IT was a busy weekend for young members of Vale Royal Athletic Club at Sutton Park in Birmingham.
The country's elite clubs took part in the 14km National Road Relays over two days, with Vale Royal's senior ladies finishing in 20th place - incredible for a squad with an average age of just 18, one of the youngest teams to finish so high up in this massive event.
Nicky Archer, Rebecca Ellis, Charlotte Roach and Stevie Stockton finished ahead of teams from Rotherham, Norwich, Morpeth, Belgrave of London and City of Bath. Also running were Vicky Jones, Kate Spilsbury and Rachael Clews.
Vale Royal's Under 13s girls - Robyn Ellis, Claire Perry, Megan Huxley, along with Holly Ditchfield and Jade Evans - finished in a best-yet placing for the age group by claiming 10th, while the Under 13s boys of Lewis Healey, Tom Marsden and Andrew Zimmer finished in 40th.
Vale Royal had three teams in the Under 15s event. Kathy Stringer, Nicky Meadows and Rebecca Craigie finished in eighth, only 21 seconds outside the medals and ahead of clubs like Sale, Gateshead and Liverpool. The second team of Emily Furber, Hannah Paver and Chloe Bithell finished in 25th and the thirds of Milly Ashworth, Danielle Jones and Nina Scott Smith finished in 51st.
The Under 15s boys of Andrew Clews, Andrew Perry and Alex Bailey finished in 47th place, while Tom Heaward, Chris Perry and Peter Cox, who make up the Under 17s, finished 35th.
* Nicky Archer followed up with an impressive performance at the Bupa Great South Run 10-mile race. She had an elite invitation and, among an impressive international field, came 14th in 58mins 11secs.
* The club meets at Rudheath High School on Tuesdays at 6.15pm and Knights Grange, Winsford, on Thursdays at 7pm. The Under 11s meet at Woodford Lodge High School, Winsford, on Thursdays at
6.30pm. Call 01606 592746 for details.
