Treble success for Moorlanders

STAFFORDSHIRE Moorlands Athletics Club runners blazed a winning trail.

The Trentham 10 and Ashbourne Highland Gathering hill race titles were all claimed by SMAC athletes – with Moorlanders doing the double in the Ashbourne run.

And Andy Wilton narrowly failed to make it four wins for SMAC after losing out by one second in the Buxton 5.

Matt Clowes clinched the Trentham 10K after seeing off the challenge of GB stars Chris Davies and Ben Gamble.

Clowes, who finished 13th a day earlier in the 5k event at the England Athletics Senior Outdoor Championships, had opened up a lead of 150 metres by the five-mile mark.

The Moorlands runner then pushed on to claim victory in 51.40. Davies was second in 53.25.

Sunday's race win capped an impressive few weeks for Clowes, who represented England in a Home Counties International at Blackburn earlier this month and ran a personal best of 14.28 to finish 11th in a quality field.

Kerry Marchant and Jason Burgess ensured a SMAC men and women's double in the Ashbourne Highland Gathering hill race.

Marchant, who has been plagued by a niggling Achilles tendon injury, said: "I do not feel I am back at my best yet and still managed to get a win so I am very happy with the result."

Wilton, who is now approaching 50, looked on course to claim another Buxton 5 title before losing out in a last-gasp finish. Team-mate Kyle Fowler took the race on from the gun before being forced to bow out after 3.5 miles.

Fowler's retirement left Wilton and Stockport Harriers' runner Malcolm Johnson to fight out the win.

As the leaders climbed to the finish Wilton looked to have the race sewn up.

But Johnson fought back and took the win by the narrowest of margins in 28.15. SMAC's William Neil was fourth with Gareth Briggs eighth.