CROSS-COUNTRY

AUGUST 18

Lydia Turner: joint fastest women’s time at Durham

DAVID HEWITSON

DURHAM SUMMER RELAYS

Durham University Playing Fields TYNE BRIDGE led all the way to win the senior men’s relay, Les Venmore reports.

Marc Fenwick led on leg one for Tyne Bridge clocking the day’s fastest time. He was followed 18 seconds behind by Dan Jenkin of host club Durham City.

Dave Green and James Dunce extended the Tyne Bridge advantage to 33 seconds at the finish line ahead of Durham, who remained second throughout, with Jarrow & Hebburn, through George Lowry, moving up from sixth to third on the final leg.

Birtley reversed 2015 placings with Gateshead in the women’s race.

Mary Ferrier led for Gateshead on leg one ahead of Chloe Price of Birtley, but Lydia Turner took Birtley into a 45-second lead on leg two. This was the first outing for Turner, the 2014 European junior cross-country bronze medallist, for more than 16 months, having been sidelined through illness. Sophie Burnett extended the advantage on the third leg, with the Gateshead B team finishing third.

Ferrier and Turner shared the fastest time.

Sunderland held off a strong Morpeth challenge to retain the veterans’ trophy. Morpeth, through John Butters, led on leg one before Kevin Jeffress took Sunderland into a 29-second lead on leg two. Chris Smith reduced the deficit to Steve McMahon on the final leg by four seconds, clocking the fastest time.

North Shields Poly were untroubled in winning the veteran women’s event, with first leg runner Stephanie Maclean Dann, clocking the fastest time.

In the mixed relay, Crook and District emerged the winners, though Saltwell, through Abraham Tewelde, had a large lead after leg one.

Senior men (3 x 2M): 1 Tyne Bridge H 29:01 (M Fenwick 9:18, D Green 10:07, J Dunce 9:36); 2 Durham City H 29:34 (D Jenkin 9:36, J Wilkinson 10:05, J Askew 9:53); 3 Jarrow and Hebburn 30:17 (L Gifford 10:21, J Evans 10:14, G Lowry 9:42); 4 Sunderland H 30:22 (S Rankin 9:45, A Powell 10:10, S Morley 10:27); 5 Durham City H B 30:34 (M Grimes 9:59, C Allan 10:13, R Linten 10:22); 6 Gosforth H 30:40; 7 Gateshead H 31:57; 8 Heaton H 32:06; 9 Gosforth H B 32:39; 10 Sunderland Strollers 32:40; 11 Durham City H C 32:58; 12 Heaton H B 33:12; 13 Gateshead H B 33:20; 14 Darlington H 33:23; 15 Elswick H 33:32; 16 Houghton H 33:34; 17 Darlington H B 33:37; 18 Aykley Heads 34:11; 19 Darlington H C 35:05; 20 South Shields H 35:53