Sunderland Harriers will be making their debut in the British Masters’ Women’s Cross Country Relay Championships at Long Eaton, Derbyshire a week on Saturday.
Busy team manager Eddie Maddison, whose enthusiasm and dedication to the sport was recognised by England Athletics North East, with runner-up in the volunteer awards at the presentation at Lumley Castle, is in confident mood.
The South Hylton man is buoyed by the inclusion of recent signing Jacqueline Etherington into the Over-35 team.
She transferred from Tyne Bridge Harriers to Sunderland earlier this year, and her results have been wide ranging with a series of impressive performances.
Her top mark came when she won the British Masters’ Over-35 2,000m steeplechase title at Sheffield in a record of 7.47.55, and she then clocked 18.44 for the Great North 5km last month.
Maddison said: “These performances are just an inkling of her vast talent over many disciplines.
“But the steeplechase mark and 5km time suggest she will be a tremendous asset to the relay team.”
Joining Etherington in the team are Nicola Woodward, runner-up in the Kielder 10km, and Vicky Haswell.
Maddison is hopeful of medals and an improvement on their performance in the Masters’ Road Relay Championships at Sutton Coldfield in May, where they finished in fifth place.
Sunderland Harriers host a handicap cross country race for club members at Farringdon on the club cross country course on Saturday at 10am.
The idea is to encourage young athletes and others to partake in the sport of cross country running.
This is hoped to be the first of three or four events with the next one the Christmas Pudding Run on Boxing Day.
Then this could be followed by an event on the road followed by a track mile race before the start of the track season.
Club captain and organiser Nathan Reed said: “We need to get the message out that competition is what athletics is all about...