HORDES of runners from across the south descended onto the running track at Fivers Rivers Leisure Centre for the city’s premier 10-mile event.

A massed full field of 800 runners appeared at the start line for City of Salisbury’s road race in cool, cloudy conditions with a slight breeze on Sunday.

Fine runners from all the main contender clubs for the titles in both the men’s and ladies’ league series were among the leaders from the early miles.

Stubbington Green’s Daniel O’Boyle set the tone, accelerating round the city’s picturesque course in a super-fast 52mins and 21secs.

He was almost a minute quicker than runner-up Nick Buis, of Totton, steering home in 53.09 ahead of bronze-placed Tommy Davies in 54.16 and Julian Manning back in fourth 54.47.

Stuart Holloway was Salisbury’s fastest athlete on the day as he secured a gritty seventh place 55.24, closely followed by Chris Southern 56.32 in 11th place, Mike Brewster 58.17 and Rithy Hy at 63.42 to complete the hosts’ A team, which formed a plucky fightback as they redeemed some of their league credentials in one of the region’s top fixtures.

Among the women, Winchester’s Carmen Sanchez Toribio registered a time of 62.24 to win the event, with her team being closely followed at the front by Portsmouth’s Victory AC and New Forest.

Nicky Yevko, Grace Mortlock and Fiona Pengelly closely grouped to form a splendid Salisbury trio in defence.

The ladies’ team of three was led out by Yevko with a good 68.52 and she was supported by sparkling runs from Mortlock in 69.06 and Pengelly 71.56 pb, giving the prospect of considerable improvement in the season-long league standings.

No fewer than five more personal bests featured among the remaining Salisbury performances:

Steve Auton 64.55, Kevin Daniels 65.24 pb, Jon Rich 66.37, Andy Budgell 68.44, Mike White 68.54 pb, David Osment 70.56, Katherine Bleakley 72.26, Nick Cooke 72.38 pb, Ruth Thom 72.44, Sally Greenslade 73.21, Laura Buchanan 74.22 pb, Christopher Burton 75.45, Nick Hudson 77.07, Adam Bradburn 78.08 pb, Craig Murphy 78.09, Katie Clements 80.43, Chrissie Gorham 81.12, Leslie Campbell 82.45, Jane Whiteley 87.15, Helen Stacey 87.29, Jeanette Hardiman 90.21 and Kathryn Dreyer 98.12.

See this week's Journal for all the results - page 100.

IN the inter counties cross country championships at Birmingham, running for Wiltshire were Abi Burn with a well-deserved 39th in the under 13s, followed by Rose Warren 211th and Louise Webb 220th.

Josh Shuter was 73rd and Maisie Grant 234th in the under 15s, Jay Domoney 120th in the under 17s, Hermione Seymour 49th and Emma Clarke 135th in the under 20s, Sarah Warren 254th in the senior ladies’ and Ben Brewster 164th in the senior men’s race after placing an excellent second in the police national championships not long before.