CHARD Road Runners’ own event, the Chard Flyer 10k road race, was a great start to 2018.

The New Year’s Day event started out from the Cricket Club down to Stringfellow Park where 180 runners prepared for the 11am start.

With just 35 minutes elapsed, the first runners were heading into the finish with first home Philip Bridge, of Wells City Harriers, in 35m 4s.

First female home was Betty Bohane, of Truro Running Club, in 42:58.

Other results: 2nd male, Max Hazel, Bradford on Avon, 35:24; 3rd male, Wayne Loveridge, Chard Road Runners, 36:31s; 2nd female, Eleanor Wood, Axe Valley Runners, 45:27s; 3rd female, Lisa Mather, Chard, 47:55.

Full results are on the Chard Road Runners web page

Next on the CRRs' radar were two events over this weekend - the Stoke Stampede at Stoke St Gregory, and the England Athletics Southwest Cross Country Championships at Aldon Hill, Yeovil.

The Stoke Stampede is a 10k road race taken on by Adrian Male and Stevie Potter, who joined 360 other runners in sub-zero temperatures.

With the wind taking a bit of a rest coming into the finish, Potter raced home in 44:58 to finish in 56th.

Male was not far behind, finishing 70th in a time of 46:12.

Chard & Ilminster News:

SMILES: Stevie Potter and Adrian Male took on the Stoke Stampede on Sunday and finished with impressive times.

The second race of the day was the England Athletics Cross Country Championships, where some of the very fastest South West Runners competed.

Representing CRRs were Wayne Loveridge, Mike Egan and Rachel Collins, who joined a big field.

The Senior Men’s race was off first, taking in an undulating 8.5k course across the fields.

Egan kept Loveridge in his sights throughout most of the race but the latter raced away to finish in 35:09 and 59th.

Collins took on the 5.28 course, making great progress on the hilly sections to cross the line in 23:47 and a creditable 23rd out of 68 competitors.