BROMSGROVE and Redditch AC took to the roads of Wales for the annual Welsh Castles Relay.

Spanning two days of running, the 20 stage, 211 mile staggered relay race starts in Caernarfon and finishes at Cardiff Castle.

A truly unique event, teams are attracted from around the world to experience the carnival atmosphere and stunning Welsh scenery.

B&R’s team of 20 runners battled hard through some tough weather conditions on day one but were rewarded with a number of stage top ten finishes, including Tamara Freeman, James Hood, Damian Lewis, Andrew Freeman and Steve Brooks.

Performance of the day, however, went to Sally Hogan who, as first lady back, was presented with the stage winner’s yellow jersey. She was also rewarded with an impressive time of 63 minutes, 14 seconds for 9.1 miles. At the overnight point with ten stages complete, B&R were in 12th spot.

Weather conditions improved by Sunday afternoon and some strong mountain stage performances ensured the team maintained momentum finishing a very creditable 13th out of 66 teams. Darryll Thomas was highest placed for the club on day two, claiming 11th spot for his stage, whilst on the notorious climb to Brecon Beacon, a returning to form Kevin Fisher conquered the 1000ft climb to finish an impressive 13th.

With the team already looking forward to next year, B&R will be hoping to better this year’s performance and push for a top ten finish in this hotly contested event.