ENGLAND international Amy Chalk clinched victory in the ladies’ race at the Castle Combe Half-Marathon as the 2014 Wiltshire Road Race League got under way on Sunday.

Bristol & West AC runner Chalk, who lives in Stanley, near Chippenham, finished in sixth place overall in 1hr 22mins 53secs to finish ahead of Kate Wilkins, of newly-promoted Devizes Running Club and Gemma Collings, of Chippenham Harriers.

West Wiltshire club Avon Valley Runners, the 2013 champions of the league sponsored by Newsquest – the parent company of the Gazette & Herald – were out in force to take maximum points ahead of ahead of Chippenham Harriers and Calne SMaRTT A.

Leading the 200-strong field to the finish at Castle Combe’s racing circuit was unattached runner David Evans in 1:17:04.

Another unattached runner, Chris Miller, was second, while Avon Valley’s Mike Rose and Joby Hobbs had a battle royal, Rose managing to stretch out an eight-second margin over Hobbs to take third overall in 1:20:37.

Gary Dunstone was the first Chippenham Harrier home in 1:21:07, taking the first male vet 40 prize.

Julie Trudgeon was the first female vet 50 in 1:45:14, a personal best.

Trudgeon said: “Castle Combe was my third half-marathon. It was by far the most challenging course I’ve raced so I was thrilled to knock more than six minutes off my previous personal best.”

In the Second Division, Calne Running Club head the table with new joiners Bybrook Valley Runners in second and Calne SMaRTT B third.

The next race in the Wiltshire Road Race League is the St George’s 10k which takes place in Corsham on Sunday, April 27.

Saturday sees the second event in the Wiltshire Junior Race League at the Swindon Park Run 5k.

Entries are open for Chippenham Harriers’ 5 Mile Road Race and Family Fun Runs on Sunday, June 8.

The popular event, organised with Chippenham Rugby Club, takes in the village of Biddestone, while the fun runs take place around the rugby club grounds.

The first male and female finishers in the main race will receive a £50 cash prize, sponsored by Norman E Webb Transport Hire and Haulage.

There are trophies for age category winners in both the main race and fun runs and all runners receive a medal.

See chippenhamharriers.co.uk for details of that and the club’s next beginners programme, which starts on Friday, May 2.

  • Road Race League tables and standings: wiltshire-athletics.org.uk.

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