IN-FORM Terry Wall broke the monopoly of Sunderland Harriers when he won yesterday’s Michael Page Memorial 10k Multi-Terrain Race at the Hetton Lyons Country Park on Wearside.
Since the event moved to its new venue it has been won by Sunderland’s Graham Lancaster, Mark Hood and Tim Field.
However, Wall repelled the challenge this time round of his main rival Steven Potts to add to his recent 10k victories at Newton Aycliffe, Raby Castle and New Marske.
Potts cut out the early pace in the opening mile aheadv of Wall and Birtley’s Lee Millmore.
However, Wall, 37, eased to the front before the two-mile point to eventually pull away to defy the hilly terrain to win by 43 seconds in 35min 31sec. Potts finished a similar distance ahead of Millmore, with Chris Muir in fourth place leading South Shields to the team award.
Wall, who expects to line-up in the Teespride 10k in two weeks time, said: “I was not looking for a tough work out as I had trained hard beforehand.
“Steve really made me work, especially in the early part of the race. It was a bit difficult once I was in the front as I did not know the course, but because it was well marshalled I did not present any problems.
“It is always nice to win any race and I am pretty pleased with my form at the moment.”
The women’s race was won by Newton Aycliffe’s Julia Atkinson, with team-mate Susan Milburn in second place.
