THERE was a magnificent result for Reading Athletic Club’s Under 17 women at a cold and wet Sutton Coldfield on Saturday in the National Road Relay Championships, as they finished in sixth place in their 3x3.88km race.

Abi Hancock gave the team a good start, running 14mins 39secs to hand over in 16th place to Hermione Walker, who then gained gained five places on the second stage in a time of 14.51.

Anchor-leg runner Naomi Harris ran 14.29 to gain another five places and bring Reading home.

The B team had a fine result, too, with Renee Whalley running a strong first stage of 15.15 before handing over in 32nd position to Georgia Whalley who ran well to finish 21st in 15.34.

Finally, Allanah Chadwick ran another good leg to bring the girls home in 19th place in a time of 15.39.

Reading’s C team had first-leg runner Sadie Charles coming in 48th position in a time of 16.58, followed by Lara Tolson, who finished 42nd in 16.33, before Esmee Harding brought the team home in 39th place with a time of 17.50.

For the U17 men, competing over the same course, Mattie Raynor recorded Reading’s fastest time in running 12.57 for 35th place on the first stage, which Ben Rollings then improved to 29th on stage two with a time of 13.18.

Joseph Mott ran 13.13 to gain a further two places on the final leg as the Reading team finished in 27th place. Meanwhile, Olly Moor recorded a good first-leg time of 13.32 in 54th place for an incomplete B team.

The U15 races were held over the same course, and Ollie Craggs was Reading’s fastest runner as he recorded 13.45 for 39th place on the opening stage.

Aryan Gupta competed well, but dropped a couple of places on the second stage with a time of 14.20, before Ben McCabe’s strong effort of 14.04 on the final stage left the team in 34th position.

In the U15 girls, Talia Painting ran the team’s fastest lap of 15.54, coming in 51st on the opening stage.

Jemima Crocker improved this to 48th place in running 16.21, and Katie Barnes’ final stage of 16.32 brought the team home in 45th.

The B team were incomplete, but Scarlet Taplin had a strong leg coming in 65th in 16.36 and Camilla Linton finished 63rd in a time of 17.27.

In the U13 races, again over the same course, Aidan Marshall ran the first stage for the boys, and did well to finish 26th in a time of 14.35.

Dylan Madden, despite his best efforts, was unable to avoid slipping to 31st place in recording 15.12, but George Urwin-Mann was able to hold this position on the third and final stage with a time of 15.38 to leave Reading in a final position of 31st.

For the B team, first-leg runner Victor Sanz-Bueno ran 16.20 for 70th place, and Elliot McCarthy gained a place on stage two with 17.35 before Nick Haldane in his first run in Reading colours pulled the team up to 58th at the finish, recording 16.40.

For the girls, Lydia Godfrey got off to a flying start, and despite a fall battled on to come in 47th in 16.42.

Evie Elson then ran a brilliant stage to improve Reading’s position to 23rd in a time of 15.18, and Ella Newman on the final leg ran 15.30 to give Reading a very good 17th place.

The B team did equally well with a fantastic run of 15.18 from Holly Haldane for 16th position on the opening stage, followed by Emma Yeadon with 17.25 for 31st, and Charlotte Ashby with 16.56 on the final stage bringing the team home in 30th.