THE annual Overton five-mile road race produced a local winner on Saturday in tem-peratures in the high 20s.

The two-lap course has produced some quick times over the event's 15-year history. This year the field of quality athletes from all over the South and from Basingstoke's twin towns in Germany, Belgium and the Czech Republic was one of the largest ever assembled in Overton.

More than 400 runners lined up in the race, which doubled as the first leg of a new Hampshire Road Race League season.

Basingstoke's Phil Tulba set the pace throughout, comfortably winning in 25min 7sec. Carl Morris, from Wells City Harriers, was runner-up, 41 seconds behind, and Phil Killingly, from Winchester, was third.

The team prizes went, in order, to Aldershot, Farnham and District, Basingstoke and Mid-Hants and Winchester.

The women's race was won by Shona Crombie-Hicks from Bourton-on-the-Water in 29:46, with Kaye Harwood from Southampton second and Overton's Wales international Cath Wheeler third.

Winchester won the women's team event.

Basingstoke-based international duathlete Ian Ford was the first Overton Harrier to finish in 27:39, followed by 15-year-old Josh Bliss (28:37), who just out-sprinted his dad Mike Bliss, by four seconds.

Other club times: Darren Cuff 31:9, Martin Crawshaw 31:55, Andy Hartley 32:58, Richard Francis in 34:31, Dave Titcomb 34:43, Eric Tilbury 34:56, Mark Dellaferra 36:40, Steve McNair 39:0 and Rod Sayers 46:15.

Liz Sandal-Ball was second counter in the Harriers women's team in 41:18, Moira West finished in 41:49 and Elaine Smith in 42:18.

In the one-lap fun, Owen Wylie, from Stubbington Green, was the clear junior winner, in 15:15, and Hannah Vosser, from Winchester, was the first junior girl in 17:24.

Natasha Millar was the first junior Overton Harrier home in 23:47, followed by Jade O'Brien in 26:58.