ATHLETICS: Eight in a row for City's vets (From Oxford Mail)

ATHLETICS: Eight in a row for City's vets

10:00am Thursday 27th September 2012 in Sport By Ed Mezzetti, Sports reporter specialising in Rugby, Cricket and Athletics. Call me on 01865 425456

OXFORD City secured an eighth successive vet 60 title in the South of England Road Relays at Rushmoor Arena, Aldershot.

City led from start to finish in the four-man event, with Stewart Thorp clocking the fastest time of the day in very wet conditions.

Thorp completed his two 3km laps in 23mins 18secs before handing over to John Exley (25.03), Gareth Jones (26.28) and Roy Treadwell (24.12).

Treadwell’s split was the second fastest of the day as Oxford came home in 1.39.01.

City had to be content with fourth places in the vet 40 and 50 races, with the latter particularly agonising.

Steve Overton (21.32) clocked the sixth fastest split on his opening leg, then Brian Green (21.54) took Oxford into the lead.

Trevor Dixon (22.43) and Richard Grant (23.52) battled hard, but City finished on 1hr 20mins 1secs – just 11 seconds behind silver medallists Dulwich Runners.

In the vet 40 event, Julian Richardson (20.04) opened up with the day’s fourth fastest leg.

Mark Tankard (21.30), Rob Webster (22.33) and Marcus Maxwell (21.34) brought City home in fourth in 1.25.41 – 35 seconds off a medal.

Abingdon Amblers’ under 15 girls were their leading performers at Rushmoor Arena.

Fiona Bunn, Vicky Tilling and Georgia Harvey produced a consistent display to finish in 25th place.

Bunn clocked 11.55 for her 3km lap, with Tilling (12.08) and Harvey (12.07) in similar form.

Abingdon’s under 17 boys finished 41st in their race over one longer 3.85km lap.

Their line-up was Thomas Fabes (14.08), Jacob Brunner (14.43), Nicholas Magrane (15.27) and George Towersey (13.54).

Abingdon’s senior men finished 50th the following day.

Leg one runner Alec Vessey fell on a muddy corner, suffering a bad cut.

But to his credit, Vessey still finished in a respectable 21.59 before getting his knee stitched.

Paul Rice (21.40), John Rice (21.58), Tom Kirby (21.48), debutant Quinten Kearns (20.35) and Owen Stepney (22.13) completed their six-strong line-up.

• STEVE Naylor helped his first-claim club Bedford & County pick up a bronze medal in the senior men’s race.

The 33-year-old, from Woodstock, took the lead for Bedford on leg four, but his club were eventually pushed into third by Kent and Aldershot, Farnham & District.

Naylor ran his two 3km laps in 18mins 28secs, which was the joint 16th fastest time of the day.