Strength in depth

RECORDS tumbled as Royton Road Runners hosted the eighth annual Royton Trail race around Tandle Hill Country Park.

Despite being held in a busy period of summer races, 276 competitors represented an incredible 35-per-cent increase on the previous-record field for the event, set last year.

A total of 84 Royton finishers was the most achieved in the club’s 11-year history, comfortably exceeding the 74 seen at the Southport Mad Dog 10K in February.

At the halfway stage of the club’s road championship, more than 100 members have taken part in at least one championship race, already beating the previous record of 94 in 2013.

It was not a Royton Road Runner who crossed the finish line first this year, however.

Although Ian McBride completed a hat-trick of titles, he did so in the colours of his new club, Salford Harriers.

A Royton spokesman quipped: “This was the slowest of Ian's three race wins, surely providing definitive evidence that running for Royton makes you go faster!”

Royton’s new woman captain Kirsty White was able to make amends for the loss of the men's title as she won the her race for the first time, covering the challenging 5.5 mile course in 38 minutes 53 seconds.

Combined with fine performances from Jen Hanson (third woman and first senior female in 39:21) and Debbie Shaw (first FV50 in 40:35), this ensured that Royton won the women’s team prize for the third successive year.
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