men’s four, the A team, led by Jess Fox (13:26) and ably backed up by Alice Smith (13:32) and Amy Coulson (15:43) closed in 17th place, with the B squad of Mariel Smithson, Cat Purdy and Alex Pearson in 40th.
Amongst the Vets the A team was competitive, placing 9th overall through Judith Thirlwell (13:58), Vikki Cotton (14:55) and Emma North (15:05), with the C team comprising Helen Higgins, Vicky Younger and Catherine Morris in 18th and the B team (Kim Fox, Denise Forster and Debra James) 35th.