Athletics round up from weekend of 24/25th June, courtesy of the Bristol Evening Post and Saturday Green Un. A bit later than usual due to our website failure last week.

HELEN FINES paid tribute to her squad as they smashed the course record to win the mixed team category in the Cotswold Way relay.
The Bristol and West AC team covered the 10 stages, comprising 105 miles from Chipping Camden to Bath Abbey, in a  time of 12hrs 38mins 48secs to finish fourth overall and carve eight minutes five seconds off the previous record.

“Everyone in the team played their part, whether running or driving the cars from stage to stage and supporting each other,” said Fines. “There was an excellent team spirit.”

Leading performer on the day was Clive Bromhall, who won the penultimate eighth stage from Old Sodbury to Cold Ashton in a stage record of 56:14, clipping an impressive 4mins 42secs off the previous record.

Alec Woods won stage five while there were also wins for Emma Whittaker and Sian Monahan and Mick O’Doherty was runner-up on stage eight.

Fines, who masterminded Bristol’s effort on a long day that started shortly after sunrise, ended the race on a high by finishing second woman and eighth overall on the final stage that finished in front of Bath Abbey.

Bitton Road Runners finished second team overall in the veterans category with Paul Sperrin having their best run to finish third on the final stage.

For Great Western Runners Steve Duddell was fourth on stage four and Mark Gilbertson fifth on stage nine as the club claimed 16th place overall.

* Ding Yang cleared a massive 6.45m, one of the best in the country this season, to win the Under 15s long jump in the National Young Athletes League Premier Division match as Bristol and West AC finished third overall behind Birchfield Harriers at Cheltenham. * Yate and District AC edged a step closer towards promotion with another victory in their penultimate Midland Division One fixture at Tipton.

* Bristol and West AC’s Steph Barnes clocked a personal best of 2:14.37 over 800m in the British Milers’ Club meeting at Solihull.
Trauining partner Emma Reed also ran a PB of 2:15.08 while there were further PBs in the 1500m for David Bishop (3:51.77) and Tom Marley in the men’s 800m (1:53.50).

Unfortunately kate Reed suffered a recurrence of her Achilles tendon injury and was forced to drop out mid-way through the 5000m in which her Bristol team-mate Abi Wilshire finished 17th in 17:02.08.

* Bristol and West AC’s Kate Goodhead broke the women’s course record with victory in 17mins 40secs in the latest Easy Runner Bitton 5k road race. Junior Dan Mullett won the men’s race.

* The next Bristol and West AC Bridge Inn 5k race will be held tomorrow (WEDNESDAY) from the normal HQ in Shortwood (7.30pm). Entries taken on the night.* A reminder that the Nailsea Festival 10k, incorporating the Avon Championships, wil take place on Thursday from Nailsea and Backwell Rugby Club (7.30pm). Contact Greg Sturdy for further information (tel: 01275 856345).

RESULTS

Cotswold Way Relay, Chipping Camden to Bath Abbey (105 miles), overall: 1 City of Bath AC 11:56.15; 2 Stroud and District AC 12:16.02; 3 Cheltenham and County Harriers 12:19.03; 4 Bristol and West AC Mixed 12:38.48; 5 Halesowen AC Veterans 12:51.25; 6 Bitton Road Runners veterans 13:26.23; 7 Hogweed Trotters 13:33.13; 8 Chepstow Harriers Mixed 13:35.10; 9 Avon Valley Runners Veterans 13:35.34; 10 Chippenham Harriers Veterans 13:39.06.
Women: 1 Cheltenham 14:58:54; 2 City of Bath 15:04:27; 3 Chippenham 15:22:53.
Mixed:3 Dursley and District AC.
Bristol and West AC Mixed Team: Dave Austin 1:33.52; Terry Morgan 1:41.58; Emma Whittaker 1:10.30; Sian Monahan 1:32.00; Alec Woods 1:13.05; Jerry Hogan 1:08.40; Patrick Woodisse 53:44; Mick O’Doherty 1:20.11; Clive Bromhall 56:14; Helen Fines 1:08.34.
Bitton Road Runners Veterans: Mike Grinham 1:35.02; Bill Graham 1:32.20; Dave Bulley 1:05.51; Ray Betterton 1:52.17; Warwick Fortescue 1:20.34; Simon Hill 1:15.21; Nick Kane 58:28; Ian Hoare 1:33.26; Bryan Stadden 1:06.55; Paul Sperrin 1:06.08.
Bitton RR Mixed: Keith Sawyer 1:31.12; James Wade 1:40.44; Claire Spick 1:19.10; Richard Cook 2:08.00; Lynette Porter 1:32.41; Mark Kingdon 1:23.46; Emma Hoare 1:09.41; Shayne Ellison 2:06.00; Lisa Newing 1:07.46; Wayne Ellis 1:15.08.
Hogweed Trotters (Trotweeds): Lee Pattison 1:32.38; Will Gray 1:32.33; Paul Lockyer 1:04.37; Justin Littlechild 1:20.04; Steve Eastaugh-Waring 1:20.12; Steve Weeks 1:31.42; Adrian Pook 55:25; Geoff Doyle 1:40.52; peter Willoughby 1:14.17; Tim Lund 1:11.53.
Great Western Runners: Stuart Kilby 1:44.32; Andrew Kirby 1:52.21; Simon Richards 1:03.14;  Steve Duddell 1:28.53; John Hargreaves 1;39.27; Andy Bickerstaff 1:09.10; Mike Wilcox 59:49; Chris Taylor 1:44.25; Mark Gilbertson 1:03.16; Phil Chan 1:14.13.

Easy Runner Bitton 5k - men: 1 Dan Mullett (B&W, U20) 15:50; 2 Mick O'Doherty (B&W, M40) 15:51; 3 Steve Rose (CoB) 16:30; 4 Dominic Croft (Woodstock) 16:32; 5  Dave Coales (CoB) 16:54; 6 Rob Mullett (W’bury, U17) 16:56.
Women: 1 Kate Goodhead (B&W) 17:40 (course record); 2 Gill Browning (CoB) 18:08.