Clubs chase titles at ERRA National Road Relays
Aldershot’s women won for eight years in a row before last year when Swansea took the honours at the ERRA National Road Relays, as this year’s South of England champions had a wobble.
They are still waiting for details of how many of their internationals will be running at Sutton Park on Saturday (October 8), following their end-of-summer break, but are likely to have four or five senior women’s teams on the start line.
Swansea (pictured) and 2015 minor medallists Bristol & West and Vale Royal will be interested in keeping them out – as will 2006 winners Birchfield, who comfortably took the Midlands event over the same course, but their time of two weeks ago has never won the national event.
In a close Northern championship, Leeds just headed Lincoln Wellington after coming from behind, thanks to a fine leg from Georgia Malir.
Tonbridge won the men’s six-stage event last year from 2014 winners Aldershot but Andy Vernon helped reverse the positions in the Southern 2016 championships.
Liverpool won a close race in the Northern championship from Derby and Morpeth as Dan Cliffe saw them home after their Jonny Mellor was the fastest overall.
Bristol & West, who won the Midland title this year, will challenge, but will need to improve their time if they are to challenge in the National event.
For the first time, the men’s, women’s and young athletes’ short relays will be combined on the same day, having previously taken place over two.
» See the October 6 edition of AW magazine for more, including a timetable, while next week's issue will include coverage of the events at Sutton Park
