Clubs fight for honors in the 27th Relay of the Straggyrs Green Belt in Hampton Court from May 17 to 18
Ranelagh Harriers came to the top of this 22 -stage event around the outskirts of London, although the mixed team of Thames Hare & Hounds was an early advantage thanks to James McMullen and Richard Olington.
Ranelagh then made Peter Robins and Erin McDaid helped them at a minute advantage after six legs.
The women of Clafam Chasers had a couple of good performances from the beginning thanks to Georgie Bruinvels and Tracy Barlow in stages three and four and had to write down the repetitions of the victories on day two.
The general stage of Lizzy Apsley of Thames in stage seven was the highlight: a record on the stage of about six minutes and only the sixth victory on stage for a woman. Then it was the second fastest in general in the penultimate stage.
At the end of stage 11 from Toot Hill to Blackmoor and stop at night, Ranelagh’s men led by almost seven minutes of the mixed team of Clafam Chasers.
They were there retired by James Hoad de Thames in stage 12 when Clapham lost ground, but Peter Robins made sure Ranelagh increased his leadership, around Thames in stage 14 to more than 11 minutes.
Below, Clapham’s women were more than an hour in Ranelagh’s women despite Bruinvels and Barlow’s efforts.
From then on, Ranelagh increased his leadership in general, even though Paddy Roddy de Thames took four minutes from her leadership in the Hilly 16 stage to Tatsfield and her Richard Ollington three in the 20 to Ripley leg.
Ranelagh’s winning margin was more than 15 minutes from the Mixed Thames team.
In general (220m): 1 Ranelagh Men 21:37:14; 2 Thames Hare & Hounds Mixed 21:50:25; 3 Mixed Clapham Hunters 21:53:13
M40: 1 serpentine 23:56:20
Women: 1 Ranelagh 62:10:39; 2 CLAFAM HUNTERS 64:56:10
59 complete teams finished
Day 1
Internship 1 (Hampton Court to Staines, 12.70m)
The fastest: M Leyshon (Rane) 74:59
Women: C o’Shea (VP and TH, W35) 84:51
Internship 2 (Staines to Boveney, 9.42m)
The fastest: J McMullan (THH) 56:49
Internship 3 (Bobveney A Little Marlow, 11.20m)
The fastest: R OLLINGTON (THH) 64:53
Women: G Bruinvels (Clap, W35) 70:10
Stage 4 (Little Marlow To Great Kingshill, Hilly 11.80m)
The fastest: J HOAD (THH) 72:56
Women: T Barlow (Clap, W35) 82:59
Internship 5 (Great Kingshill A Chipperfield, Hilly 13.50m)
The fastest: P Robins (Rane) 75:37
Internship 6 (Chipperfield to St Albans, 8.50m)
The fastest: E MCDAID (RANE) 49:31
M60: 1 B Reynolds (THH) 52:19
Women: M Lennon (W55) 62:36
Internship 7 (St Albans A Letty Green, 11.60m)
The fastest: L APSLEY (THH, W) 68:26
Internship 8 (Letty Green A Dobbs Weir, 10.70m)
The fastest: J Killip (Rane) 59:57
Women: G Reynolds (Beeches) 63:29
Internship 9 (Dobbs Weir To High Beech, 10.20m)
The fastest: P Roddy (THH) 54:51
Women: N SHEEL (SERP) 64:56
Internship 10 (High Beech Toot Hill, 9.00m)
The fastest: J Smith (Rane) 55:47
Internship 11 (Toot Hill A Blackmore, 7.50m)
The fastest: J Neville (Burg HR) 42:58
Day 2 (100.65m)
Internship 12 (Blackmore to Thorndon Park, 10.75m)
The fastest: J HOAD (THH) 59:31
Women: P Warrack (DR) 71:23
Internship 13 (Thorndon Park A Cranham, 6.60m)
The fastest: M raeside (applaud) 37:32; J Whistler (Rane) 37:57
M55: C Allen (Strag) 40:05
Women: B MURRAY (THH) 41:36
Stage 14 (Cranham A Davy Down Qe 11 Bridge, 9.0m)
The fastest: P Robins (Rane) 50:14; E Neville (THH) 51:29
Women: G Bruinvels (Clap, W35) 57:06
Internship 15 (Stone Lodge A Lullingstone Park, 9.40m)
The fastest: D Ready (Rane) 58:53
M60: B Reynolds (THH) 59:28
Women: T Barlow (Clap, W35) 58:33
Internship 16 (Lullingstone Park to Tatsfield, Hilly 13.10m)
The fastest: P Roddy (THH) 76:52
Women: G Reynolds (Beeches) 88:56
Internship 17 (Tatsfield to Merstham, 10.50m)
The fastest: H Wyber (SERP) 60:51
Internship 18 (Merstham A Box Hill, Hilly 9.60m)
The fastest: H Gutteridge (CLAP) 59:22
Internship 19 (Box Hill To West Pendse, 8.40m)
The fastest: C Mason (CLAP) 53:22
Women: N Hornzee (Strag, W45) 62:31
Internship 20 (West to Ripley pendant, 6.00m)
The fastest: R Ollerington (THH) 30:28
Women: E McKever (Rane, W45) 40:47
Internship 21 (Ripley a Walton Bridge, 8.40m)
The fastest: R McDonald (Rane) 47:45
Women: L APSLEY (THH) 49:43
Internship 22 (Walton Bridge to Bushy Park Sports Center, 7.1m)
The fastest: S Walker (Wimb W) 46:32
Women: N Sheel (SERP, W35) 50:41