Surrey County AA Road Relays, Wimbledon Park

This year’s event was switched to the nearby bowls pavilion because Wimbledon Park athletic track was closed for refurbishment; as a result the course was a little longer than normal.

After a long run of silver medals in the Surrey Relay our men’s team had the chance to go for a hat-trick of wins, having won in 2003 and 2004 – but it was back to the runners-up slot again as alternative events took precedence in our runners’ diaries.

Lee Greatorex is aiming to tackle the longer distances and his extra mileage seems to be giving him a boost over the shorter road runs as well. His fourth on the opening leg was converted to second place on leg two by the Skipper, who interrupted his support of the England cricket team by cycling from the Oval Cricket Ground to Wimbledon to do his bit – and then cycling back again. Only the non-scoring Thames team was ahead at this point and they were caught by Knut Hegvold on stage three, but South London’s Jason Simpson also came through and with a strong trio to follow, it was left to our own Messrs Ellacott, Humphrey and Browne to hold on to second spot.

With M40s, M50s W35s and Senior Women racing at the same time as the senior men, but over over four stages, it can be very difficult to work out what is going on in the other races. Heidi Cayzer gave us a solid start and then Rosie Powell moved up two places to fourth. Team Manager Catherine Eastham put her clipboard and team sheet aside to keep the Belles in the hunt and with Jules surging through on the last stage we came home fourth – and third in the Surrey Championship.

Men. 1 South London H 1:34:55; 2 Belgrave H 1:36:50; 3 Thames H&H n/s 1:40:31; 4 Guildford & Godalming AC 1:42:02; … 11 Belgrave H n/s 1:48:41; 19 teams finished.

A team - L Greatorex 15:52 (4), W Cockerell 15:45 (2), K Hegvold 15:54 (2), T Ellacott 16:13 (2), M Humphrey 16:55 (3), J Browne 16:11 (2).

B team - J Webb 16:35 (10), T Weeks 16:29 (7), T Watt 18:09 (9), S Baxendale 20:14 (10), H Corbett 19:55 (13), T Weeks 17:19 (11).

Fastest: S Major (South London H) 15:11; J Simpson (South London H) 15:23; I Horrocks (Hercules Wimb) 15:24.

Women. 1 Ranelagh H 1:13:48; 2 Wimbledon Windmilers 1:15:25; 3 Epsom & Ewell H n/s 1:18:10; 4 Belgrave H 1:18:36; 14 teams finished.

A team - H Cayzer 19:08 (6), R Powell 19:05 (4), C Eastham 21:51 (5), J Clark 18:32 (4).

Fastest: E Nelson (Epsom & Ewell) 17:12; J Ronaldson (Ranelagh H) 17:54; C Diss (Herne Hill) 18:02.

Restored from the club's earlier website, belgraveharriers.com, and published here as originally written.