Ryston rise to the occasion at Round Norfolk Relay

If ever a weekend was designed to test the mettle of an athletic club it was the one just gone, but Ryston Runners AC rose typically to the occasion.Not only did the club have three teams in the Round Norfolk Relay, with all the organisation and support structure that entails, but also a men’s team in the finals of the EMAC Track and Field League at Milton Keynes.Despite a couple of additional challenges due to one team member struggling against being unwell and an incidence of getting lost, the Ryston “Bucks” men’s team, managed by Adam Matthews was placed third in the Open Class of the event.Led off from Lynnsport by Dan Guppy, they notched up two stage wins (Nic Bensley S3 and Charlie Wakefield S13), three second-places (Dylan Whitehouse S6, Adam Matthews S7 and Nathan Stockdale S8), and a couple of thirds (James O’Neill S5, Ollie Foxwell S14).Matthew Thrower brought the team home after they had accrued a total time of 22:10:43, completing an outstanding effort by those already named plus Ben Keeley, Joel Epsley, James Ord, Paul Keaney, Rob Simmonds, Rob Skillings, Lee Johnson, and Cody Pearman.The Ryston “Does”, managed by Lesley Robins, finished half an hour ahead of their projected time in 26:08:54, second team in the Ladies’ competition, and 26th overall.As with Charlie in the men’s team, stage 13 proved anything but unlucky for Kirsty Butters who took the women’s stage win. Amy Southam was second woman on Stage 10 and claimed third spot over Stage 12 with a time that also earned her the Age Grading Award for senior women across the whole event behind Dawn Robinson. The women’s team also included Linda Marshall, who went home with a medal for taking part in 10 RNRs, this award also earned by Nic Bensley in the Bucks team and Pauline Drewery from the C team. Led off by Julie Williamson, who set the tone for the team’s achievement by covering the ground between Lynnsport and Hunstanton Lighthouse 43 minutes quicker than her estimated time.The Does also featured Jurgita Jovaisiene, Alicia Pentelow, Juliette Meek, Becky Taylor, Ruth Chadwick, Lucy McDowie, Lesley Robins, Sarah Johnson, Susan Hipperson, Hayley Hawes, Ellen Ferrie, and, on the “glory leg”, Molly Sands.Separating the Bucks from the Does in the results list was Ryston C team, headed up by Graeme Leeson, in 18th place and eighth in the club class. On stage eight for this team, Jane Ashby made her mark on the event by posting the best AG score of 97.2 per cent, almost five per cent ahead of the next best-placed athlete.Dan Yallop led out Matt Hitchcock, Kevin Took, Stew Robins, Graeme Leeson, Dani Sparkes, Julia Norman, Jane Ashby, Justin Walker, Chris Chaplin, Michael Howlett, Ben Elmer, Warren Armstrong, Pauline Drewery, Owen Jary, Kate Penn and, bringing home the baton, Phil Thompson.An event like this involves far more than those running on the roads.The club thanks everyone who contributed in any way this year to this awesome annual effort.