Telford Athletic Club’s senior women’s team goes from strength to strength, hitting a fresh high.

So far this season they have finished third in the Midland Road Relays, seventh in the National Road Relays, first in the Midland Women’s Cross Country League and now, arguably best yet, fifth out of 83 finishing teams in the National Cross-Country Relay Championships.

Star runner Claire Martin ran the opening leg at Berry Hill Park, Mansfield, covering the three kilometre undulating course in 10.00 as she brought the Telford trio home in sixth place, behind a GB International who ran 9.46.

It was another outstanding performance on a national stage and saw Claire finish eighth fastest behind five established internationals.

Claire now heads to Liverpool this weekend for the second race in the UK Cross Country Challenge.

Louise Taylor took over for Telford on the second leg and improved to fifth with a 10.32 leg, before handing over to Kim Green for the final leg which she ran in 10.30.5.

The race was won for the third year by Charnwood in 30.19, with Chester le Street second in 30.48, Bedford third in 30.57, Shaftsbury and Barnet fourth in 30.59 and Telford just four seconds behind in 31.03.

Telford were delighted to finish ahead of teams such as 13th-placed Birchfield, who had won the National Road Relays, sixth-placed Aldershot, third in the road relays, and Sale Manchester, sixth in the road relays but ninth at Mansfield.

The senior men’s team were 51st out of 132 finishing teams. Wayne Dashper ran the opening leg in 16.34 finishing 63rd, Chris Bagshaw ran the second leg in 17.16 bringing the team home 66th, Will Joyce ran the 3rd leg in 16.53 moving up to 62nd before Greg Wilson ran the final leg in 16.55, improving 11 places to 51st.

The under 13 boys team were 30th out of 53 finishing teams. Jordan Basson ran the opening leg in 8.11, Andrew Parkes went out on the second leg in 8.13 before Ryan Heath ran the club’s fastest leg to move up 12 places with 7.32.

Joanne Bailey ran the opening leg for the under 13 girls in 9.03, Kelsey Collins ran the second leg in 8.29 improving 15 places before Chloe Murphy ran the final leg in 7.56 to improve a further 13 places as Telford finished 36th out of 66 teams.

Chris Carter had the fastest time in the under 17 men’s team as he ran 9.59 on the last leg to bring the club home in 46th out of 69 teams that started. Matt Everett ran 10.21 on the opening leg whilst Dan Hoof ran 11.09 on the second leg.