Athletics chief appeals for runners not to spoil big events

Bill McGuirk, Chairman of NECAA and the North Tyneside 10k race referee, said: “Once again the North Tyneside 10k has attracted a number of competitors lining up using someone else’s bib number and it certainly came to a head this time round when the first athlete home was one of the guilty parties.

“Not only is it extremely dangerous to do this, it also takes away the joy that would have been awarded to the correct winner.

“Of course the athlete in question wasn’t the only one to break the rules. On checking the women’s leading finishers in the top 30 and after viewing video evidence, FIVE were men running in a woman’s number.

“Please, this has to stop now and while big events attract huge numbers of unregistered competitors who aren’t familiar with the rules of competition, there is no excuse for club athletes to even consider taking this kind of action.

“I appeal to all athletic club secretaries to make sure that every one of their members are aware of the situation re passing bib numbers on without clearance from race organisers.”

Sunderland Harriers will find it hard to match last year’s performances in the North East Masters’ Road Relay Championships at Hebburn tonight.

They came away with three team gold medals, winning both headline Over-35 events and adding the Over-45 Men’s team championship for good measure.

It will be a new look Over-35 women’s team, as the team from last year of Nikki Woodward and Vicky Haswell are both nursing injuries and Alice Smith has now moved to Pontefract. Last year they scored an emphatic win over Morpeth beating them by 73 seconds over the three legs.

The Over-35 men can call upon the same trio that won last year, in again heading Morpeth. Rob Walker, Steve McMahon and Ian Dixon were the men that did the business.

The Sunderland Over-45 team had to work hard for their win in 2018 and this time they may be missing two of that team in Paul Blakey and Tim Field, who have been on the injured list and only Micky Thompson has been in good form lately.

The race HQ is at Jarrow & Hebburn AC Clubhouse at Monkton Stadium, Jarrow, Tyne & Wear NE32 5NJ.

There will be two races in which there will be teams of three runners, each runner will complete 2 laps of approximately 1.5km on tarmac paths around Bedeswell Park/Campbell Park. Please park responsibly at or around Monkton Stadium, or future use of the venue could be jeopardised. There is a combined limit 450 for the two races.

Timetable: Race 1 - 6.30 Women Over- 35, Men Over-65. Race 2 - 7.15 (approx) Men 35- 64.

Sunderland Harrier Aidan Crowe led city runners home in the London Marathon taking nearly seven minutes off his 2017 best.

Results: Sunderland Harriers: Aidan Crowe 2.50.01, Ian Ritchie 3.51.19, Paul Redman V55 2.53.49, Martin Blenkinsopp V45 2.54.21, Richard Borrowdale 4.28.26, Alice Smith 3.13.16, Jenna Wilkinson 3.14.47, Judith Thirlwell W45 3.44.48, Deborah Smith W50 4.22.05, Maria Davis 4.43.33.

Sunderland Strollers: Andrew Forbes 2.50.29, Chris Dwyer 2.59.35, Peter Holliday V60 4.11.39, Paul Arnott V50 4.43.28, Nicola Hern 4.55.15, Rich Wilson V65 4.57.59.

Houghton Harriers: David Coulson V55 3.27.35, Matthew Tomlinson V45 3.39.12, Katherine James W40 3.44.47, Marguerite Harvey W40 3.45.20, Gillian Tomlinson W50 4.10.16.

Sunderland Harrier Michael Barker (38.45) had a comfortable victory in the Trail Out Laws Washington Trail 10k, beating the host club’s David Gill (39.42).

Washington’s Running Club’s Tim Jones a V40 was third (39.51) and Barker’s clubmate Steve Rankin finished fourth in 40.19. Jason Oshin Washington took fifth (40.36).

Helen Clark won the women’s race (47.26) from Washington’s Kathryn Common (47.56). Sunderland Stroller Lyne Valentine was first Over-60 (52.27).

Sunderland Harrier Liam Taylor finished fifth (15.54) in the Wallsend Terry O’Gara Memorial 5k. won by Gateshead Harrier Matthew Linsley (15.34). Other Sunderland positions were 30th David Wilkinson 17.48, 34th Paul Merrison V60 18.02, 42nd Alan Hodgson V40 18.24, 52nd Darren Stoker V40 18.48, Tony Allinson V40 85th 19.50.

Sunderland Strollers: 59th Christopher Rawle V40 19.00, 62nd Mike Hobson V40 19.06.

The first woman was Danielle Hodgkinson of the host club Wallsend, who finished 13th in 16.49.