Success for Morpeth in Saltwell Park road race

Posted by The Journal on Dec 22, 08 11:23 AM in Sport

Former Elswick Harrier Ryan McLeod, now running in Tipton colours, repeated his 2007 victory in yesterday's pre-Christmas Saltwell 10km road race.

He soon headed the field of 260, closely followed by Morpeth's Nick Swinburn, silver medallist in the recent North East Counties' Cross Country Championships.

They were chased by Morpeth's Lewis Timmins, on vacation from his American university, and 2006 winner Chris Parr, of Gateshead.

McLeod had a 30m gap over Swinburn after the second of the three laps.

The nature of the course clearly suited Swinburn, who won a fell race seven days earlier, as he caught and passed his rival and took a 10m lead with 1km remaining.

But McLeod's stronger finish prevailed in the final section in the park grounds as he pulled away to a nine-second victory over Swinburn.

The pair were also inside McLeod's 2007 course record of 31mins 27secs.

Timmins was third but ensured Morpeth retained the team title. Chester-le-Street's Stewie Bell was the leading veteran in 10th, while Low Fell won the veterans' team event.

Tynedale's Sonia Morley was a surprise winner of the women's race.

The 42-year-old overhauled early leader and North Eastern Cross Country champion Mary Ferrier of Gateshead on the second lap, pulling away to a 44-second victory over her rival. Morley bettered the veterans' course record by over two minutes.

Dawn Nagazina, the Canadian girlfriend of Timmins, wearing the Morpeth colours, finished third, while Heaton took the team title.

Morpeth's Marcus Cram, winner of the under-15 race in 2007, this time strode to victory in the under-17 event, taking 19 seconds off the previous best figures.

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