National Masters Road Relays

National Masters Road Relays Newport Harriers

19th National Open Masters Road Relay Championships
Saturday 20th May 2006
Sutton Park, Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands

Newport Vets stepped onto the national stage for the British Masters Road Relay Championships held at Sutton Park. This was a true national championship with teams from all four home countries. All competitors ran the same hilly course, with each leg exactly three miles.

First off at 11 a.m. was the Women’s 45-54 race. Leg 1 runner Ann Saxena ran impressively to put Newport in fourth place in a time of 19:38 that was sixth fastest overall in the race. Ann handed on to Carole Fereday, with Cynthia Greenslade on anchor leg. Carole and Cynthia applied themselves in the damp conditions to bring the Harriers Women home in 7th position out of 12 finishers.

Newport were second Welsh club behind bronze medal team Les Croupiers. Hopefully Ann, Carole and Cynthia will stay together as a squad as in a few years time they should be aiming to be medal contenders themselves in the Women 55+ race.

The Men’s 40-49 race set off at 1.30 p.m. Newport’s lead-off man Brett Davis had the toughest run of all as he was in the fastest overall leg - every team wanted a good start – but he did what was required and kept us in touch with the pack. This set up Geoff Brimble to pick off the opposition and he advanced Newport by 15 places with the 18th fastest lap time for Leg 2.

We continued to improve over the next three legs. Mark Carpanini gained two places with Newport’s second fastest lap of the day, and Darryn McAtee gained another four places. Malcolm Medhurst gained a magnificent six places to put us 33rd, which proved to be our highest placing during the race. Steve Wadley dropped one place but consolidated our position with a concentrated performance on Leg 6.

Colin Bradley and anchor man Dave Proffitt completed the Harriers team. They were both giving away ten years to their opponents but each delivered a determined run. Colin, a late addition to the team following the anticipated shock withdrawal of John Watkins, lost five places but extended Newport’s lead over Garden City Runners. Dave lost two places but held at bay the other chasers to bring us home in 41st.

This was Newport Men’s first ever entry in this national event, prompting a personal compliment from local stalwart Mick McGeoch that it was really good to see us there. We were 41st out of 44 finishers and by my reckoning this makes us the 41st best Vets road relay team in the country. Newport were third Welsh team behind Neath and Les Croupiers.

This was an enjoyable and rewarding day for Newport Vets – male and female – and we are already looking forward to next year, especially Malcolm.

Results

Women

Men

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