THE Northern 6-Stage Road Relay championships were held in Sefton Park. Not much breeze and not too much sun made for ideal running conditions and Bolton United Harriers A and B teams took full advantage to record their best ever results.

The A Team consisted of a well balanced mixture of youth and experience. Tom Lancashire, the 17-year-old debutante, led the way on the first four-mile leg and ended up in sixth place in a time of 19 mins 25 secs.

Subsequent legs by Matt Lockett (20.19), another great debut from Ian Bowles (19.41), Tony Duffy (20.21) Mick Hill (20.22) and Andy Parker (19.14) were enough to see Bolton finish just outside the medals in 4th place with a combined time of 1:59:22, which was less than a minute behind bronze medallists Derby (1:58:33).

Runners-up Morpeth clocked 1:56:34 and winners Salford 1:58:56. As a result of these fine performances, the A team have qualified to compete in the National 6-Stage Road Relays to be held at Sutton Park, Birmingham on October 28th.

The Bolton B team also had a storming run. They were the first B team home in 18th place overall. Excellent runs by Nick Hatchard (20.02), Anthony Hatchard (20.52), Peter Edmondson (20.35), Paul Turner (21.39), Chris Busahlia (20.56)

and Ian Selby (21.09) put them well up in the field, higher than the A team has finished in the last ten years.

This year's event marked Paul Turner's 25th consecutive appearance in the Northerns in a Bolton vest.

With the above result under their belts, Bolton are looking forward to the Northern 12-Stage Road Relays where they hope they to go even better and get among the medals with such strength in depth.

One thing that is certain, the competition for a team place has never been so fiercely contested.