The wet and windy weather early last Sunday morning did not deter over one hundred runners from turning out for the sixth Enys 10K road race, organised by Penryn Rotary Cub, with the support of Falmouth Road Runners.

The organisers were delighted to attract the highest number of runners since 2012, who set off on this challenging undulating route along the quiet country roads towards Carclew (2 miles).

The 2014 winner Mike Birchmore (Newquay Road Runners) was soon heading the field, along with team mate Mike Parsons, with the rapidly improving Falmouth Road Runner Tom Carthey in third place. A fast mid section did little to change positions, merely opening the gap between the two leaders and Carthey.

Birchmore and Parsons could not be split on the long climb to the four mile point and were still together entering the driveway to the Enys Estate, when Birchmore eased ahead of his Newquay team mate to win by one second, finishing just ten seconds outside the course record of 34.31 set by Tony Brewer in 2013. Carthey finished in an isolated third place, having the satisfaction of leading the club’s men’s team to a very close four point victory over the men from the Penryn based Mile High club, with Falmouth Road Runner’s ‘B’ team squeezing into third place, just one point ahead of Truro Running Club.

Interestingly and unusually on Cornish road running scene these days, the top ten was entirely filled by runners in the Under 40 category, with eleventh placed Richard Keefe (Falmouth Road Runners), competing in the 40-44 age group, being the first Veteran finisher across the line. Not so in the Ladies race with Veteran runners filling the top three places. Donna Raggett (Cornwall AC) completed a weekend double, winning the Penrose Park Run in Helston on the previous day, before winning at Enys by over four minutes from Mile High’s Beth Popperwell who won this race in 2012. Another Cornwall AC runner Julia Pearce, who lives in Mabe, finished third but only just, edging out Amy Blackburn (Mile High) for the final podium place by just eight seconds.

The Mile High girls, Popperwell and Blackman didn’t have to wait long for their third finished, Hannah Foy(6th) reversing the team positions in the Men’s race, with Falmouth Road Runners well beaten by their Penryn rivals, but finished eleven points clear of the third place team Truro Running Club.

Not only were both team prizes scooped by the local clubs but five of the eight Veteran prizes were also claimed by local runners, including four by the Falmouth Club. The Falmouth winners were Richard Keefe (40-49), Robin Watson (50-59), Kim Hemsworth (60-64) and Jackie Cope (60+), with the Ladies runner up Popperwell winning the 35-44 section.

The Over 65 winner is Roy Newton Falmouth Road Runners 57.15.

Race director Terry Chapman said: "Our thanks to all who turned out for this challenging event, made even tougher by the conditions. A huge thank you too to the other local Rotary Clubs, and the sea and police cadets who helped us so valiantly. Kimberleys , as well as providing finishers' goody-bags, generously added to funds raised for our chosen charities, which early indications suggest will exceed last year's total of £1200. We're also very grateful for the practical support of Andyloos, and as always, to the owners for the use of the beautiful Enys estate."

KEY FOR CLUBS

CAC Cornwall AC, CR Carn Runners, FRR Falmouth Road Runners, HR Hayle Runners, MH Mile High, NRR Newquay Road Runners, TRC Truro Running Club, TRRC Truro River Rowing Club, U Unattached.

RESULTS

Men: 1 Mike Birchmore NRR 34.41, 2 Mike Parsons NRR 34.42, 3 Tom Carthey FRR 35.46, 4 Jacob Dobson FRR 37.10, 5 David Angell MH 37.16, 6 Tom Slattery CAC 38.03, 7 Jamie Luxmore MH 38.36, 8 Kieran Murrant HR 38.46, 9 Theo Fleming MH 39.13, 10 James Barnet FRR 39.21. Age Categories: 40-49: 1 Richard Keefe FRR 39.27, 2 Paul Sawford CR 41.02, 3 Craig Brown U 44.08. 50-59: 1 Robin Watson FRR 41.50, 2 Andrew Laurie FRR 44.20, 3 Bill Wood FRR 44.25. 60-64: 1 Kim Hemsworth FRR 53.14, 2 Nigel Knuckey TRC 53.33, 3 David Wilton FRR 57.10. 65+: 1 David Mounter CR 61.08. Teams: 1 Falmouth Road Runners ‘A’ 17 points, 2 Mile High 21 points, 3 Falmouth Road Runners ‘B’ 44 points, 4 Truro Running Club 45 points, 5 Cornwall AC 48 points, 6 Falmouth Road Runners ‘C; 76 points.

Ladies: 1 Donna Raggett CAC 41.49, 2 Beth Popperwell MH 46.03, 3 Julia Pearce CAC 47.02, 4 Amy Blackburn MH 47.10, 5 Nicola Gearing U 49.24, 6 Hannah Foy MH 50.51, 7 Jules Wood FRR 50.57, 8 Juliet Stewart TRC 51.20, 9 Faye Parsons U 52.05, 10 Lisa Uren CR 52.26. Age Categories: 35-44: 1 Beth Popperwell, 2 Julia Pearce, 3 Hannah Foy. 45-54: 1 Donna Raggett, 2 Jules Wood, 3 Judith Wilkes FRR 52.32. 55-64: 1 Sue Sykes U 53.00, 2 Jacqueline Rapier TRRC 63.02, 3 Jackie Pentreath FRR 74.10. 60+: 1 Jackie Cope FRR 55.07. Teams: 1 Mile High 12 points, 2 Falmouth Road Runners ‘A’ 35 points, 3 Truro Running Club 46 points, 4 Carn Runners 99 points, 5 Falmouth Road Runners ’B’ 103 points