NEW Marske Harriers are aiming to regain the North-East Road Relay Championship at Sunderland today, despite being without star runner Ricky Stevenson.

The 21-year-old Teesside University student, who has enjoyed a sparkling winter season with a surprise victory in the Great Edinburgh Cross Country International and a brilliant second-placing in the New York Indoor Mile, has his sights set on a record-breaking retention of his 3,000m title in next weekend’s British Universities and Colleges Indoor Championships in Sheffield.

But New Marske, who were disqualified last year for fielding an ineligible runner after being the first Teesside club to win the handsome Royal Signals Trophy in 2008, can still call upon a strong, youthful team.

It will include new recruit Richard Morrell, the 22-yearold son of former Great Britain international middle distance star Tony Morrell, affectionately known in the 1980s when he combined working as a welder in Hartlepool with world class running as the “tough of the track”.

New Marske provided the first four North-East finishers in the National Cross Country Championships men’s race, with Stevenson leading the way in 22nd place, followed by Andrew Wiles (42nd), Alec Duffield (59th) and Morrell (79th).

At Hetton today Wiles, the North-East Cross Country Championships bronze medallist, will be joined by North-East junior silver medallist Russell Best, Dominic Shaw, fifth in the regional championships, Duffield, Morrell and longserving club stalwart Shaun O’Grady.

Gateshead Harriers, who won the championship for the first time in 25 years on home ground at Waterside Park, will be attempting to win the trophy for a 17th time, while Morpeth, runners up last year, are always strong contenders.

But Sunderland, third last year, will be without the services of their two top runners, North-East cross country champion Patrick Martin and three-times regional winner Mark Hood, who are both recovering from injury.

Chester-le-Street, who have great strength in depth, will be defending their title in the four-member women’s relay championship. Their team will be: Emma Raven, Melissa Turner, Maxine Czarnecka and Morag McDonnell.

The championships, returning to Sunderland for the first time in 87 years, will be hosted by Houghton Harriers on a traffic-free course at the Hetton Country Park and start at 1pm. Each leg will be two laps of a 1.3-mile circuit.