A HOME team double win was the superb result for the local running club’s men’s and ladies’ squads contesting the annual City of Salisbury 10mile road race in unseasonably warm and sun-drenched conditions on Sunday.

Excellent performances by the quickest of Salisbury’s 40 competitors on the day saw the host club – current men’s league champions – retain their position at the league summit, and for good measure the ladies’ team strengthened their hold on second place in their league table too.

One of the region’s top road running fixtures in the 30-club Hampshire road race league, Salisbury’s flagship event attracted a record 800 entries for the loop from Five Rivers Leisure Centre along the Woodford Valley and back.

The rising temperature and a southerly headwind for the second half of the race ensured that the course record of 49.37 was never threatened, only two dozen athletes beating the hour despite hot competition among the league's leading clubs at the front.

Totton RC’s Nick Buis was the worthy winner in 54min 22sec after he opened a gap in the final miles over Denmead Striders' Julian Manning, who was second in with 54.51.

Then came Salisbury's inform Chris Southern in a sensational third place to lead the home team out with 55.11, improving his previous best by well over a minute.

Supported by Stuart Holloway 56.02, Ben Brewster 56.36, and his speedy father Mike Brewster in 58.40, the Salisbury quartet saw off a strong challenge from rivals Stubbington Green to take the win.

In the ladies' race, first place went to Emma Montiel, City of Portsmouth in 62.25, second was Erica Fogg, New Forest, 64.07, and third was Karen Rushton, Southampton AC in 64.53.

For Salisbury, close packing by Kathy Dudman with a quality 67.41, Sarah Kemp 68.28 and Sally Greenslade 70.27 earned an outstanding home win in the ladies' race even without the presence of the injured Katie West.

Other Salisbury finishers were Kevin Tilley 61.24, Tom Cummings 61.50, Aaron Wilson 63.11 and Dave West 64.10 to complete the B team.

Then came Lewis Fuller 64.19, Clive Smith 67.44, Scott Huntley 68.37, Jon Rich 69.31, David Osment 69.57pb, Mark Cole 72.17, Nick Willetts 73.28, Sarah Brewster 74.01, Katherine Bleakley 74.34, Craig Murphy 74.57, Emma Clarke 75.36pb, Richard Holt 76.47pb, John Ruskin 77.28, Christine Gorham 78.31, John Gorham 79.23, Lee Perkes 81.44, Les Campbell 82.42, Nicolas Cooke 82.40, Terry Ryalls 83.11pb, Liz Roberts 84.04, Rosie Adlard 84.32, Jeanette Hardiman 84.58, Jay Friedlander 86.25pb, Nicole Kruse 86.13, Andy Robbins 86.46, Jane Whiteley 87.22, Tamsin Kemp 94.57pb, Kathryn Dreyer 97.40 and Phil Smith 131.18.