THE women's race at the 14th running of the Shobdon Wood Race was another triumph for veteran runner, Croft Ambrey's Sue Davies, who romped to victory.

The Welsh international was a clear winner as she showed her younger rivals the way to deal with the demanding conditions.

She won by 40 seconds from Inkberrow’s Nadine Lewycky with an excellent and typically determined run from Croft Ambrey’s Irina Dale completing the top three. This was Dale’s last run in the sky blue vest of Croft Ambrey before heading off to Ecuador to perform a year’s voluntary work with disabled children.

It proved to be a fitting send-off as she also helped her Croft team win the women’s team prize with the support of Davies and Stephanie Main.

The race attracted a record turnout with 134 finishers completing the challenging course over a hilly and scenic course, which rewarded the runners with the splendour of striding through a magnificent patch of bluebells in full bloom on the final stretch of the race.

Heavy overnight rain had made the underfoot conditions tricky in places but the rain kindly relented for the duration of the event which was organised by Croft Ambrey Running Club.

The overall winner was won by another veteran Mike Pfeiffer, a 48-year-old Welsh masters international running for Brecon AC.

Pfeiffer improved on his second place of the previous year.

He took the lead on the course’s second long climb and never looked back as he won by a clear minute from Hereford Couriers’ Matt James with home club Croft Ambrey’s Mark Lamonby finishing third.

Brecon also took the men’s team prize.

The muddy conditions meant that times were a little slower than in some previous years, but Hereford Couriers’ Steve Herington, who has run in all 14 of the Shobdon races, bucked that trend by setting a course record for the Over 65 age group.

He has now added that to the records that he already holds in the Over 55 and Over 60 age groups.