Wolves aces set the pace in Ding Dong Derby Cup

Wanderers’ five-man team of first-team coach and former full-back Rob Edwards, head of medical Phil Hayward, first-team analyst Phil Boardman, first-team physiotherapist Steve Polley and under-23 sport scientist Tom Male posted a superfast collective time of two hours 34 minutes 28 seconds, writes John Simpson.

They pipped Black Country rivals Albion past the Millennium Point finishing post, with defending champions Birmingham City coming third. Villa, Stourbridge and Solihull Moors also took part.

Boardman posted the fastest time of all the football clubs’ runners, with a fleet-footed 35:56 placing him 38th out of a record 8,000-plus entrants in the overall event standings.

“We are immensely proud to win the Ding Dong Derby Cup,” beamed Hayward, who lined up with his victorious team-mates to lift the silverware pitchside before Wolves’ final EFL Championship game of the season against Preston.

“We came a close second to Blues last year which really spurred us on this time around. We were determined to win the trophy for Wolves.

“We knew with all the preparation we had put in, if things went according to plan on the day, with no major hiccups, it was there for us.

“The event itself was superbly organised from start to finish, right down to the stewarding and the guys manning the water stations. No stone was left unturned by the Great Run Company.

“Having done plenty of these types of events over the years, we really feel that the Great Birmingham 10k will continue to grow in stature and become one of the key events on the UK’s 10k landscape.

“It was a really fun day out for us and we look forward to defending our title next year!’

The second Ding Dong Derby Cup pitted teams comprising at least four runners against each other.

Football clubs across the region, from Premier League down to grassroots level, were invited to enter.

The four fastest times posted by each team were accumulated to determine who was the fittest and fastest club – with Wolves securing the ultimate derby bragging rights.

The Ding Dong Derby Cup gets its name from a phrase made famous by much-loved West Midlands broadcaster Tom Ross in describing local affairs down the years.

David Hart, communications director at The Great Run Company, said: “It was another closely-fought contest and I want to thank all the clubs who entered running teams and produced such fantastic times.

“Wolves emerged as worthy winners and can rightly lay claim to being the quickest club on the patch.”

The Simplyhealth Great Birmingham 10k is regarded as the ideal preparation run for the Simplyhealth Great Birmingham Run half marathon or inaugural Birmingham International Marathon, both taking place on Sunday, October 15.

Anyone who entered the 10k will receive a £10 discount for either the Simplyhealth Great Birmingham Run half marathon or Birmingham International Marathon.