The Specsavers sponsored last Trevornick 10 mile multi terrain race, round six of the Cornwall Grand Prix Series sponsored by Cornwall Glass and Glazing, went out in a blaze of glory, with 351 runners lining up in the grounds of Holywell Bay Fun Park in glorious spring sunshine.

The benign conditions were certainly welcomed by the runners, who faced ten challenging miles over the grassland of Cubert Common and undulating sections of the coastal footpath, with a series of unforgiving steep climbs to test the best.

At the sharp end of the race class shone through with the Cornwall AC pair Jordan Clay and Emma Stepto running away from their closest opposition in the men’s and ladies races.

Clay, a student at Falmouth University, was content to bide his time in the early stages, tucking in behind Jacob Dobson (Falmouth Road Runners) but when he moved into the lead after three miles, he just moved further and further ahead of his rivals, building such a commanding lead that he eventually crossed the finish line over two minutes ahead of the Falmouth runner, clocking 59.45 and joining an elite group of previous winners who have dipped under the hour on this course.

Jordan Morant, led the Hayle Men’s team home in third place, seeming to have recovered from his London Marathon exploits two weeks previously faster than most.

Cornwall AC’s Paul Whear (4th), who lives in Helston, returned to competition after dropping out of the Cardiff 10K five weeks ago due to a hamstring injury saying after the race: “I took it really carefully in the opening stages today and was pleased with the run but boy it was tough out there and very warm in the closing stages.”

Stepto’s main opposition came from some of the leading men, some of whom have been known to shadow the Cornwall AC lady and use her metronomic pace judgement to help them judge their own speed in the race.

After finishing 14th overall and winning here for the fourth time in the last seven years, she also found the going tough: “There was certainly no chance to cruise on that course. It is very demanding and an exercise in concentration. I’ve got no complaints with today and pleased with the win. Generally a good day at the office.”

Hayle’s Emma Paull, another London Marathon runner, finished 26th overall and second lady, with Jo Herd, representing the host club, Newquay Road Runners, moving through after a cautions and sensible first half of the race, passing Nicola Smith (St Austell Running Club) in the closing stages to clinch the final podium place.

Hayle Runners took the honours in both team races, beating Cornwall AC into second place in the men’s and ladies' team competitions. Hayle (78 points) were clear winners in the Ladies race finishing 48 points ahead of their local rivals with Newquay Road Runners in an isolated third position (153 points).

The men’s race was a much closer affair with Hayle Runners (85 points) gaining the narrow verdict over Cornwall AC by a slender four point margin, with the up and coming Falmouth Road Runners Men’s squad not far behind the top two clubs finishing third with 113 points. For Falmouth second placed Dobson was followed home by Tom Carthey (5th), Steven Strachan (15th), new member Kieran Murrant (20th), who has recently joined from Hayle Runners, James Barnet (23rd0 and Robin Watson (48th).

Jackie Cope (Falmouth Road Runners) was the only ladies' prize winner on the day, winning the 60-64 category. Fourth man home, Whear won the Men’s 45-49 section and there were third category awards for Falmouth’s Steven Strachan (40-440 and the Helston-based Carn runner Peter Drew in the 65-69 age group.

KEY FOR CLUBS

BRR Bodmin Road Runners, BWRC Bodmin Womens Running Club, CAC Cornwall AC, CR Carn Runners, ECH East Cornwall Harriers, EXH Exmouth Harriers, FRR Falmouth Road Runners, HR Hayle Runners, LP Looe Pioneers, LRR Launceston Road Runners, MBH Mounts Bay Harriers, MCTR Mud Crew Trail Runners, NP Newquay & Par AC, NRR Newquay Road Runners, STA St Austell Running Club, TRC Truro Running Club, U Unattached

RESULTS

Men: 1 Jordan Clay CAC 59.45, 2 Jacob Dobson FRR 1.01.51, 3 Jordan Morant HR 1.02.22, 4 Paul Whear CAC 1.02.33, 5 Tom Carthey FRR 1.02.53, 6 John McWilliams MBH 1.03.20, 7 Dan Goodway TRC 1.04.13, 8 James Kirton TRC 1.04.40, 9 Simon Williams STA 1.04.58, 10 Steve Wherry HR 1.06.43. Age Categories: Under 35: 1 Jordan Clay, 2 Jacob Dobson, 3 Jordan Morant. 35-39: 1 Rob Orton EXH 1.07.21, 2 James Turner U 1.11.09, 3 Paul Warmington HR 1.11.31. 40-44: 1 Simon Williams, 2 Simon Knowles HR 1.06.23, 3 Steve Strachan FRR 1.07.01. 45-49: 1 Paul Whears, 2 Scott Abraham HR 1.06.43, 3 Phil Montgomery-Smith STA 1.07.23. 50-54: 1 Steve Wherry, 2 Rich Savage HR 1.07.00, 3 Glynn Davis CR 1.09.08. 55-59: 1 Andy Milward CR 1.18.05, 2 Michael Wilson TRC 1.20.58, 3 Ian Crowle ECH 1.21.11. 60-64: 1 Iain Walker STA 1.17.44, 2 Jon Ford-Dunn TRC 1.28.38, 3 Peter Marquis U 1.29.19. 65-69: 1 Tom Polglase CR 1.21.46, 2 Robert Richards HR 1.23.45, 3 Peter Drew CR 1.31.27. 70-74: 1 Brian Wiles LRR 1.21.33, 2 Pat Lockett NRR 1.29.54, 3 Ian Ringer BRR 1.38.35. Teams: 1 Hayle Runners 85 points, 2 Cornwall AC 89 points, 3 Falmouth Road Runners 113 points, 4 St Austell Running Club 174 points, 5 Truro Running Club 236 points.

Ladies: 1 Emma Stepto CAC 1.06.48, 2 Emma Paull HR 1.08.58, 3 Jo Herd NRR 1.12.49, 4 Nicola Smith STA 1.13.51, 5 Melissa King NRR 1.17.21, 6 Revis Crowle ECH 1.18.45, 7 Faye Savage HR 1.18.51, 9 Jayne Angilley CAC 1.19.17, 10 Charlotte Bennett HR 1.19.28. Age Categories: Under 35: 1 Emma Paull, 2 Nicola Smith, 3 Melissa King. 35-39: 1 Kirsty Medlock HR 1.24.19, 2 Nikki Davies NRR 1.27.30, 3 Anna Pascoe MCTR 1.35.01. 40-44: 1 Jo Herd, 2 Faye Savage, 3 Charlotte Bennett. 45-49: 1 Emma Stepto, 2 Nancy Hill CAC 1.24.35, 3 Louise Littlewood ECH 1.27.55. 50-54: 1 Jayne Angilley, 2 Debbie Nugent CAC 1.23.46, 3 Sarah Myford NP 1.24.18. 55-59: 1 Revis Crowle, 2 Pam Solomon BRR 1.28.24, 3 Cheryl Broas LP 1.39.41. 60-64: 1 Jackie Cope FRR 1.35.47, 2 Ann Senior HR 1.38.12, 3 Wendy Lowe BWRC 1.46.13. 65-69: 1 Jenny Mills LRR 1.21.12, 2 Sue Taylor MBH 1.40.21, 3 Margaret Wade CR 1.56.27. Teams: 1 Hayle Runners 78 points, 2 Cornwall AC 126 points, 3 Newquay Road Runners 153 points, 4 Looe Pioneers 222 points, 5 Bodmin Road Runners 266 points.