RUNNING: Harriers lift off in Race League
3:30pm Thursday 9th February 2012 in Sport
CHIPPENHAM Harriers lead the way after the inaugural Wiltshire Race League event.
Eight-hundred runners braved the cold to take part in the Longleat 10K organised by 2:09 Events.
The race marked the start of the new team-based league competition which consists of 12 races across the county, over a range of distances, from five kilometres to half-marathons.
Will Christofi of Bristol & West AC and Michael Towler of Avon Valley Runners made the early running and by halfway had a significant lead over the rest of the field. However by the seven kilometre mark, the Bristol & West athlete had started to pull away and came home to win in a time of 35:18 with Towler over 30 seconds adrift but gaining the top-score for his club as the first Wiltshire affiliated runner to finish.
However it was Chippenham Harriers who grouped well to take the team victory and now head the Wiltshire Race League by one point from Avon Valley Runners.
In the ladies race Sian Thomas of Ciltern Harriers was the first back, just ahead of Joanna Thompson of Team Bath AC who scored full marks for her club. Avon Valley Runners are making the early running in the team standings just ahead of Salisbury A&RC.
The next event in the Wiltshire Race League is the Devizes 10K which takes place on March 4.
