VALE Royal Athletics Club took three regional titles during Saturday’s North West Counties Road Relays.

Their senior women were more than 90 seconds clear of their closest rivals following three, 5km legs of a course at Edge Hill University in Ormskirk.

Tessa McCormick, Katie Gerrard and Kate Spilsbury, who have each progressed from the Knights Grange-based outfit’s junior section, claimed the Cheshire crown too.

The county championships were included as part of the wider event.

Vale Royal’s under 17s boys, represented by Harry Dexter, Arun Dight and Josh Betteley, were victors in their age category.

Meanwhile Alfie Bould, Alex Doyle and Ben Lee matched that achievement in the under 15s boys’ race.

Harper Whitehead, Oliver Waring and Jonathan Dufty made it onto the podium in the same section, winning bronze.

The senior men fielded three teams of four runners, with Matthew Sheen, Sam Whitehead, Stuart Doyle and Ollie Williams managing a creditable seventh spot overall.

They were also the first of nine Cheshire quartets to finish.

Clubmates George Thompson, James Ainsworth, Mike Harrington and Matt Rowlinson were third in the county contest.

The under 17s girls, with Sophie Smith, Chloe Dooley and Cara Gibbons on duty, classified fifth overall and second among Cheshire teams behind Warrington.

Francesca Harris, Faye Conboy and Beth Latham took silver in the under 13s girls’ county competition, ranking seventh of 22 teams overall.

Vale Royal’s under 15s girls and under 13s boys won bronze medals among the Cheshire teams competing in their respective age groups.

Results

North West Road Relays

Edge Hill University, Ormskirk

Saturday

Senior men (4x5km): 7. Vale Royal AC (Matthew Sheen, Sam Whitehead, Stuart Doyle, Oliver Williams) 1:06.57; 27. Vale Royal AC B (George Thompson, James Ainsworth, Mike Harrington, Matt Rowlinson) 1:11.49; 53. Vale Royal AC C (James Griffiths, David Shepherd, Euan Dunbar, Brian Dooley) 1:20.16.

Senior women (3x5km): 1. Vale Royal AC (Tessa McCormick, Katie Gerrard, Kate Spilsbury) 54.51; 21. Vale Royal B (Chloe Broad, Lucy Burch, Emma-Louise Pyatt) 1:06.6.

Under 17s boys (3x5km): 1. Vale Royal AC (Harry Dexter, Arun Dight, Josh Betteley) 51.31.

Under 17s girls (3x2.8km): 5. Vale Royal AC (Sophie Smith, Chloe Dooley, Cara Gibbons) 33.33.

Under 15s boys (3x2.8km): 1. Vale Royal AC (Alfie Bould, Alex Doyle, Ben Lee) 28.17; 3. Vale Royal AC B (Harper Whitehead, Oliver Waring, Jonathan Dufty) 29.26; 11. Vale Royal AC C (John Humphries, Sam Washington, Curtis Rodway) 31.48.

Under 15s girls (3x2.8km): 9. Vale Royal AC (Lucy Smith, Holly Smith, Cerys Pilliner) 33.58.

Under 13s boys (3x2.8km): 13. Vale Royal AC (Alfie Dexter, Will Dight, Lewis Gray) 34.25.

Under 13s girls (3x2.8km): 7. Vale Royal AC (Francesca Harris, Faye Conboy, Beth Latham) 35.38; 18. Vale Royal AC B (Kate Sherry, Holly Dooley, Grace Palmer) 38.16.