Dan Rodgers (Launceston Road Runners) became the host club's first ever winner of the men's race in the Treggy 7 mile event last Sunday, although he had to fight every inch of the way to secure his position at the top of the podium. 

The Ladies race proved to be a clear cut canter, with Emma Stepto (Cornwall AC) cruising home to the applause of an enthusiastic crowd gathered in the sunshine on the Castle Green, surely the most picturesque setting for the finish of any Cornish Grand Prix event.

Three hundred and forty five runners set off from Launceston town square at the start of this race, round twelve of the Cornwall Grand Prix Series, sponsored by Cornwall Glass and Glazing, and after the steep downhill start, the pace soon settled, as the main contenders emerged at the head of the field, where Rodgers was joined by a pair of Cornwall AC Thomases, Justin and Adam, and Jim Cole (Tavistock AC). 

Justin hot footed it to Launceston after returning to the Duchy yesterday, following a two week holiday in warmer climes, and Adam was making his first appearance for Cornwall AC since rejoining the club on his return to Cornwall, after spending the last eight years living and working in the "flat lands" of England, being based in Norwich.

These four were running together as they approached the notorious one mile climb up to the village of Tregadillett where Adam, obviously not yet race fit, was the first to drop back. 
Half way up the climb, a surge from Rodgers and Cole opened a gap over Justin Thomas, which the Cornwall AC runner closed as the leaders approached the five mile point. 

It was now Cole's turn to feel the pressure, as Rodgers and Thomas moved clear of the Devon runner but there were still more twists to come. 

With less than half a mile to the finish, Thomas made his bid for victory and approached the castle grounds leading by twenty metres but Rodgers was determined to have his day, mounting a final sprint across the Castle Green and winning by no more than a thickness of a vest, with both runners sharing the same time of 38 minutes 34 seconds.  Cole held on for third, twenty five seconds behind the top two.

Another race, another course record for Emma Stepto, who won her third successive Treggy 7 race, running a new personal best for the course of 39 minutes 52 seconds, seventy seconds faster than her own previous course record, set in 2012. 

Emma finished seventh overall and well over a mile ahead of the Ladies runner up, Mhairi Saville (Mounts Bay Harriers), who was making only her fourth Grand Prix appearance of the year.  Kathryn Burgess (Cornwall AC) continues her slow but sure recovery from injury, with a second successive third place finish, which lifts her from thirteenth to second in the overall Ladies Grand Prix standings. 

After the presentation Emma's running day had not yet finished, as she jumped in her car and made her way to the Exeter Arena, where she turned out for Cornwall AC in the 800 metres at the club's crucial South West League match, where Cornwall AC needed every point for victory, in their bid to be crowned the 2013 South West League Division One Champions.

The Cornwall AC Men's team returned to winning ways with their seventh Grand Prix victory of the season.  As expected the main opposition came from Hayle Runners and a slightly under strength St Austell Running Club.  Hayle, due to their superior team packing, got the better of their mid Cornwall rivals, slipping into the runners up spot and beating St Austell into third place by seventeen points.

Cornwall AC's Ladies team continued their domination of the team competition with their tenth victory of the year, posting the low score of 46 points, with their six scoring runners finishing in the first sixteen places, including four in the top ten.  Newquay Road Runners finished in second place (109 points), twenty seven points clear of Hayle Runners.

Despite the lack of prize winners, Falmouth Road Runners made sure they were represented at Treggy, with sixteen from the club making the journey to the county border town.  Steven Strachan was the club's top finisher in thirty seventh position, with Tom Carthy (49th) also creeping into the top fifty.

KEY FOR CLUBS
BR Bude Rats, CAC Cornwall AC, CR Carn Runners, ECH East Cornwall Harriers, HR Hayle Runners, LRR Launceston Road Runners, MBH Mounts Bay Harriers, NRR Newquay Road Runners, PH Plymouth Harriers, OKE Okehampton Running Club, STA St Austell Running Club, TAV Tavistock AC, TRC Truro Running Club, TOT Totton Running Club, TT Tamar Trotters.

RESULTS
Men: 1 Dan Rodgers LRR 38.34, 2 Justin Thomas CAC 38.34, 3 Jim Cole TAV 38.59, 4 Tom Joyce STA 39.24, 5 Ken Walker NRR 39.37, 6 Michael Robinson TT 39.45, 7 Stephen Wilsmore TT 40.26, 8 Adam Thomas CAC 40.27, 9 Nick Loewendahl STA 40.57, 10 Colin Snook CAC 41.36.  Age Categories: Under 35: 1 Dan Rodgers, 2 Jim Cole, 3 Tom Joyce.  35-39: 1 Justin Thomas, 2 Ken Walker, 3 Colin Snook.  40-44: 1 Carl Harwood PH 42.02, 2 Jonny Colaco NRR 42.16, 3 Scott Abraham HR 43.03.  45-49: 1 Paul Whear CR 41.54, 2 Glynn Davis CR 42.58, 3 Roger Voaden OKE 43.02.  50-54: 1 Gordon Adie TRC 45.24, 2 Laurie Lee STA 45.38, 3 David Philp ECH 47.37.  55-59: 1 Steve Rawson TRC 45.55, 2 Mark Andrews ECH 47.14, 3 Peter Allen NRR 48.21.  60-64: 1 Malcolm Roberts STA 57.37, 2 Ivor Earl TT 52.45, 3 Colin Martin NRR 54.55.  65-69: 1 Paul Wright NRR 48.46, 2 Doug Alsop STA 51.37, 3 Ian Ringer ECH 52.34.  70+: 1 Trevor Williams TAV 60.20, 2 Richard Saundry HR 71.32.  Teams: 1 Cornwall AC 114 points, 2 Hayle Runners 135 points, 3 St Austell Running Club 158 points, 4 Newquay Road Runners 178 points, 5 Tamar Trotters 195 points.  Teams 50+: 1 St Austell Running Club 38 points, 2 East Cornwall Harriers 40 points, 3 Newquay Road Runners 48 points

Ladies: 1 Emma Stepto CAC  39.52 (Course Record), 2 Mhairi Saville MBH 47.07, 3 Kathryn Burgess CAC 47.24, 4 Revis Crowle ECH 48.14, 5 Suzy Bosustow CAC 48.28, 6 Jessica Buscombe STA 48.39, 7 Donna Raggett CAC 48.56, 8 Joanna Herd NRR 49.44, 9 Debbie Harrison HR 49.50, 10 Sharon Daw ECH 50.21.  Age Categories: Under 35: 1 Jessica Buscombe, 2 Sophie Morton NRR 50.25, 3 Emma Baker LRR 51.19.  35-39: 1 Mhairi Saville, 2 Kathryn Burgess, 3 Joanna Herd.  40-44: 1 Emma Stepto, 2 Suzy Bosustow, 3 Donna Raggett, 45-49: 1 Sharon Daw, 2 Nancy Hill MBH 50.42, 3 Karen Harrison CAC 51.24.  50-54: 1 Revis Crowle, 2 Jayne Angilley CAC 52.46, 3 Hana Clitherow TRC 56.42.  55-59: 1 Pat Coates NRR 52.48, 2 Marilyn Cooper OKE 58.16, 3 Kate Rogers TAV 63.17.  60-64: 1 Susan Mellis STA 62.32, 2 Annie Finding BR 65.31, 3 Sheila Houghton TAV 65.38.  65-69: 1 Lisa Wright NRR 72.10, 2 Cheryll Leach LRR 77.08, 3 Jane Pitt TOT 77.44.  70+: 1 Val Hawken NRR 87.04.  Teams: 1 Cornwall AC 46 points, 2 Newquay Road Runners 109 points, 3 Hayle Runners 136 points, 4 St Austell Running Club 250, 5 Mounts Bay Harriers 278 points.  Teams: 50+: 1 Newquay Road Runners 74 points, 2 Launceston Road Runners 98 points.