Numbers were down for the weekend’s fifth annual Enys 10k road race, but it still saw almost 80 competitors at the start line as the sunshine brought out the runners.

Two local runners, Ian Ferguson, of Falmouth Road Runners; and Lucy Williams, who runs with Truro Running Club; shared the spoils in the event, which was organised by the Rotary Club of Penryn and supported by Falmouth Road Runners.

A small field of 76 runners lined up at the start, with the lower than anticipated entry partly due to a four-way fixture clash, with the Penwith five-mile event happening at Penzance, the Five Tors race at Minions, near Liskeard, which is part of the popular Cornwall Multi Terrain race series, and the Plymouth Half Marathon.

A warm and sunny spring day provided ideal racing conditions as the runners set off, reaching the one mile mark at Carclew where Ferguson was already leading by 50 metres from Richard Chynoweth (Truro Running Club) and an unattached runner Sam Barton.

As the race developed over this tough 10k route, the leading positions remained unchanged but the gaps between the top runners widened, with Ferguson seemingly cruising around the course and winning by the significant margin of one minute, 43 seconds from Chynoweth, who was 37 seconds clear of Barton.

Williams was an even more convincing winner of the ladies’ race, content to bide her time over the first couple of miles before moving ahead of her rivals and building a “Ferguson type” commanding lead during the second half of the race, winning by two minutes, 27 seconds.

The tussle for second place was a much closer affair, with Alison Potter (Newquay Road Runners), Katherine Martin (Mile High) and the early race leader Natalie Maguire (Cornwall AC) all battling for the runner’s-up spot with one mile to go. A stronger finish from Potter secured second place for the Newquay athlete, with Martin getting the better of Maguire to clinch the final podium place.

The race runner-up, Chynoweth, led Truro Running Club to victory in the men’s team competition, ably backed up by James Davies (fourth) and Gary Pascoe (seventh).

Falmouth Road Runners finished 13 points behind in second place, with Truro’s B team third. The ladies’ team race again produced a Falmouth versus Truro tussle but this time Falmouth in the shape of Emma Mussop (fifth), Jules Wood (sixth) and Judith Wilkes (15th) emerged on top by just seven points. The Penryn based club, Mile High, finished third, two points behind Truro.

With only one prize awarded in each of the veteran categories, only three runners from the local clubs featured amongst the awards. Overall third placed finisher, Katherine Martin, won the 45 to 54 prize and club-mate Matthew Fox claimed his award in the 40 to 49 age group. Falmouth’s lone success came in the ladies’ 55 to 64 section, won by Jackie Cope.

Race director Terry Chapman congratulated everyone who took part in the race, saying: “The weather certainly helped everyone’s enjoyment of today’s event and special thanks must go to all the officials and marshals who gave up their time voluntarily.

“The Penryn Rotary Club will now be able to make donations to the three charities which this event supports – Meningitis Now, WINGZ (animal rehabilitation centre) and the Rotary Foundation.”

Results Key for clubs: CAC, Cornwall AC; CR, Carn Runners; FRR, Falmouth Road Runners; HR, Hayle Runners; IS, Instinctive Sports; MBH, Mounts Bay Harriers; MH, Mile High; NRR, Newquay Road Runners; STA, St Austell Running Club; TRC, Truro Running Club; U, Unattached.

Men: 1, Ian Ferguson FRR, 38.02; 2, Richard Chynoweth TRC, 39.45; 3, Sam Barton U, 40.22; 4, James Davies TRC, 40.49; 5, George Swan U, 41.47; 6, Tristan Easterbrook U, 42.14; 7, Gary Pascoe TRC, 42.24; 8, Malcolm Roberts STA, 42.27; 9, Matthew Fox MH, 42.46; 10, Bill Wood FRR, 42.53. Age Categories: 40-49: 1, Matthew Fox; 2, Ian Matthews MBH, 43.03; 3, Adrian Cockcroft U, 43.21. 50-59: 1, Gary Pascoe; 2 Bill Wood; 3, Stuart Sly TRC, 48.27. 60-64: 1, Malcolm Roberts; 2, Nigel Eagling TRC, 48.25; 3, Kim Hemsworth FRR, 51.09. 65+: 1, Phil Rowe HR, 54.22; 2, Robert Wood U, 55.07; 3, Dave Mounter CR, 56.36. Teams: 1, Truro Running Club A, 13 points; 2, Falmouth Road Runners, 26 points; 3, Truro Running Club B, 46 points.

Ladies: 1,Lucy Williams TRC, 44.52; 2, Alison Potter NRR, 47.19; 3, Katherine Martin MH, 47.44; 4, Natalie Maguire CAC, 48.23; 5, Emma Mussop FRR, 49.06; 6, Jules Wood FRR, 49.17; 7, Beth Robinson U, 50.17; 8, Gemma Ward U, 50.18; 9, Sarah Hill NRR, 50.46; 10, Vicky Dungey IS, 51.04. Age Categories: 35-44: 1, Alison Potter; 2, Natalie Maguire; 3, Emma Mussop. 45-54: 1, Katherine Martin; 2, Jules Wood; 3, Vicky Dungey. 55-59: 1, Jackie Cope FRR, 53.06. 60 plus: 1, Sandy Jamieson CR, 58.56; 2, Margaret Wade CR, 64.43; 3, Carole Drew CR, 67.11. Teams: 1, Falmouth Road Runners, 26 points; 2, Truro Running Club, 33 points; 3, Mile High, 35 points; 4, Carn Runners, 85 points.