Ranelagh Harriers claimed three sets of medals at the Surrey County Road Relay Championships at Wimbledon Park on Saturday.

Pride of place went to the senior women, who won the championship for the first time since 2006.

Liz Kipling, Jo Ronaldson, Marie Synnott-Wells and Estelle Damant made up the victorious women’s team.

South London Harriers – winners in 2007 and 2008 – were out to make it a hat trick of victories and on the opening stage they established a lead of almost a minute thanks to an outstanding run by US-based Georgie Bruinvels who ran the day’s fastest time of 16.05 for the lap of just under three miles.

For Ranelagh Jo Ronaldson ran 17.03 for a safe second place and handed on to club captain Marie Synnott-Wells. Marie – recovering from a virus – ran 18.16 and reduced the deficit to no more than 50 metres.

However, South London fought back on stage three and despite a good run of 18.14 by Ranelagh’s Estelle Damant the holders went into the last lap with an advantage of almost three quarters of a minute.

Former British international at the Modern Pentathlon Liz Kipling was entrusted with the anchor and she ran an outstanding race, gradually cutting back South London’s lead and in the final mile surging past to a great victory by 30 seconds. Liz’s time was 17.44.

It was again South London Harriers who were the main opposition for Ranelagh’s men’s over 50 team.

But this time it was South London who were to come out on top. After two stages there was only some twenty seconds between the two teams, but thereafter the men from Coulsdon imposed their authority and ran out clear winners.

The Ranelagh team collecting the silver medals were Howard Gleave (16.43), Jonathan Robinson (17.07), David Powell (18.25) and Chris Owens (17.34).

Less expected were the bronze medals won by the women’s over 35 team. Sandra Prosser (19.58), Louise Piears (21.05) and Sonia Rowland (21.17) brought the team into fifth place after three stages but they had Jo Ronaldson turning out again on the anchor stage for them.

After only about 40 minutes rest since her run for the senior team Jo ran 18.26 to move up to third place and her second medal of the day.