VALE Royal Athletics Club head to the English Cross Country Relays this weekend, when they are hoping to add to a tally of seven medals.
This year’s edition has attracted more than 1,000 teams from across the country, with a fifth of those set to contest the senior men’s race.
The Knights Grange-based club won two titles at regional level a fortnight ago, when their under 17s and under 15s boys saw off the challenge of their rivals at the Northern Cross Country Relays.
They take on the best of the rest in England at Berry Hill Park, in Mansfield, where they hope to emulate Vale Royal’s star turns in previous years.
That list includes:
2014
Vale Royal’s junior women, represented by Tessa McCormick, Katie Gerrard and Kate Moulds, collect a silver medal behind Aldershot Farnham & District.
McCormick ran the eighth fastest split of the day before handing over to Gerrard, who took the trio from fourth to second – a position Moulds protected from closest rivals Loughborough for the remainder.
From left, Kate Moulds, Tessa McCormick and Katie Gerrard won silver at last year's edition
2013
An under 17s boys’ trio of Samuel Whitehead, Matthew Sheen and Elliot Bowker become the first male team representing Vale Royal to win a medal at the annual event, finishing as runners-up.
Bowker ran the third fastest leg of the day for the age group.
2011
Katie Gerrard’s brilliant anchor leg propelled Vale Royal’s under 15s girls to second spot behind champions Aldershot Farnham & District.
Only six other athletes in the field ran a faster split.
Jessica Parsons and Amy Hinchly completed the medal-winning trio.
2008
Vale Royal’s under 17s girls win a first silver medal for the club at the English Cross Country Relays.
Nikki Meadows, Kathy Stringer and Rebecca Craigie were among the 15 fastest runners in the field, with the latter setting the second fastest time of the day – a split of 8.44.45.
From left, Vale Royal's Kathy Stringer, Rebecca Craigie and Nikki Meadows in 2008
2007
The only year when Vale Royal have returned with two medal-winning teams – both bronze – after the junior women and under 15s girls both finished third.
Hannah Weedall, Charlotte Roach and Stevie Stockton competed in the older age category, the latter two ranking among the top six runners in the field.
Charlotte Mills, Claire Perry and Megan Huxley combined to classify third behind Bedford.
Middlewich High School pupil Huxley, on the anchor leg, timed 6.55.05 – the fifth quickest in the race.
2006
Rebecca Craigie anchored Vale Royal’s under 15s girls to bronze – the club’s first set of medals at the event.
Kathy Stringer and Hannah Paver, students at Hartford High and St Nicholas RC High School respectively, ran the other two legs at Mansfield’s Berry Hill Park.
From left, Rebecca Craigie, Kathy Stringer and Hannah Paver were part of Vale Royal's under 15s girls' team that became the first from Vale Royal to win a medal at the English Cross Country Relays
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