Highgate Harriers women's team narrowly missed out on a top-three finish in the Southern Road Relay Championships at Milton Keynes on Saturday. An outstanding run by Svenja Abel on leg four helped Harriers to fourth place, less than eight minutes behind

Highgate Harriers women's team narrowly missed out on a top-three finish in the Southern Road Relay Championships at Milton Keynes on Saturday.

An outstanding run by Svenja Abel on leg four helped Harriers to fourth place, less than eight minutes behind the winners Bedford & County.

Abel posted the fourth fastest time overall of 16 minutes 15 seconds and was faster than two well-known names in her leg - international steeplechaser Jo Ankier, of Shaftesbury and former Irish Olympian Sonia O'Sullivan, of Thames Hare & Hounds.

Esther Evans (19mins 38secs) gave Harriers a solid start and she was followed by Astrid Wingler (20mins 38secs), Kate Jenrick (20mins 58secs), Abel (18mins 15secs), Louise Burnie (21mins 48secs) and Fiona Burnie (21mins 15secs).

The team's total time was 2hrs 2mins 32secs, while Bedford & County ran 1hr 54mins 59secs.

However, Highgate will not be competing in the National Championships at Sutton Coldfield on April 14 due to lack of available runners.

Meanwhile, Harriers men finished 12th in the Southern 12- Stage Relay Championship despite the absence of their best runners, Ben Noad and Keith Cullen. There were six long legs (7,826m) and six short legs (5,356m). Peter Downie led the way in the short legs, running a time of 17mins 46secs, with Alistair Lindsey (18mins 56secs), John Deane (18mins 04secs), Joseph Lowe (18mins 58secs), Attak Diing (18mins 21secs) and Chris Pananayiotos (18mins 13secs).

Glen Saqui (25mins 08secs), Henry Dodwell (25mins 15secs), Chris Chapman (26mins 10secs), Chris Beecham (26mins 29secs), Ryan Mackinley (26mins 49secs) and Eric Southam (29mins 51secs) ran the long legs. The winning team was Shaftesbury Barnet.

Elsewhere, John O'Shea (18mins 23secs) was 28th - and third veteran - in the Serpentine 5k road race on Friday. Adam Irvine (19mins 31secs) was 55th.

Daniel Higgins (2hrs 05mins 52secs) was sixth in the Oakley 20 mile road race on Sunday.

Andrew Collinge (1hr 36 mins) finished 11th in the Kingston 16mile road race, also on Sunday.

Meanwhile, Dave Burrows (47mins 22secs) finished fifth in the Coastal Challenge race in Auckland, New Zealand and third in the 5km Devonport Classic, also in Auckland.

jonny.weeks@hamhigh.co.uk