WINTER cross-country league winner Eliot Taylor looks a hot favourite to make it a double by adding the 2013 Herefordshire Summer Off Road title.

The Hereford Couriers runner romped to success by 36 seconds in the opening round hosted by Wye Valley Runners at Aconbury.

The home club’s reigning champion Luke Mason set the early pace with Taylor and Croft Ambrey youngster Andrew Davies in close pursuit.

But Mason tired on the series of long ascents and Taylor took firm control, extending his lead to win comfortably.

Builth RC’s Mike Pfeiffer worked his way through the field to take second place with Wye Valley’s consistent John Pullen in third.

Summer league teams are composed of three men and one woman and it is often the leading female runners who are the most influential factor.

The women’s race developed into an exciting battle as three runners contested the lead.

Wye Valley’s rapidly improving Becci Davies was first to show while Croft Ambrey’s Welsh masters international Sue Davies took the lead just before the summit of Aconbury Hill and Hereford Triathlon Club’s Faith Addison, running her first league race, also joined the battle for supremacy as she briefly forged ahead.

Sue Davies made her experience count, finishing 36th overall and first woman while Becci Davies finished just 13 seconds adrift in 41st position, with Addison a further 10 seconds back in 43rd place.

Wye Valley Runners take an early 11-point lead over Croft Ambrey with Becci Davies’ efforts supporting Pullen’s third place, Mason fourth and Mike Fawcett eighth.

Sue Davies was backed for Croft by Andrew Davies in an excellent seventh place, Mark Lamonby ninth and Glyn Williams 15th.

Hereford Couriers finished third thanks to Taylor’s victory helped by Matt James in fifth, Luke James, sixth, and the returning Alison Cooke 84th.

The second in the four-race series is at Kinnersley on next Wednesday (June 26) at 7.15pm.

Sue Davies was first woman home.

Herefordshire Summer Off Road League - Aconbury Results: 1 Eliot Taylor (Hereford Couriers) 31.49, 2 Mike Pfeiffer (Buith and District RC) 32.25, 3 John Pullen (Wye Valley Runners) 32.44, 4 Luke Mason (WVR) 33, 5 Matt James (HC) 33.18, 6 Luke James (HC) 33.36, 7 Andrew Davies (Croft Ambrey RC) 33.38, 8 Mike Fawcett (WVR) 34, 9 Mark Lamonby (CA) 34.12, 10 Andrew Stephens (Monross Trailblazers) 34.58, 11 Stuart Moore (WVR) 35.01, 12 Russell James (HC) 35.14, 13 Richie Bamford (HC) 35.22, 14 Jeremy Jehan (WVR) 35.50, 15 Glyn Williams (CA) 36.01, 16 Rob Jones (CA) 36.24, 17 Gavin Wright (CA) 36.31, 18 Mike Link (HC) 36.48, 19 Richard Bevan (MT) 36.56, 20 Dave Williams (HC) 37, 21 Martin Carter Hay Hotfooters 37.13, 22 Steven Flowers (WVR) 37.13, 23 Dave White (Hereford Triathlon Club) 37.32, 24 James Runchman (HTC) 37.34, 25 Phil Thomas (MT) 37.40, 26 Chris Payne (HTC) 37.44, 27 Vincent Playdon Hay (Hotfooters) 37.48, 28 Martin Williams (CA) 37.49, 29 Geoff Kay (HC) 38.13, 30 Ben Rees (CA) 38.16.

Team Placings: 1 Wye Valley Runners 56 pts, 2 Croft Ambrey 67, 3 Hereford Couriers 96, 4 Wye Valley Runners ‘B’ 100, 5 Hereford Triathlon Club 116, 6 Croft Ambrey ‘B’ 117, 7 Monross Trailblazers 157, 8 Wye Valley Runners ‘C’ 168, 9 Hay Hotfooters 190, 10 Croft Ambrey ‘C’ 201, 11 Wye Valley Runners ‘D’ 201, 12 Wye Valley Runners ‘E’ 230, 13 Builth and District 244, 14 Presteigne Pacers 253, 15 Ludlow Runners 254.