Havant and Portsmouth grab golds in Lakeside relays

Many of Hampshire’s top clubs entered teams with the competition, also incorporating the county championships.

Havant won the senior women’s race and the under-17 women’s title.

City of Portsmouth finished first in the under-15 boys’ race with Harry Moore, Steven Cross and Adam Kimber sealing glory.

Eloise O’Neill, Saffron Moore and Charlotte Bullard earned another Portsmouth win as they took the under-13 girls’ title.

And the club’s young stars also picked up silver medals for the under-15 girls and under-13 boys, with a bronze for the under-15 boys’ B team.

Eastleigh A won the men’s senior title with City of Portsmouth A team finishing third.

Havant’s women had competed on the track a day earlier so they had to contend with a few aches and pains.

They were led off by Rhiannon Dunlop on leg one as she completed the two-lap course at Lakeside, North Harbour, Western Road, in a time of 19.05.

She handed over in second behind Eastleigh’s Hannah Howard (18.09).

Georgie Lavery kept Havant in second position on leg two (20.06).

Lucy May had moved Stubbington Green Runners into the lead with her time of 19.48 to gain two places.

On the third leg, Corin Bearpark hit the front as she sealed the win for Havant (18.22) with Stubbington’s Vicky Shaw taking second (18.36).

Havant’s big effort was sparked by newcomer Dunlop’s first leg.

Bearpark said: ‘I found it very tough because I caught the Stubbington girl really early and the whole way I knew she was on my tail.

‘At one point she got quite close but thankfully I managed to pull away.

‘I’m quite glad about that because I wouldn’t have been able to sprint at the end after competing a day earlier as well. I was very, very achey.

‘Rhiannon has just joined and she is really good.

‘I think she spurred on the rest of the team.

‘Hopefully it means we have a promising summer ahead.’

The victorious Havant under-17 team featured Megan Newton, Beth Sherrell and Kathryn Simpson.

Aldershot, Farnham & District won the men’s over-40, men’s over-50 and men’s over-60 titles.

Winchester & District took gold in the veteran women’s over-40 age group, with City of Portsmouth second after Emma Montiel’s brilliant 18.05 time was the fastest leg overall.

The veteran women’s over-60 prize went to Basingstoke & Mid Hants, while Lordshill won the women’s over-50 prize.

In the under-11 road race the gold medals went to Lars Feyerabend-Powell (8.55) and Sadie Harris (9.33).