After qualifying for the ERRA National Spring Road Relay Championships for the first time in the club’s history, LRC’s men and women’s teams put in another great performance in Sutton Park.
The men’s 12 stage race was held over identical 5.08k laps this year, each with 68m of elevation. Bristol and West AC took the overall title in 3:02:35 (for 61k). Lichfield’s men came home in a fantastic time of 3:42:41, which was over a minute quicker than in the qualifier, despite some enforced team changes in the run up to the event. Five team members recorded sub 18 minute laps on the day: James Kay, John Doyle, Ryan Simms, Andy Evans and Matt Allan.
The women’s 6 stage race, over the same course, was won by Aldershot and Farnham AC in 1:46:01. Lichfield’s female team completed the distance in 2:14:32, with Lucy Niemz and Hermione Knowles recording the fastest times around the course: 18:43 and 20:29 respectively.
Huge congratulations to both teams; what a great experience to run at national level against the country’s best clubs, and so well deserved!
Men’s team: Ryan Simms, James Kay, Andy Evans, Owen Davies, Steve Rivers, Ben Stanaway, Morgan Bradley, Wayne Asbury, Alun Thomas, Ed Coppinger, Matt Allan, John Doyle.
Women’s team: Lucy Niemz, Hermione Knowles, Jess Webb, Judy Hammersley, Julia Smith, Oi Hin Lai.
