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Chester-le-Street pipped for national title in dramatic finish
NORTHERN women's champions
Chester-le-Street were only
four seconds away from regaining
their National Six-Stage Road
Relay title in a dramatic finish at
Sutton Coldfield.
The 2006 title-holders looked
hot favourites as they went into
the final leg with a 15-second
lead. But their star anchor-leg
runner, Scottish international
Freya Murray was overhauled by
Aldershot's Vicky Gill, who
turned the deficit into a four-second
victory.
It was a remarkable fight-back
by Aldershot who had finished in
36th position after the first leg.
But they gradually pushed their
way up the field, moving into second
place behind Chester-le-
Street on the fourth leg.
Chester-le-Street also had to
make progress through the
ranks after a 13th placing on the
opening circuit, but they were
hoisted from fourth to first on the
fourth leg by Alyson Dixon, who
celebrated her first England selection
by clocking 16 mins 10
secs, the joint second fastest run
of the day.
Chester-le-Street's B team finished
in 21st position, with last
week's 5K Spring Coastal Run
winner Angela Hibbs moving up
four places on the third leg.
Morpeth Harriers, last year's
silver-medallists behind Leeds
City - who retained their title -
could only field seven runners
and were 22nd when they ran out
of legs.
Sunderland Harriers were the
region's top finishers in 34th
place, with Gateshead finishing
39th.
Redcar-based Stephen Hepples,
who missed the previous
weekend's Redcar Half
Marathon with a calf strain,
helped Newham and Essex Beagles
into fourth place with the
sixth fastest short leg time, moving
from fourth to second on the
sixth circuit. Redcar winner,
Kenyan Zak Kihara, lifted Birchfield
into the lead on the third leg
with the eighth fastest time of
the day but the Midlands club
faded to 11th position.
RESULTS - MEN: 1 Leeds City 4 hours 9 mins
40 secs; 2 Notts 4:11:01; 3 Belgrave 4:11:58;
34 Sunderland 4:46:45; 39 Gateshead
4:48:40.
WOMEN: 1 Aldershot, Farnham & District
1:41:48; 2 Chester-le-Street 1:41:52 (C Simpson
17.06(13), E Waterhouse 17.27 (5), K
Waugh 17.24 (4), A Dixon 16.10 (1), M Czarnecka
17.16 (1), F Murray 16.29 (2)); 3 Winchester
1:44:45. Fastest times - 1 J Potter
(Charnwood) 16.06; 2= A Dixon (ClS) & V Gill
(Ald) 16.10; 10 F Murray (CLS) 16.29.
9:28am Monday 28th April 2008
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