Bury’s Women Superb at Sutton Park

For the first time in the club’s history Bury fielded a men’s and women’s relay team at the English Road Running Association National Road Relay Championships in Birmingham’s iconic Sutton Park on Saturday. The men’s race over twelve stages of 5.4km started at 12.00 noon, with the women’s six stage race, over the same distance, commencing ten minutes later. Once again, it was Bury’s women who demonstrated that they are currently one of the best teams in the country, finishing 15^th overall and placing as second Northern team and first North West team. Caitlyn Johnston ran the first stage, clocking 19.49, and handing over to Abi Warburton in 19^th place. Abi ran a very solid stage of 20.30 bringing the team in 20^th. Alia Braithwaite covered the third stage in 20.52 holding on to 20^th place at the half way point. Rachel Marshall was on the fourth stage which she completed in 21.34, moving the team up to 19^th. Stage five was covered in 22.14 by Rose Johnson, who moved the team up to 18^th. Sinead Taylor was on the final stage and she ran a storming 20.29 to move the team up to 15^th. A superb collective performance.

                The Bury AC Men’s Squad

For the men, Martin Clark took on the first stage, scorching around the course in 16.48 and handing over in 28^th place. Ben Coop was on the second stage which he covered in a very respectable 17.26 but having to concede three places. James Brown was on third stage duty, holding Bury in 31^st place with his excellent 17.36 leg. Jack Griffiths was on stage four, which he covered in 18.30 handing over in 34^th place to Curtis Simpson who covered the fifth stage in 20.32 conceding 7 places. Student Seb Poma was on stage six, and his 18.19 leg maintained the team in 41^st place at the half way point. Jack Passey had a storming run on stage seven, covering the leg in 18.18 and maintaining 41^st position.  Ryan Hallworth had a great eighth stage, his 19.36 effort moving the team up to 38^th. Patrick Babb produced his usual strong run on stage nine to hold on to 38^th with his 19.24. New member Ben Sunley took the tenth stage, running a respectable 20.10 and handed over in 39^th place. Another new member, Thomas Breeton, covered the penultimate stage in 21.11, maintaining 39^th position. Rob Butterworth was on the final twelfth stage and ran strongly to cover the leg in 21.14, but having to concede three places to bring Bury home in 42^nd.  This was just outside the club’s best ever finishing place of 41^st but an indicator of the club’s strength in depth much to the delight of team manager Byron Edwards. Bury were sixth best Northern men’s team and third North West team.