Morpeth Harriers grab first spot in traditional Good Friday Relays

James Young of Morpeth Harriers ran the fastest time in the Good Friday Relays. Picture: Peter Scaife

First held in 1966 and run over a variety of courses since, the races have been won in the past by a host of big names, including Mike McLeod, Steve Cram and Brendan Foster, and have become very much a feature of the Easter weekend.

The action started with three sets of Junior races for combined Under 11s, U13s and U15s.

Five Morpeth Harriers took part in the combined U13s event, with Emma Tomlinson 18th and seventh girl home.

Emma was followed by Michael Leeson, 31st, Lucy Raper, 32nd and 11th girl, Emma’s younger sister Zoe, 39th and 17th girl, and Jack Dhawar 43rd.

The combined Senior and Veteran Women’s race saw 77 teams of three taking part..

Morpeth’s A team of Morag Stead, Caitlin Flanagan and Catriona Macdonald missed out on a medal by less than half a minute.

The B team of Lizzie Rank, Kay Errington and Linzi Quinn was 31st.

The day’s final race, for teams of four, proved to be an exciting head-to-head between teams from Morpeth, Sunderland and Houghton.

Morpeth’s James Young led out for the club’s A team and his time of 10:44, the fastest of the day in front of coach Steve Cram, put the club into a lead that was never relinquished.

Houghton Harriers were second, with Sunderland Harriers in third.

Morpeth’s teenage C team also had a strong start, with Will de Vere Owen finishing seventh, ahead of B team runner Chris Parr.

Sam Hancox’s 11:19 saw the A team maintain a healthy margin after leg 2, with Houghton just staying ahead of Sunderland.

Finn Brodie’s run for the B team moved them up several places and just ahead of the C, for whom Elliot Kelso ran 11:35.

Sunderland moved into second after leg 3, with Morpeth’s B moving up to third thanks to a fine run by Connor Marshall, while the C team stayed in fifth after Joe Close’s leg of 12:14.

Lawrence McCourt’s last leg run was enough for Morpeth to beat Sunderland by five seconds.

Will Cork anchored the club’s B team to third, with Houghton finishing fourth.

James Tilley brought the C team back in fifth place.