THE inaugural Wiltshire Race League has been declared a success after Sunday’s Downton Half-Marathon brought the curtain down on the 2012 calendar.

The series, which will be sponsored by Newsquest, the parent company of the Gazette & Herald and Wiltshire Times in 2013, saw Trowbridge club Avon Valley Runners lift both the men’s and ladies’ team titles after 12 rounds.

In addition, Avon Valley’s Joby Hobbs finished as the top individual men’s points scorer, while Chippenham Harriers’ Sue Stewart-Tanner was the ladies’ top points scorer.

The series started in February at the Longleat 10K, where Chippenham Harriers took maximum points, with Avon Valley Runners doing the same for the ladies – situations that were to be reversed a few weeks later at the Devizes 10K.

Darren Wrintmore, Wiltshire Road Race secretary and Race League founder, said: “It was good to see Wiltshire clubs competing against each other on a formal basis and it was no coincidence that those clubs who adopted the Wiltshire Race League within their own club championships dominated.

“The benefits of having a race in the Wiltshire Race League were marked with most race organisations demonstrating an uplift typically of 50-100 per cent in Wiltshire Athletics Association-affiliated runners.

“(At) the Springfield 5K, Corsham Running Club found their number of entrants swell from just 20 at the equivalent race in 2011 to more than 70.”

Three of the 12 races were selected to host the county championships over their respective distances – The TBAS Castle Combe 10K, the Melksham 10 and the Cricklade Half-Marathon.

Simon Plummer, of City of Salisbury Athletic & Running Club, proved that he is the county’s class athlete, taking victories at all three events – his 69:55 at Cricklade being a new course record.

For the ladies, Ruth Barnes, of Avon Valley Runners, proved victorious at the 10K and 10-mile distances while clubmate Fiona Price claimed the county title over the half-marathon distance.

In what was a two-club race for the title between Avon Valley and Chippenham, Avon Valley’s men clinched the league title at the penultimate round – the Clock Change 10K at Calne – led home by race winner Michael Towler.

Avon Valley’s ladies found themselves needing 19 or more points at the Downton Half-Marathon to match the men and did not disappoint, providing the first four Wiltshire ladies home and taking maximum points.

Stuart Leaney, of Chippenham Harriers, won the Downton race, his winning time of 1:13:41 more than three minutes clear of second-placed Nigel Rackham of London-based Metros Running Club.

In fourth place, Ben Brewster of Salisbury A&RC was the second Wiltshire-affiliated athlete home, but it was Avon Valley men took maximum points with top scorer Hobbs leading the way for the Trowbridge-based club, supported by Thomas Coney, Richard Morgetroyd, Richard Hudson and Darren Wrintmore.

In the ladies race, Mel Varvel, of VO Two, took victory in 1:28:08 but again Avon Valley grouped well with Diane Hier, Claire Howard, Sarah Sims, Juliet Coulson and Amelia Oughtibridge securing league victory ahead of Chippenham Harriers and Salisbury A&RC.

The 2013 Wiltshire Road Race League will kick off on Sunday, February 3, with the Longleat 10K. For details, see wiltshire-athletics.org.uk.

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