New signing Tim Lefroy will make his Bristol & West AC debut for the senior men at the National 6-Stage Autumn Road Relay Championships today.
The Australian has a strong pedigree; only recently he ran 64mins 57secs on his half marathon debut in Copenhagen while this summer he clocked 14mins 14secs for 5000m.
“He will join our other recent signing Max Davis who made such an impression in the Midland Championship and encouragingly we look capable of fielding our strongest team since we were fifth five years ago,” said team manager Mike Down,
The squad is completed by team captain Kurt Taylor, Jack Millar and Johnny Thewliss from the bronze medal-winning Midland team, with one of Josh Moody, Jack Bancroft and Dan Studley contenders for the sixth and final spot.
“It`s a team that could possibly challenge the best time we have ever recorded in the race: 1:46:41 in 2008 when we finished fourth,” added Down.
For the women’s four-stage race young star Megan Hornung makes her senior debut alongside new signing Chelsea Baker, Natalie Bretherton and Katrina Entwistle, who ran a PB in the Bristol 10k last week.
This is a title that the women won twice in 2004 and 2005 when Olympian Kate Reed was in her prime years and while a top three place is unlikely the women, like the men, will be looking for a good top ten finish.
Teams (in provisional running order) – senior men:
A: JACK MILLAR, DAN STUDLEY, TIM LEFROY, MAX DAVIS, JOHNNY THEWLIS, KURT TAYLOR.
B: OWAIN JONES, JOSH MOODY, ADAM STOKES, HUGH SADLER/ANDY WATT, BEN WESTHENRY, JACK BANCROFT.
Senior women A: NATALIE BRETHERTON, MEGAN HORNUNG, KATRINA ENTWHISTLE, CHELSEA BAKER.
B: HANNA POLLAK, AMY NICHOLLS, ANNA FORD, CAZ BUCKERIDGE.