VALE Royal Athletics Club have grown used to winning medals at the English Cross Country Relays over the past decade.
Since a maiden success for an under 15s girls’ trio of Kathy Stringer, Hannah Paver, Rebecca Craigie back in 2006, when they took bronze in their age-group, there have been regular appearances on the podium to celebrate.
Ahead of the annual event’s 33rd edition on Saturday, when more than 1,000 teams are scheduled to race across 10 categories at Berry Hill Park in Mansfield, we look back over the mid Cheshire club’s impressive results record.
A gold medal has so far eluded Vale Royal athletes, but they have seven runners-up prizes and a hat-trick of third-place finishes on their CV.
How many of these faces, and pictures do you recognise?
2006
Kathy Stringer, Hannah Paver and Rebecca Craigie made history as the first team from Vale Royal to win a medal at the English Cross Country Relays when they took bronze in the under 15s girls’ race.
From left, Vale Royal Athletics Club's under 15s girls' team of Rebecca Craigie, Kathy Stringer and Hannah Paver won the club's first medal in 2006
Result
Under 15s girls: 1, Leigh Harriers 21:46.70; 2, Aldershot Farnham & District 21:50.80; 3, Vale Royal AC 21:59.80
2007
Vale Royal added two more bronze medals to their collection, including in the junior women’s race for Hannah Weedall, Charlotte Roach and Stevie Stockton.
They returned to the podium too in the under 15s girls’ category, although this time with Charlotte Mills, Claire Perry and Megan Huxley as their line-up.
Vale Royal Athletics Club's under 15s girls' medal-winning team in 2007, from left, consisted of Megan Huxley, Charlotte Mills and Claire Perry
Results
Junior women: 1, Aldershot Farnham & District 24:42.65; 2, Rotherham Harriers 25:44.55; 3, Vale Royal AC 25:59.50
Under 15s: 1, Aldershot Farnham & District 20:48.05; 2, Bedford & County 21:46.55; 3, Vale Royal AC 21:50.45
2008
Craigie and Stringer improved on their performance two years earlier by upgrading to second place in the under 17s girls’ race, this time with Nikki Meadows running the first leg.
Kathy Stringer, left, Nikki Meadows and Rebecca Craigie, right, took silver for Vale Royal in the under 17s girls' age-group category in 2008
Result
Under 17s girls: 1, Aldershot, Farnham & District 26:28.10; 2, Vale Royal AC 27:00.05; 3, Rotherham Harriers 27:41.65
2011
A brilliant last leg from Katie Gerrard, holding station after Amy Hinchly had handed over in second position, ensured another silver medal for Vale Royal in the under 15s girls’ age-group category. Jess Parsons had set them on their way.
Vale Royal Athletics Club's under 15s girls' team, made up of - from left - Katie Gerrard, Amy Hinchly and Jess Parsons, took silver at Mansfield in 2011
Result
Under 15s girls: 1, Aldershot Farnham & District 22:35.70; 2, Vale Royal AC 22:41.00; 3, Cambridge & Coleridge AC 22:43.60
2013
Elliot Bowker ran the third fastest split in the field to help Vale Royal’s under 17s boys take silver – a first top-three placing for a male team from the mid Cheshire club. Sam Whitehead had opened for them before handing over to Matt Sheen.
A first medal at the English Cross Country Relays for a team of boys from Vale Royal Athletics Club was claimed by an under 17s combination of, from left, Elliot Bowker, Matt Sheen and Sam Whitehead in 2013
Result
Under 17s boys: 1, Trafford 27:54.75; 2, Vale Royal AC 27:59.85; 3, Aldershot Farnham & District 28:07.45
2014
Vale Royal’s junior women, with Tess McCormick, Katie Gerrard and Kate Moulds on duty, had reason to celebrate after claiming a silver medal. A fine first leg by McCormick sent them on their way.
From left, Kate Moulds, Tess McCormick and Katie Gerrard had reason to smile when they won a silver medal in the junior women's race for Vale Royal Athletics Club at the 2014 edition
Result
Junior women: 1, Aldershot Farnham & District 25:27.20; 2, Vale Royal AC 26:13.15; 3, Loughborough Students 27:16.20
2015
Vale Royal continued to hold their own against the best of the rest in the country when an under 15s boys’ team consisting of Oliver Waring, Alife Bould and Ben Lee won a silver medal.
Oliver Waring, left, Ben Lee and Alfie Bould, right, took silver in the under 15s boys' race for Vale Royal Athletics Club in 2015
Result
Under 15s boys: 1, Bracknell AC 19:12.70; 2, Vale Royal AC 19:23.00; 3, Charnwood AC 19:24.35
2017
Another occasion when Vale Royal returned home with two medals, both of them silver.
Newcomers Grace Roberts, Alice Gale and Holly Weedall finished as runners-up in the under 13s girls’ category while an under 17s line-up of Emily Lowery and twins Lucy and Holly Smith matched that their teammates’ feat.
Vale Royal Athletics Club's under 13s girls' team of, from left, Grace Roberts, Alice Gale and Holly Weedall won a silver medal last year
Results
Under 17s girls: 1, Liverpool Harriers 26:53.25; 2. Vale Royal AC 27:21.20; 3, Mansfield Harriers 27:27.90
Under 13s girls: 1, Hallamshire Harriers 22:51.00; 2, Vale Royal AC 23:06.15; 3, Cornwall AC 23:30.00
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here