The Ladies team from Rugby & Northampton AC finished in 6th place in their first cross country event of the season when they competed in the Midland XC Relays over a distance of 6k at Walsall.
With a young team they were set off by the club’s top lady Emily Waugh and the 20 year old covered the two lap course in 22 mins 51 secs to cross the line in second place, which was also the fourth fastest time of the day. The squad was made up of two first year Juniors with 17 year old Tilly Lea running the second leg and giving a good account of herself with a time of 28.03 and just four days after celebrating her 18th birthday Bethan Goddard ran the anchor leg in 25.42.
For the first time the competition included a Masters race for Women over 35 and the trio of R&N ladies finished in a superb 2nd spot with Daisy Melville recording the fastest time on the opening leg with 24.47, followed by Angela Copson in 26.13 and Kate Williams with 28.31.
In the Mens Masters race Vince Carroll chased Waugh round on the opening leg, but couldn’t quite catch her with a time of 22.59, but it placed him 7th for the R&N team. Club President John Gercs ran a terrific second leg of 21.29 to move the team up to third place and making his debut as first claim for R&N was former Northampton Phoenix runner Steve Heighway who performed well after coming back from injury with 24.26. Taking over on the final leg in 6th spot was Terry Egan and he regained another three places when he was timed at 23.43 to clinch that 3rd position.
The Senior men had an incomplete team, but the much improved Nathan Smith ran the first leg in 23.59 with Pete Currington then producing a brilliant run of 22.16 to hand over to Pete Thomas who recorded 24.48.
