VALE Royal Athletics Club’s under 15s boys returned from Saturday’s Northern Road Relays as champions.

Alfie Bould – who ran the fastest leg in the field – Alex Doyle and Ben Lee finished 43 seconds clear of their closest rivals at Stanley Park in Blackpool.

A second team from the club in the same age category, made up of John Humphries, Harper Whitehead and Oliver Waring, were fifth.

There was medal success too for the under 17s boys, who followed up on a win in last week’s North West Counties Relays by scooping a silver gong following a closely-fought battle with Rotherham Harriers.

Josh Betteley, Harry Dexter and Arun Dight made up the club’s trio.

A bronze medal went to the senior women, represented by Tessa McCormick, Kate Moulds, Amelia Pettitt and Kate Spilsbury.

Pettitt clocked the fourth fastest time, moving the Vale Royal quartet from 11th up to third before handing over to Spilsbury.

Meanwhile the senior men qualified for next month’s national relays by classifying inside the top 20.

A strong squad also fielded B and C teams.

Vale Royal’s under 17s girls, with Cara Gibbons, Chloe Dooley and Esme Bridge on duty, were eighth.

An under 13s boys team of Ed Pettitt – who was second at the first handover – Alfie Dexter and Wilf Dight were 12th in their race.

“It was another brilliant weekend for the club,” said coach Andy Carter.

“Everybody put 100 per cent into their races.

“The under 15s boys led every leg of their race to finish a huge distance ahead of the team that finished second.

“There were lots of creditable results, while individually we had seven athletes who were among the 10 fastest runners in their age category.”

The club turn their attention next to the opening round of the North Staffordshire Cross Country League.

Results

Northern Road Relays

Stanley Park, Blackpool

Senior men (6x6.6km): 15. Vale Royal AC A (Matthew Sheen, Sam Whitehead, Chris Perry, Stuart Doyle, James Ainsworth, Oliver Wiliams) 2:11.16; 53. Vale Royal AC B (Nathan Tipping, Jon Chatten, James Griffiths, Matt Rowlinson, David Shepherd, Michael Harrington) 2:22.41; 87. Vale Royal AC C (Tom Armstrong, Gareth Williams, Nathan Williams, Euan Dunbar, Brian Dooley, Geoff Fawkes) 2:41.11

Senior women (4x5.2km): 3. Vale Royal AC (Tessa McCormick, Kate Moulds, Amelia Pettitt, Kate Spilsbury) 1:15.04

Under 17s boys (3x3.3km): 2. Vale Royal AC (Josh Betteley, Harry Buglass, Arun Dight) 36.21

Under 17s girls (3x3.3km): 8. Vale Royal AC (Cara Gibbons, Chloe Dooley, Esme Bridge) 45.22

Under 15s boys (3x3km): 1. Vale Royal AC A (Alfie Bould, Alex Doyle, Ben Lee) 31.19; 5. Vale Royal AC B (John Humphries, Harper Whitehead, Oliver Waring) 32.31; 24. Vale Royal AC C (Jonathan Dufty, Sam Washington, William McKay) 35.29.

Under 13s boys (3x3km): 12 Vale Royal AC (Edward Pettitt, Alfie Dexter, Wilf Dight) 35.50.

Under 13s girls (3x3km): 31. Vale Royal AC (Faye Conboy, Beth Latham, Holly Dooley) 44.44