THE 2007 Cornwall Grand Prix Road Race Series, sponsored by the Sandy Hill Physical Therapy Centre, began where the 2006 season left off, with yet another record entry last Sunday in the Blaythorne 10 mile race, promoted by Carn Runners of Holmans.

The traditional opening Grand Prix race of the year attracted almost 100 more runners than last year and they certainly took up all the road in the opening downhill mile towards Baripper.

The 2006 winner, Dave Buzza (Cornwall AC) was soon setting the pace alongside teammate Noel Kindon. By two miles these two held a 50 metre advantage over Pete Waumsley (Tamar Trotters), with a trio of Cornwall AC vests worn by Nathan Gosling, Matt Pullen and Jon Keast, in hot pursuit. Waumsley closed on the leaders over the next couple of miles but by the halfway mark had lost ground again, as the two leaders entered Leedstown.

Soon after leaving the village and with the blustery wind now behind them, Buzza began edging ahead of Kindon and set about building a commanding lead.

Using his vast experience to full advantage, the former marathon international runner set about distancing himself from his closest challengers, eventually crossing the line over one minute clear of Kindon, with Waumsley, running an isolated race, never being out of third position from the start.

Naval airman Gosling (4th), now back at Culdrose again, showed that he is in the form of his life, getting the better of Pullen (5th) during the second half of the race, with Keast (6th), showing the benefit of a hard winter's training, improving by three places and more significantly by almost three minutes compared to last year.

The destination of the men's team award was therefore never in doubt, as Cornwall AC successfully began the defence of their Grand Prix Men's team title, ahead of Hayle Runners and Mount's Bay Harriers, with a depleted Newquay Road Runners team finishing fourth.

Jo Friday (Cornwall AC) showed what a dominent force she is in Cornish road running these days, never being headed in the ladies' race. By the three-mile point she was already one 100 metres clear and at the finish, seven miles later, her advantage had been extended to over two minutes.

The real race was for second place, with three runners in contention. In the early stages, Anne Luke (Tamar Trotters), Sharon Coyne (Newquay Road Runners) and Kenza Rescorla (Carn Runners) were running side by side. By halfway Luke was 20 metres ahead of Coyne, with Rescorla just behind.

Around the seven mile mark, a surge from Coyne sewpt her past Luke and the experienced Newquay runner was clearly not going to give up the runner's up spot, beating the Tamar Trotter by 16 seconds, with a faster finishing Rescorla narrowly failing to catch Luke, who held on to a four second gap on the line.

The host club and 2006 Grand Prix Ladies Champions, Carn Runners, made the best possible start in the defence of their title, with convincing team win, 20 points ahead of Newquay, with Hayle Runners third. For the Carn Ladies, Rescorla was followed home by Donna Jenkin (5th), Juliet Knowles (6th) and Ceri Drew (14th).

Key for teams: AMB Ambleside, CAC Cornwall Athletic Club, CR Carn Runners, ECH East Cornwall Harriers, FRR Falmouth Road Runners, HR Hayle Runners, LRR Launceston Road Runners, MBH Mount's Bay Harriers, NRR Newquay Road Runners, TT Tamar Trotters, TRC Truro Running Club, WRN Women's Running Network RESULTS Men: 1 Dave Buzza (CAC) 53.50, 2 Noel Kindon (CAC) 54.58, 3 Pete Waumsley (TT) 55.29, 4 Nathan Gosling (CAC) 56.51, 5 Matt Pullen (CAC) 57.36, 6 Jon Keast (CAC) 58.26.

Age Categories - Under 40: 1 Noel Kindon, 2 Pete Waumsley, 3 Nathan Gosling. 40-44: 1 Dave Buzza, 2 Steve Freeman (AMB) 60.18, 3 Nigel Doyle (NRR) 62.33. 45-49: 1 John Doyle (MBH) 63.59, 2 Ben Hibber (NRR) 65.21, 3 Ian Goodreid (HR) 65.33. 50-54: 1 John Parkes (MBH) 64.09, 2 Allan Cooper (TRC) 64.53, 3 John Worth (HR) 67.19. 55-59: 1 Pat Lockett (NRR) 63.57, 2 Bob Richards (HR) 68.07, 3 Doug Alsop (FRR) 69.09. 60-64: 1 Roy Smith (NRR) 69.21, 2 Stewart Townend (HR) 72.20, 3 Ron Shapland (NRR) 76.06. 65-69: 1 Roy Willbond-Smith (CR) 78.44, 2 Alan Smith (ECH) 80.26, 3 Kevin O'Mahoney (LRR) 80.28. 70+ 1 Don Bristow (HR) 101.20. Teams: 1 Cornwall AC 31 points, 2 Hayle Runners 118 points, 3 Mount's Bay Harriers 143 points.

Ladies: 1 Jo Friday (CAC) 62.19, 2 Sharon Coyne (NRR) 64.21, 3 Anne Luke (TT) 64.37, 4 Kenza Rescorla (CR) 64.41, 5 Donna Jenjin (CR) 66.16, 6 Juliet Knowles (CR) 66.53. Age Categories - Under 35 1: Jo Friday, 2 Kenza Rescorla, 3 Juliet Knowles. 35-39 1 Donna Jenkin, 2 Stephanie Martin (NRR) 67.35, 3 Emma Stallard (CAC) 67.56. 40-44: 1 Sharon Coyne (NRR) 64.21, 2 Sharon Dawe (ECH) 67.32, 3 Sarah Herbert (LRR) 73.14. 45-49: 1 Anne Luke (TT), 2 Janet Ritchie (CR) 71.25, 3 Lisa Wotton (TRC) 75.43. 50-54: 1 Rita Hoile (ECH) 85.11, 2 Liz Easterbrook (HR) 96.47, 3 Terry Marshall (FRR) 98.13. 60+: 1 Lisa Wright (WRN) 93.53, 2 Pam Carroll (TT) 97.06, 3 Val Hawken (NRR) 110.51. Teams: 1 Carn Runners 29 points, 2 Newquay Road Runners 49 points, 3 Hayle Runners 66 points.