Event Report
Swansea Harriers went into the history books as the first Welsh club to win medals in the Women's 6-stage relay. Their second-place performance was due to a very good all-round performance - and partly to the Icelandic volcano! The Swansea team got off to a fine start thanks to Non Stanford, whose scheduled warm-weather training trip to Majorca had to be abandoned because of the ban on flights. Non became available at the last minute and gave the team an outstanding start by coming home in second place.
Elysia Ridley and Amanda Jones kept up the good work before Nicola Knapp put Swansea into the medal positions with a fine run on the fourth leg, moving back into second place. Elinor Kirk then extended the lead over third placed Coventry Godiva, paving the way for Andrea Whitcombe to have an untroubled run on the last leg before crossing the finishing line amid much jubilation from her team-mates.
The outstanding Aldershot team were very comfortable winners, but Swansea, who could muster only four runners for this event three years ago, improved their club record for the third sucessive year despite the very hot conditions.
In the men's 12-stage event, there was the usual keen but good-natured domestic battle between Swansea and Cardiff. Swansea came out on top this time, having been pipped by Cardiff in last October's 6-stage event. Swansea's Marc Hobbs was the fastest of the long-stage runners with 26.30, while Ieuan Thomas of Cardiff was the fastest over the short stage with 14.45. However, the outstanding individual performance of the day by a Welshman was that of John Wills, who clocked 26.05 for Bristol AC - the fifth fastest time of the day.
Event Results
Men's 12-stage: 1 Newham and Essex Beagles 4-09-12; 2 Tipton Harriers 4-11-26, 3 Shettleston Harriers 4-12-01. 7 Swansea Harriers 4-14-55 (Ritchie Nicholls 27.21, Lewys Hobbs 14.58, Marc Hobbs 26.30, Guy Smith 15.22, Brian Maher 27.15, Martin Conroy 15.00, Craig Hopkins 27.25, Chris Davies 15.23, Matt Dumigan 27.18, Phil Matthews 15.21, Sullivan Smith 27.42, Afan Humphreys 15.20), 10 Cardiff AC 4-18-30 (Tom Marshall 27.07, Ieuan Thomas 14.45, Carwyn Jones 27.14, Chris Moss 15.04, Ritchie Gardiner 27.27, Mike Kershaw 15.48, Nat Lane 26.59, Peter Ryder 16.14, Adam Bitchell 27.58, Edward Takata 15.55, Andrew Friend 28.31, Rowan Axe 15.28).
Full results
Women's 6-stage: 1 Aldershot Farnham and District 1-40-30, 2 Swansea Harriers 1-44-27 (Non Stanford 16.39, Elysia Ridley 18.13, Amanda Jones 17.08, Nicola Knapp 17.23, Elinor Kirk 17.39, Andrea Whitcombe 17.25), 3 Coventry Godiva Harriers 1-45-40.
Full Results
