Colchester Harriers turned a corner of Suffolk forever green as they journeyed up the A12 in numbers to compete in the Ipswich Ekiden Relays, held this year in the grounds of Ipswich School in Wolverstone.

The club fielded an impressive 12 teams in the senior event, as teams of six combine to cover the marathon distance on a grass circuit, and despite being up against the strongest clubs from across East Anglia enjoyed more than its fair share of success.

Seven Harrier teams ended up on the podium in their respective categories as the women had another dominant day with the Open team of Victoria Primmer, Justine Sheekey, Lydia Callan, Holly Freegard, Roanna Vickers and Jennifer Lovelock coming from behind to pip Bury St Edmunds and defend their trophy.

Sarah Stradling, Denise Morley, Kate Sandercock, Annette Oakman, Laura Shewbridge and Eillie Cumner finished second in the Women's Vets Category with Fran Norris, Melissa Dowell, Nicola Hilson, Sue Waller-Toyne, Alex Hennessy and Anita Mussett combining to claim third place in the Supervets competition.

The men also had a successful day with the Open A team of Ram Osman, Chris Sellens, Dean Williamson, Cameron Humphries, Angus Holford and James Morley holding off another strong challenge from Bury to take the overall title, finishing in 2:27.00.

Nate Filer, Simon Ford, Barry Frost, Jon Nears, Jason Gunn and Jerry Walder also showed strongly finishing fifth overall and second in the Vets competition, just losing out to a strong Bure Valley Harriers team.

And Harriers defended their Supervets title thanks to a dominant showing from Kevin Higgins, Chris Stevenson, Allen Smalls, Peter West, Jay Waite and Adrian Musset, with the B team of James Waterson, Keith Marley, Gary Licence, Gary Donoghue, Paul Dellar and Paul Neville also making the podium after edging out Ipswich Jaffa A by 12 seconds.

The junior competition saw teams of four run just over a mile for each leg, with five Harriers teams competing and Harrison Leek, Sean Eales, Finley Greenleaf and Jake Phillips coming home second in the 12 year old boys' competition.

Results - Seniors, Men’s Open: 1st Harriers A - 2:27:00 - (R Osman 26:39 (7.2K), C Sellens 17:40 (5K), D Willaimson 33:03 (10K), C Humphries 17:54 (10K), A Holford 35:17 (10K), J Morley 16:27 (5K)); 5th Harriers B – 2:44:47 – (R Smith 29:24, C Edwards 19:12, C Pugh 39:55, A Lovelock 18:43, M Howard 39:35, C Speed 17:57); 10th Harriers C – 2:55:47 (T Ballard 29:25, P Rodgers 19:52, M Smith 42:40, C Sellens 18:03, J Plant 43:29, D Steptoe-Thompson 22:18); 22nd Harriers D – 3:26:44 (C Panton 34:47, J Rowland 25:36, S Miller 50:47, K Callaghan 25:35, A Smalls 43:25, A Whiston 26:33).

Men’s Vets: 2nd Harriers A – 2:39:01 – (N Filer 25:23, S Ford 19:38, B Frost 39:13, J Nears 18:16, J Gunn 36:57, J Walder 19:34); 8th Harriers B - 2:58:44 (S Colclough 29:19, J Fryer 20:13, Manby 42:00, A Raynor 22:03, K Stevens 42:52, I Rattray 22:17).

Men’s Supervets: 1st Harriers A – 2:41:56 (1st) (K Higgins 28:09, C Stevenson 19:58, A Smalls 39:01, P West 18:56, J Waite 39:45, A Mussett 16:07); 3rd Harriers B – 2:59:26 (J Waterson 31:07, K Marley 22:06, G Licence 41:35, G Donoghue 21:32, P Dellar 41:50, P Neville 21:17).

Women’s Open: 1st Harriers A - 2:48:22 (V Primmer 29:17, J Sheekey 20:25, Lydia Callan 40:12, H Freegard 19:25, R Vickers 39:03, J Lovelock 19:59).

Women’s Vets: 2nd Harriers A - 3:13:31 (S Stradling 33:26, D Morley 22:35, K Sandercock 49:54, A Oakman 21:41, L Shewbridge 43:43, E Cumner 22:12).

Women’s Supervets: 3rd Harriers A - 3:24:29 – (F Norris 33:57, M Dowell 23:51, N Hilson 49:17, S Waller 25:02, A Hennessey 47:37, A Mussett 24:45).

Mixed: 9th Harriers A - 3:11:29 (G Ballard 35:55, D Meecham 20:54, A Elliot 42:02, S Morgan 23:05, P Gardiner 47:04, S Hart 22:29).

Juniors: 12B – 2nd Harriers A (H Leek 5:46, S Eales 5:50, F Greenleaf 5:28, J Phillips 5:56). 5th Harriers B (S Mason 5:57, H Cumner 6:13, M Martell Smith 6:46, E Frost 7:01).

12G – 6th Harriers A (J Garner 7:06, I Bueggein 7:09, L Martell Smith 7:23, E Licence 7:41).

U11B - 5th Harriers A (H Jeffries 6:47, H Bueggein 8:08, H Davey 8:25, M Faulkner 6:28).

U11M - 7th Harriers A (G Davey 9:21, S Faulkner 8:26, H Jeffrey 7:04, H Bueggein 7:51).