MORPETH Harriers regained the Northern 12 Stage Road Relay title after yesterday’s event at Catterick Garrison.
The Harriers last won in 2007, with Leeds City the champions in the interim years.
The West Yorkshire club were the only real challenge to Morpeth this time, but had to settle for the silver medals, 80seconds behind the winners.
Mongolese marathon specialist Serod Batochir finished second on the first leg for Morpeth, two seconds behind 1500m international Tom Lancashire.
Terry Wall retained second place for Morpeth on leg two, with Derby now heading the field.
Jonathan Taylor took Morpeth into a lead of over two minutes on leg three, his time matching that of Lancashire as the fastest long stage.
Michael Morris, Ross Floyd, Ian Harding, Michael Dawson, David Swinburne, Ian Hudspith, Neil Wilkinson, Peter Newton and Matthew Nicholson retained the advantage to the finish.
The only remaining challenge came on leg nine as James Smith of Leeds came within a second of Hudspith only to see his experienced rival pull away .
Gateshead finished in a creditable fourth position. Sunderland Harriers finished 14th.
The first 25 clubs qualified for the National event at Sutton Coldfield next month.
In the senior women’s race over six stages, Morpeth were again the leading local club finishing in fourth place, behind Wakefield.
This was Morpeth’s highest position as Jane Mooney gained one place on the final leg. Veteran Sarah Wilkinson clocked their fastest time, moving from 20th to seventh on leg two.
NORTH East athletes found the competition too strong at Saturday’s Aviva English Schools Cross Country Championships at Wollaton Park, Nottingham.
In the almost summer-like conditions and with the going fairly firm, Cleveland’s Mark Shaw was the top performer finishing in fourth place in the Senior Boys’ event.
Shaw, who won the Inter Counties’ Under-17 title, could not match the strength of Kieran Clements of Suffolk, who he finished behind in the National race at Alton Towers.
The best team performance came from Northumberland who finished ninth in the senior girls’ race.
Competitors from just outside the region fared better.
Bronwen Owen of North Yorkshire justified favouritism to win the Junior Girls’ race. Cumbria’s Abbie Hetherington took third place in the intermediate girls’ race behind runaway winner Jessica Judd of Essex.
Cumbria’s Victoria Johnston finished a creditable fifth in the senior girls’ race.
LES VENMORE
