DAN Rodgers (Launceston Road Runners) retained his Newquay 10K title last weekend, with Amy Sole (Cornwall AC) winning the Ladies race for the first time, writes Alan Rowling.

A cooler day marked the end of a ‘Indian Summer’ as a record field of 562 runners set off in the penultimate Grand Prix race of the year, with the leaders starting at a cracking pace from the Newquay Sports Centre on the fast first mile past the Newquay boating lake.

By the two mile marker, the die was cast as Rodgers was already well clear of his pursuers, running strongly on the long but gentle climb to the highest point on the course at three miles.

Knowing the course well, the Launceston Road Runner soon picked up the pace on the faster second half of the route, eventually crossing the line in 32.46, 36 seconds slower than his winning time last year.

Afterwards, he said: “I have to be pleased with today’s run, although I felt a little lethargic on the start line and I was anxious not to slow up over the last couple of miles, which happened last year.

"I am looking forward to the beginning of the cross country season and will be running the first Westward League race at Plymouth next Sunday, which will help me gauge my fitness level, as there will be some top runners in that race.”

Adam Thomas (Cornwall AC) settled into second place in the early stages, followed by Neil Barkell (Tavistock AC) and Colin Snook (Cornwall AC).

As expected Snook, once again showing an enviable ability to judge his race pace to perfection, began making a move around halfway, passing Barkell and then Thomas and once in second place never looked likely to be challenged. Thomas finished third with Barkell fourth.

Sole was never headed in the Ladies race, as she prepares to jet off to America in a few days, competing in Sunday’s Chicago Marathon.

“My legs have been feeling tired in training this week but I felt fine today and will now enjoy a few easy days before the marathon this weekend,” she said.

Carol Randall (Mounts Bay Harriers) had Sole in her sights for most of the way, finishing second, 40 seconds behind the Cornwall AC athlete, with one of the county’s most promising up and coming young endurance runners, steeplechaser Tess Masselink (Tavistock AC), coming home in third place, 21 seconds behind Randall.

Cornwall AC produced one of their most dominant performances of the year in the Men’s race, finishing their six scoring runners in the top 12 positions. Snook and Thomas led the way, with the Vet 45 winner Paul Whear in fifth place, the Under-20s winner 16-year-old Tom Slattery (9th), the Vet 50 winner Chris Harry (11th) and Chris Sabine, making his Cornwall AC debut, in 12th position.

Hayle Runners once again filled the runners up spot, with the host club Newquay Road Runners third, 26 points ahead of the Cornwall AC B team.

Cornwall AC duly completed another double success with victory in the Ladies competition (61 points), ahead of a determined Newquay squad (87).

Both clubs were well clear of the third team, the Camborne based club Carn Runners (202 points).

Six local athletes collected age group prizes led by two 16-year-old Helston Community College students.

Tom Slattery and Katie Hughes, who both run for Cornwall AC.

Not only did Slattery win the very competitive Under-20s competition by well over one minute, but was also ninth overall and the fourth scorer in the club’s winning Men’s ‘A’ team.

Hughes also showed real promise finishing fifth in the Ladies race, second in the Under-20s category and was the second scorer in the Cornwall AC’s winning Ladies Team.

Two of Cornwall AC’s top Men’s Veteran runners, Paul Whear (Helston) and Paul Smith (Falmouth) also had a successful day with the fifth placed Men’s finisher Whear not surprisingly winning the 45-49 section and Smith claimed second prize in the 40-44 category.

Falmouth Road Runner’s sole prize winner, Jackie Cope, continues to feature in the awards, collecting second prize in the 60-64 age group, with Cornwall AC’s Julia Pearce (Mabe) third in the 35-39 section.

KEY FOR CLUBS

BRR Bodmin Road Runners, CAC Cornwall AC, CR Carn Runners, ECH East Cornwall Harriers, FRR Falmouth Road Runners, G&G Grit & Grin, HR Hayle Runners, LP Looe Pioneers, LRR Launceston Road Runners, MBH Mounts Bay Harriers, NRR Newquay Road Runners, PH Plymouth Harriers, STA St Austell Running Club, TAV Tavistock AC, TOR Torrington AAC, TRC Truro Running Club, TT Tamer Trotters.

RESULTS

Men: 1 Dan Rodgers LRR 32.46, 2 Colin Snook CAC 33.37, 3 Adam Thomas CAC 34.07, 4 Neil Barkell TAV 34.16, 5 Paul Whear CAC 34.35, 6 Tony Wright NRR 34.51, 7 Jordan Morant HR 35.24, 8 Alex Daniels NRR 35.28, 9 Tom Slattery CAC 35.31, 10 Daniel Costello HR 35.35. Age Categories: Under 20: 1 Tom Slattery,2 Tom Luton NRR 36.43, 3 Dominic Bateman BRR 36.47. Under 35: 1 Dan Rodgers, 2 Adam Thomas, 3 Neil Barkall. 35-39: 1 Colin Snook, 2 Paul Sole CAC 37.18, 3 Carl Murphy TOR 38.53. 40-44: 1 Alex Daniels, 2 Paul Smith CAC 35.57, 3 Simon Knowles HR 36.57. 45-49: 1 Paul Whear, 2 Tony Wright, 3 Chris Sabine CAC 35.42. 50-54: 1 Chris Harry CAC 35.41, 2 Dave Angilley CAC 38.53, 3 Andrew Hickson MBH 39.01. 55-59: 1 Laurie Lee STA 40.40, 2 Barrie Cardew CR 40.48, 3 Simon Webber ECH 41.46. 60-64: 1 Malcolm Roberts STA 42.18, 2 John Gossan LP 45.50, 3 Richard Morton TT 47.45. 65-69: 1 Peter Uren MBH 44.16, 2 Ian Ringer BRR 44.17, 3 Andrew Houghton TAV 44.37. 70-74: 1 Stewart Townend HR 48.37, 2 Pete Sargent NRR 49.15, 3 John Lillis NRR 50.00. Teams: 1 Cornwall AC ‘A’ 42 points, 2 Hayle Runners 103 points, 3 Newquay Road Runners 134 points, 4 Cornwall AC ‘B’ 160 points, 5 Mounts Bay Harriers 287 points, 6 Carn Runners 308 points.

Ladies: 1 Amy Sole CAC 38.39, 2 Carol Randall MBH 39.19, 3 Tess Masselink TAV 39.51, 4 Jo Herd NRR 41.00, 5 Katie Hughes CAC 41.14, 6 Jade Palmer TRC 43.18, 7 Louise Gore NRR 43.41, 8 Revis Crowle ECH 44.05, 9 Colette Clements NRR 44.43, 10 Julia Pearce CAC 44.38. Age Categories: Under 20: 1 Tess Masselink, 2 Katie Hughes, 3 Jessica Goldberg LRR 49.02. Under 35: 1 Amy Sole, 2 Jade Palmer, 3 Laura Rogers CAC 46.42. 35-39: 1 Louise Gore, 2 Colette Clements, 3 Julia Pearce. 40.44: 1 Jo Herd, 2 Juliette Knowles CR 44.51, 3 Rachael Thomas CAC 45.14. 45-49: 1 Carol Randall, 2 Sharon Daw ECH 45.34, 3 Wietske Hitchens NRR 46.58. 50-54: 1 Revis Crowle, 2 Hanna Clitherow TRC 45.59, 3 Debbie Nugent CR 46.54. 55-59: 1 Jeanette Duncan G&G 49.03, 2 Marcia Macey PH 51.55, 3 Ann Senior HR 51.58. 60-64: 1 Diane Warren HR 51.34, 2 Jackie Cope FRR 52.24, 3 Janet Lathom LRR 56.41. 65-69: 1 Jackie Jenkin CAC 58.14, 2 Lynn Harvey NRR 61.31, 3 Carole Drew CR 65.04. 70+: 1 Val Hawken NRR 84.52. Teams: 1 Cornwall AC 61 points, 2 Newquay Road Runners 87 points, 3 Carn Runners 202 points, 4 Hayle Runners 230 points, 5 Mounts Bay Harriers 257 points, 6 Bodmin Road Runners 360 points.