BROMSGROVE and Redditch AC men’s team finished 42nd in the national 12 Stage Road Relay Championships at Sutton Park on Saturday to record the club’s best position since 2001.

The historic race, which has in the past seen the likes of Mo Farah represent their club over a combined distance of 52 miles, was won by Morpeth Harriers in four hours and 21 minutes.

Athletes tackled a 5.56 mile course on odd numbered legs with even numbered legs of 3.15 miles.

Joe Smith had the honours of leading B&R off on leg one and despite not being 100 per cent, he ran a gutsy race to bring the club back in 38th place in 29.30.

Darren Hale found himself in the thick of the action and clocked 17.54 for the 3.15 miles bringing the team back in 42nd.

Leg three fell to 2001 team member James Bowler, who lifted the club to 37th.

James Adey (17.46) kept the team in 38th, while the in-form Simon Lanckham recorded 32.07 for the long leg bringing the club back in 40th place.

On leg six, Kevin Fisher improved five seconds of his Midlands time two weeks ago with 18.18 to keep the club in 40th place.

Ashley Ross coped well with windy conditions as B&R slipped to 42nd, before a strong run by James Hood (18.13) left them up one place.

Steve Brooks, who was called up at short notice, still managed to put in a solid run for the club, retutning in 45th with 35:30.

There were also solid runs from Andy Freeman (18.43) and Adam Peacock (30.53) but in the anchor leg, Sam Moran finished the final shorter leg in 20.09 to confirm the team’s highest finish in 14 years.

The 12 Stage traditionally marks the end of the winter season but several athletes have marathons to attend to ahead of the track season.

Meanwhile, at the Vera Wood Memorial Games in Tipton, the club’s track and field athletes were in action.

In the under-15s women, set a new personal best in the discus of 13.88m to finish fourth.

Heather Knight was sixth in the U17s 100m and runner-up in the javelin (24.67m).

The men’s senior throwers were in good form, with Richard O’Connor second in the hammer (36.16M) and Sam Cater (34.29m) third.

In the javelin, Cater was first with a season’s best of 45.88m and O’Connor third with 27.57m.

There was gold for Cater in the shot putt (10.92m), followed in fourth by O’Connor (8.52m), while Vito Ricci opening his season with a PB of 7.56m and sixth place.

O’Connor bagged third in the discus (28.91m), with Cater fourth (26.57m) and Ricci fifth (23.89m).