Kendal AAC win 'surprise bronze' at National event (From The Westmorland Gazette)

Kendal AAC win 'surprise bronze' at National event

11:07am Friday 7th November 2008 in Sport By Gazette Sports

KENDAL AAC Ladies exceeded their highest hopes in the National Cross Country relays at Mansfield.

After their silver medal success behind Chester-le-Street in the North of England road relays, Kendal AAC Ladies aimed to better the fourth place achieved in last year’s event , but after weighing up the opposition Kendal's coach Alan Phillips felt a top six position would be more realistic.

The team running order followed the previously successful format using the strength of Sarah Tunstall on the first leg to stay in touch with the leaders.

She hung on to Lancaster and Morecambe's Louise Gardner until the closing stages when Louise pulled away, recording the 10th fastest time of the day with 10min 12sec, with Sarah battling home in eighth position in 10-18.

Rebecca Robinson, fresh from her successful outing in the elite Great North Run and the North of England road relays, found the 3k cross country event tough going but she held on for seventh in 10-41.

Then Gemma Miles used her wealth of experience to run a perfectly timed third leg to come through the field for a surprise bronze medal in 10-15 behind the winners Charnwood AC and runners-up Havering Maysbrook.

Kendal Senior Men ran well in a highly competitive 5k race in which 151 teams took part.

Alasdair Russell finished 73rd in 16-47 on the first leg with veteran Craig Roberts climbing 28 places to 45th in 16-27 despite wearing borrowed spikes.

Youngest team member Kieran Alderson paced himself to hold 49th in 17-22.

Danny Parkinson completed his leg in 16-31 to bring the team home in 37th place overall.

U17 runner Patrick Vickery ran strongly in the 2.5k race in 10-14.

In the U15s 2k race Michael Hoyle (7-19), Sam Till (6.57) and Luke Ingham (6-51) came 25th out of 88 teams.

The U15 girls' team of Jessica Aoasman (9-54), Joelle Cambell (9-21) and Eilidh Sproul (8-09) enjoyed the competition experience.