Road Relays - Redcar 20th March 2005

The NYSD Road Relays took place on Sunday 20th March; they traditionally mark the end of the Cross-country season but arrived early this year because of Easter. Redcar Running Club have hosted the relays for the past four years at Locke Park; a traffic-free course with numerous twists and turns that the runners have become accustomed to, as well as the early Spring good weather.

Jo Adams (left) with Marc, Rob and Ben Scott (right)

Richmond and Zetland Harriers had teams in five of the six races with only the Under 15 Boys stopping a full house. There were many talking points on the day, starting with “something of a unique occurrence” in the first race when the three Scott triplets made up the RZH team; the second race then had a dead-heat between the Harriers sprint squad and the Nestle Rowntree A team; there was something of a comeback for the Club when two previously injured athletes, Jo Adams and Jane Thornton, lined-up for the Under 15 Girls; the Senior Ladies were one short until Coach, Faye Chilton said yes and it was just about the last four standing who made up the Senior Men’s team. In addition, there was a degree of confusion through most of the races with runners incorrectly declared and/or wearing the wrong numbers for their legs and the timekeepers, judges and recorders had their work cut out to keep track with events. Ultimately, the results team put times to positions and things were recorded in some-sort-of-order.

RZH results: U13B (3x1 mile) Marc Scott 5:43, Rob Scott 6:19 & Ben Scott 7:13 - 5th team 19:51; U13G (3x1 mile) Brogan Fraser 6:47, Alice Morrison 6:38 & Ruth Hill 6:39 - 7th equal team 20:04; U15G (3x1 mile) Jo Adams 5:58, Jane Thornton 6:54 & Katie Roberts 6:09 - 12th team 19:01; U17M (3x2 miles) Chris Archer 11:37, James Brownfields-Pope 11:52 & Phil Fitzpatrick 10:24 - 2nd team 33:53; U20/SVL (3x2 miles) Fiona Hughes 12:46, Faye Chilton 17:20 & Jenny Fenwick 16:31 - 7th team 46:37; U20/SVM (4x2 miles) Edd Richards 10:07, Nick Zissler 10:09, Taff Rogers 11:53 & Mike Brooks officially 12:42 although timed elsewhere at 11:21 - 6th team 44:51. As we go to Press, the Road Relays Aggregate Trophy has not been officially calculated nor awarded.

NYSD Cross Country Awards 2005

The Road Relays also gives the NYSD League the opportunity to present their Cross-country Awards. League Secretary John Kettle and President Mike Brooks were on hand to present nine Harriers with medals having scored more than 20 points during the season: Doug Roberts and Josh Miers in the Under 15 Boys, Phil Fitzpatrick in the Under 17 Men; Erica Moks and Jenny Fenwick in the Under 17 Women; Ken Harker (who placed 3rd) and Richard Hunt in the Senior Men; Jon Orange in the Men’s Vet 1 category and Colin Sewell in the Men’s Vet 2 category. Better still, four Harriers placed first in their categories and picked-up individual Trophies: Jessie Roberts in the Under 17 Ladies; Edd Richards and Nick Zissler who tied in the Under 20 Men and both received Trophies and Mike Brooks who had to swap hands to receive his winning Men’s Vet 2 Trophy. The Senior Ladies and Senior Men’s teams both finished 2nd in the League and the Men received the Shield for the Most Improved Team by virtue of the extra 22 points scored over the previous year. But you had to wait until the last for the best of all, the Presidents Trophy, which was presented to Coach, Team Manager and Competitor, Fiona Hughes, the Trophy for the best all-round Club in the League.