MORE than 200 runners lined up at Truro Rugby Club for Truro Running Club’s Meet Your Max event, round nine of the Cornwall Multi Event Series, last Wednesday.

Alex Daniels (Newquay Road Runners set the early pace leading for the first couple of miles, before sixteen year old Floyd Ratcliffe (Hayle Runners), last year’s winner Tom Carthey (Falmouth Road Runners) and Truro Running Club’s Matt Snazell eased past along the riverside path to St Clement, keeping together through the woods and field paths into Malpas.

Turning for home and entering the second half of the race, the fun began, with a series of steep climbs and descents, before the long gentler climb across fields to the welcome sight of the finish line.

Who would be the stronger over the toughest section of the route?

The answer was soon apparent as the former Penryn College student Ratcliffe, showing pace judgement and tactical awareness beyond his years, moved into the lead which he was in no danger of losing, crossing the finish line 34 seconds ahead of Carthey, who in turn was well clear of the third finisher Snazell.

The early leader, Daniels, held on to fourth place for most of the way, before another promising sixteen year old, Abu Gupta (Cornwall AC), also timing his race superbly, moved ahead of the Newquay man in the closing stages, finishing in fourth place.

The first three Ladies all finished a few minutes ahead of their closest challengers, with the Great Britain Ultra Distance International Izzy Wykes (Truro Running Club) leading the way, clocking 55.19 for the tough 6.7 mile route, comfortably ahead of the Veteran’s 55-59 category winner Revis Crowle (East Cornwall Harriers). A visitor to the event, Nicky Sutton (Freedom Racing) chased Crowle all the way to the line, coming home just twenty seconds behind the East Cornwall Harrier.

Both the men’s and ladies' team races were keenly contested, with just five points separating the top two clubs in the Men’s race.

Falmouth Road Runners, with Carthey (2nd), Steven Strachen (8th) and Kieran Murrant (9th) must have fancied their chances of retaining the team trophy but superior packing from the host club, Truro Running Club, with Snazell (3rd) joined by Alex Marples (7th) , Tom Wright (11th) and Wayne Sara (14th), sealed their victory b a narrow martin. St Austell Running Club finished in third place.

The ladies' team race produced the surprise of the evening, with the up and coming Bodmin Road Runners (41 points) winning their first ever multi-terrain team title, ahead of another club from the eastern half of the county, East Cornwall Harriers (49 points) finishing ten points clear of third placed Truro Running Club.

There was a sprinkling of local winners in the age categories, led by one of Falmouth’s stalwarts, Jackie Cope who won yet another age group prize in the 60-64 section.

Falmouth Road Runners Robin Watson claimed second place in his 50-54 group and team mate Steven Strachan third in the 40-44 category.

KEY FOR CLUBS

BR Bude Rats, BRR Bodmin Road Runners, CAC Cornwall AC, CR Carn Runners, ECH East Cornwall Harriers, FR Freedom Racing, FRR Falmouth Road Runners, HR Hayle Runners, MBH Mounts Bay Harriers, MCTR Mud Crew Trail Runners, MH Mile High, NRR Newquay Road Runners, STA St Austell Running Club, TOT Totley AC TRC Truro Running Club, U Unattached.

RESULTS

Men: 1 Floyd Ratcliffe HR 45.09, 2 Tom Carthey FRR 45.43, 3 Matt Snazell TRC 46.30, 4 Abu Gupta CAC 47.05, 5 Alex Daniels NRR 47.12, 6 Simon Williams STA 47.32, 7 Alex Marples TRC 47.50, 8 Steven Strachan FRR 48.39, 9 Kieran Murrant FRR 48.53, 10 Jamie Masters STA 48.56. Age Categories: Under 35: 1 Floyd Ratcliffe, 2 Tom Carthey, 3 Matt Snazell. 35-39: 1 Alex Marples, 2 Wayne Sara TRC 50.04, 3 Aidan Jepson TRC 51.36. 40-44: 1 Alex Daniels, 2 Simon Williams, 3 Steven Strachan. 45-49: 1 Tim Adams STA 49.27, 2 Mike Dowrick CAC 50.14, 3 Gary Richards MBH 51.16. 50-54: 1 Paul Sawford CR 49.26, 2 Robin Watson FRR 53.46, 3 Paul Gwynne MCTR 57.25. 55-59: 1 Mike Penberthy HR 57.55, 2 Ian Crowle ECH 58.54, 3 Ian Leedham NRR 1.00.28. 60-64: 1 Peter Allen NRR 1.00.12, 2 Nigel Knuckey TRC 1.05.26. 65-69: 1 Chris Bradish U 1.07.28, 2 Barry Drew CR 1.10.41. 70+: 1 Pete Sargent NRR 1.06.36. Teams: 1 Truro Running Club 35 points, 2 Falmouth Road Runners 40 points, 3 St Austell Running Club 77 points.

Ladies: 1 Izzy Wykes TRC 55.19, 2 Revis Crowle ECH 56.42, 3 Nikky Sutton FR 57.02, 4 Gail Hartill BRR 1.00.01, 5 Nancy Sheppard U 1.00.32, 6 Hayley Stacey ECG 1.01.13, 7 Sarah Newing U 1.01.20, 8 Jennifer Gay TRC 1.01.41, 9 Karen Bolt BR 1.02.37, 10 Vicki Sparkes BRR 1.02.48. Age Categories: Under 35: 1 Jennifer Gay, 2 Vicki Sparkes, 3 Amy Blackburn MH 1.02.51. 35-39: 1 Izzy Wykes, 2 Hayley Stacey, 3 Sarah Newing. 40-44: 1 Nicky Sutton, 2 Gale Hartill, 3 Nancy Sheppard. 45-49: 1 Lisa Talling NRR 1.03.54, 2 Louise Littlewood ECH 1.04.26, 3 Helen Thomas CR 1.04.46. 50-54: 1 Karen Bolt, 2 Jackie Brydon BRR 1.03.49, 3 Liz Trebilcock TRC 1.04.01. 55-59: 1 Revis Crowle, 2 Pam Solomon BRR 1.03.31, 3 Carol Penberthy CR 1.08.45. 60-64: 1 Jackie Cope FRR 1.11.51. 65-69: 1 Yvonne Twelvetree TOT 1.06.52. Teams: 1 Bodmin Road Runners 41 points, 2 East Cornwall Harriers 49 points, 3 Truro Running Club 59 points.