TYNE BRIDGE Harriers, one of the region’s youngest clubs, got off to a flying start in their quest to land a rare double by winning the men’s and women’s Division One team races in the opening Start Fitness North-East Harrier League fixture at East Cramlington.

In the senior men’s handicap event Tyne Bridge, with their six counters in the first 27, totalled 87 points, beating defending champions Durham City by a clear-cut 49 points.

The Newcastle club’s winning team were from the slow and medium packs, each athlete receiving five or two-and-a-half minute start, and because of a new rule automatically promoting the first ten percent of the field – there were 590 finishers – they will all move up a grade in the next fixture at Aykley Heads, Durham on November 22.

Tyne Bridge finished six points clear of North Shields Polytechnic in the women’s race, led home by veteran medium-packer Alison Dargie in 3rd place and she, like her three winning colleagues, will be promoted like the first 33 finishers in a field of 333.

Elswick Harrier Mark McLeod, son of Olympic 10,000m silver medallist Mike McLeod, won from the slow pack, receiving five minutes start and the fastest time was recorded by Morpeth’s Great Britain international Jonnie Taylor, who finished tenth overall, nearly two minutes ahead of defending Grand Prix winner and clubmate Richard Morrell.

The women’s race was dominated by two Great Britain internationals, Rosie Smith and Alyson Dixon.

Smith, the North-East cross country champion, ran from the medium pack, receiving two minutes start and she overhauled the slow packers two minutes ahead to win by a comfortable 22 seconds in the fastest time of the race. Sunderland Stroller Dixon, who represented England in the Commonwealth Games marathon, finished seventh from the fast pack off scratch and was 42 seconds slower than her Durham City rival.

Results – Senior Men: 1 M McLeod (Elswick, Slow Pack +5 mins) 34 mins 52 secs; 2 C Cadot (Newcastle Univ, SP) 34.56; 3 E Kelly (Morpeth, SP) 35.13. Fastest times: 1 J Taylor (Morp, Fast Pack, scr) 31.46; 2 R Morrell (Morp, FP) 33.42; 3 C Franks (Gateshead, FP) 33.54. Teams – Div 1: 1 Tyne Bridge 87 pts; 2 Durham City 136; 3 North Shields Poly 142; 4 Morpeth 152; 5 Gateshead 175; 6 Sunderland 196. Div 2: 1 Tynedale 112; 2 Gosforth133; 3 Birtley 144.

Women: 1 R Smith (Durham City, Medium Pack +2 mins) 26.02; 2 L Stewart (Newcastle Un, Slow Pack +4 mins) 26.24; 3 G Rutherford (NSP, SP) 26.54. Fastest times: 1 R Smith 24.02; 2 A Dixon (Sunderland Strollers, FP scr) 24.46; 3 A Snook (Jarrow & Hebburn, FP) 25.31. Teams – Div 1: 1 Tyne Bridge 44; 2 North Shields Poly 50; 3 Heaton 52. Div 2: 1 Morpeth 26; 2 Jarrow & Hebburn 47; 3 Elswick 98.