HEREFORDSHIRE Summer League champions Eliot Taylor and Nicky Childs carried on their fine form when the 2014/15 Herefordshire Cross Country season kicked off with a trip across the Welsh border to the scenic venue of Fforest Fields near Builth Wells.

Hereford Courier Taylor and Wye Valley Runner Nicky Childs took individual honours and enjoyed the added bonus of leading their respective teams to emphatic victories.

Over a challenging single lap of testing woodland hilly tracks and fields, it was Taylor, accompanied by his Couriers’ team mate Matt James and home club Builth’s Tim Iveson who soon broke away at the head of the field.

At about the two-mile stage, Taylor decided to test his opponents as they started to ascend the long steep climb through the woods and soon opened a decisive gap to establish a commanding lead.

He gradually expanded this advantage to repeat his success at the corresponding race last season and win by almost a minute.

Taylor is mostly concentrating on triathlons these days and has just completed a highly successful season, but he again illustrated that he is still running smoothly and strongly.

Iveson hung on for second place with James completing the top three.

The top two Couriers were well backed by youngster Dima Fircks with a promising fifth place and the evergreen Richard Hughes in eighth to register a resounding early season triumph as they strive to defend their league title.

The improving Monross Trailblazers recorded their best ever league performance with an impressive second place thanks to forceful runs from Andrew Stephens in fourth place, Luke James ninth, Richard Bevan 15th and Barry Davies 16th.

There was a closely contested battle for the third team place with just two points separating the next four teams and it was Croft Ambrey who just prevailed due to the determined efforts of Sam Mayglothling in 12th place, Dave George 13th, Glyn Williams 21st and Greg Davies, in his first cross country race, 24th.

The women also ran over the same tough course and it was the 52-year-old Nicky Childs who demonstrated her all-round abilities with an authoritative victory to follow her second place in the Hereford Marathon.

She made a conservative start before progressively working through the field to win by over a minute from her Wye Valley team mate Becky Davies, who is starting to recapture her best form.

Builth’s Emma Matthews gave the home supporters something else to cheer with a fine third place.

Thanks to the top two and a solid run from the returning Alex Champ in seventh place, Wye Valley were comfortable winners in the women’s team race.

Reigning champions Croft Ambrey took a hard-earned second place with last season’s race winner Sue Davies sixth, well supported by Jo Marriott in 10th and Steph Main 11th.

Wye Valley displayed their strength in depth by taking third place thanks to Becki Ansfield in eighth place followed by Emily Davies and Charlie Long in 15th and 16th respectively.

The second in the five-race series will be held at the historic venue of Croft Castle on Sunday, November 9. This will be the 30th race over this traditional course over exactly the same woodland route.