NYSD Road Relays 30th March 2003

Andrea Woodvine

The females from Richmond and Zetland Harriers pulled-out all the stops in the NYSD Road Relays on Sunday 30th March at Locke Park, Redcar. They placed second, fourth and first in their three races and won three out of six fastest lap awards. But there was disappointment, firstly with no boy’s teams and subsequently when the Men were unable to raise a team to defend the Trophy won last year, leaving the Veterans as the only male team.

The Club had two teams toe the line in the Under 13 Girls race - three laps of one mile on the paths winding around the boating lakes and play areas, a perfect location for competitors and spectators in fine spring weather. Scarborough AC added another good runner to their top two from the X-C season and, when Abbie Johnson ran the first lap in 5:30, the fastest time by category on the day, they had the race won. Scarlett Gray ran the opening leg for the RZH “A” team, handed over to twin sister Jessica on leg two, Jo Adams ran the third leg in 5:48, third fastest on the day, and the team finished second. The “B” team of Katie Roberts, Francesca Fowden and Rosie Adams were sixth and first “B” team and Rosie’s time of 5:58 (just 10 seconds slower than big sister Jo) was equal fourth fastest.

Shane Gray

Scarborough made it two wins out of two with victory in the Under 15 Girls race, set-up by Tori Wheatman’s opening leg of 5:24. Although the RZH team of Georgina Zissler, Leah Jackson and Jessie Roberts finished “out of the medals” in fourth place, Jessie’s chase on the last leg brought her a time of 5:22, the fastest time in the race.

Mike Brooks

There were more than twenty teams lined-up for the Men’s race with each of the four-man team running the one mile lap twice. The Harriers fielded a scratch team in the Veteran’s category with Paul Roberts the only regular M40 backed-up by Shane Gray (making a timely debut), Mike Brooks and Jim Robinson. There is still some confusion with times for the third and fourth leg runners but this didn’t alter the race result; a win for NMH and ninth place for RZH, just 3 seconds behind Loftus AC, the winning Veterans team. Steve Hepples of Loftus ran the fastest Senior leg in 9:02 and Tony Livingstone of NMH was fastest M40 with 9:57 but the fastest M50 is yet to be confirmed.

The Ladies race was the best of the day with the lead changing hands several times during the three times two mile race. Louise Jackson ran a perfect opening leg, fastest Senior with 11:25, to give Rachel Robinson a lead of 30 seconds over Scarborough. Although Rachel was then overtaken by Rowntrees, M&C and Darlington, she is a competitor and didn’t wilt, and only 18 seconds separated the first four teams going into the last leg. The Harriers then had Andrea Woodvine home from Nottingham University and in sparkling form, running 11:05 for her two miles - the fastest by an Under 20 and the fastest female - to bring the team home in first place. The Ladies “B” team had two under 17 girls - Sadie Potter and Amy Baines - around Club Coach, Fiona Hughes; they finished second “B” team, in seventh place.

Rachel & Louise

RZH results: Under 13 Girls “A” team - Scarlett Gray 6:05, Jessica Gray 6:00 & Jo Adams 5:48, team 2nd; “B” team - Katie Roberts 6:06, Francesca Fowden 6:34 & Rosie Adams 5:58, team 6th; Under 15 Girls - Georgina Zissler 6:11, Leah Jackson 6:08 & Jessie Roberts 5:22, team 4th; Men - Paul Roberts (M40) 11:10, Shane Gray (M40) 11:55, Mike Brooks (M50) 11:17 & Jim Robinson (M50) 11:14, team 9th (& 2nd Veteran team); Ladies “A” team - Louise Jackson 11:25, Rachel Robinson 12:58 & Andrea Woodvine (U20) 11:05, team 1st; “B” team - Sadie Potter (U17) 13:54, Fiona Hughes 13:25 & Amy Jane Baines 13:15, team 7th.