Local knowledge proved to be invaluable in last Sunday’s City of Truro Half Marathon, round thirteen of the Cornwall Grand Prix Series sponsored by Cornwall Glass and Glazing, with two local residents, Annabel Gummow, and Tony Dunn leading the runners home in their respective Ladies and Men’s races.

With many of the county’s Grand Prix races failing to attract quite as many runners this year, the Truro race certainly bucked the trend, with five hundred and seventy one finishing, compared to a mere four hundred and thirty seven in 2009. Perhaps the newly designed less hilly, although still challenging course, tempted many to test the new route for themselves.

What a debut for Annabel on the Cornish road running scene, not only winning by almost the proverbial country mile but frightening the life out of all but four of the male runners, although fourth placed Pete Ellis (Hayle Runners) would perhapsvhave been the most surprised of all, with the British Junior Cross Country International just four seconds ahead of the Hayle Runner, as she crossed the line in fifth place overall.

Another quality visiting runner to the county and to the race, Nicola Squires (Hammamshire Harriers) found herself in a very isolated second place in the Ladies race, five munutes adrift of Annabel and five minujtes ahead of the Cornish challenge, led by last year’s winner Suzy Bosustow (Cornwall Athletic Club), who certainly had her work cut out to hold off the challenge of team mate Kathryn Burgess, who crossed the line just nine seconds behind Suzy.

The Men’s race was a personal triumph for the Royal Navy’s Lieutenant Commander Tony Dunn (Cornwall Athletic Club),whose only serious opposition came from training partner and teammate Noel Kindon. Dunn, Kindon, Ellis and Nick Howard (Sky Runners) soon emerged at the front of the massive field and went through the opening mile together. Howard and Kindon were the first to drop off the pace along the flat Newham trail, with Dunn being closely tracked by Ellis but as the two leaders approached Kea School Kindon was back in touch. On the tough hill up to Playing Place Dunn and Ellis stole a few yards on the tiring Kindon, who has had a tough week of around 100 miles, as he, like Dunn, prepares for an October marathon. By the time the leaders reached mile five, Ellis had fallen away leaving Dunn clear of the field. Mile six saw Kindon get his second wind, catching Dunn and again going clear. By seven miles Kindon had slowed with a stitch and by the eight mile point, Dunn had again pulled clear. On the tough Harris Hill, Dunn opened up a gap, trying to take advantage of Kindon’s high mileage week and then focused on relaxing on the downhill stretch past Kea School and back onto the Newham trail. Following one of his regular training routes, the Cornwall Grand Prix Veteran’s 45-49 2010 champion battled on, finishing twenty four seconds clear of Kindon. St Austell Running Club’s Dan Alsop, showing a return to form after a summer injury, came home in third place.

The Ladies team prize was deservedly won by a quartet of Ladies of Mounts Bay Harriers, who packed well, scoring nineteen points, with the Penwith rivals Hayle Runners, fourteen points behind in second, ahead of Cornwall Athletic Club.

Cornwall Athletic Club had better fortunes in the Men’s competition, winning comfortably, compiling a low score of forty two points, well clear of St Austell Running Club (128 points) and Newquay Road Runners (188 points).

Results were as follows - men: 1 Tony Dunn CAC 1.13.50, 2 Noel Kindon CAC 1.14.14, 3 Dan Alsop STA 1.17.01, 4 Pete Ellis HR 1.17.56, 5 Nick Howard SR 1.18.27, 6 Adrian Ball CAC 1.20.15, 7 Steve Wherry CAC 1.20.44, 8 Saul Rodgers U 1.20.47, 9 Justin Thomas CAC 1.21.02, 10 Richard Dalton FRR 1.21.08. Age Categories: Under 40: 1 Noel Kindon, 2 Dan Alsop, 3 Pete Ellis. 40-44: 1 Adrian Ball, 2 Rich Savage MBH 1.24.49, 3 Paul Sawaford CR 1.27.09. 45-49: 1 Tony Dunn, 2 Steve Wherry, 3 Duncan Oakes STA 1.21.37. 50-54: 1 Chris Hodge CR 1.24.35, 2 Donald MacLaren 1.26.57, 3 Peter Daniel SWRR 1.35.06. 55-59: 1 Malcolm Roberts 1.27.35, 2 Neville Witham CAC 1.29.26, 3 Phil Bayliss AVR 1.33.42. 60-64: 1 Jon Bateman RRC 1.29.57, 2 Doug Alsop STA 1.31.26, 3 Brian Wiles LRR 1.38.59. 65-69: 1 Stewart Townend HR 1.42.18, 2 Pete Sargent 1.46.06, 3 Ron Shapland NRR 1.47.09. 70+: 1 Tony Berry TVM 1.37.31, 2 Norris Kington CAC 1.50.41, 3 Howard Haynes 2.17.18. Teams: 1 Cornwall Athletic Club 42 points, 2 St Austell Running Club 128 points, 3 Newquay Road Runners 188 points, 4 Hayle Runners 283 points, 5 Tamar Trotters 288 points.

Ladies: 1 Annabel Gummow B&W 1.18.00, 2 Nicola Squires HH 1.22.53, 3 Suzy Bosustow CAC 1.28.19, 4 Kathryn Burgess CAC 1.28.28, 5 Diane Roy ECH 1.30.31, 6 Paula Telford HR 1.30.33, 7 Mhiari Saville MBH 1.31.08, 8 Sarah Jarvis U 1.31.31, 9 Rachel Tresidder MBH 1.31.37, 10 Nicola Fenyn U 1.34.05. Age Categories: Under 35: 1 Annabel Gummow, 2 Nicola Squires, 3 Kathryn Burgess. 35-39: 1 Suzy Bosustow, 2 Sally Pheasant U 1.34.34, 3 Jo Bedler BID 1.39.01. 40-44: 1 Nancy Hill 1.38.31, 2 Karen Harrison 1.42.09, 3 Carol Randall MBH 1.42.25. 45-49: 1 Diane Roy, 2 Helen Mitchell U 1.37.58, 3 Norma Coward NRR 1.43.42. 50-54: 1 Jane Bremner TT 1.42.22, 2 Joy Hooper U 1.55.15, 3 Carole Wilkinson L&M 1.56.57. 55-59: 1 Amanda Erith ECH 1.56.37, 2 Jill Curtis CAC 2.02.58, 3 Sue Burgess LRR 2.05.48. 60-64: 1 Susan Mellis STA 2.07.41, 2 Terry Marshall FRR 2.12.42, 3 Valerie Brennan HR 2.28.22. Teams: 1 Mounts Bay Harriers 49 points, 2 Hayle Runners 63 points , 3 Cornwall AC 72 points, 4 St Austell Running Club 131, 5 Newquay Road Runners 169 points.