THIRTY two mixed running teams set out from Ross-on-Wye to Chepstow on the 53km Wyedean Relay, with MonRoss Trailblazers racing home third overall in the seven-stage event as well as taking bronze in the masters class.

The route using the Offa’s Dyke and Wye Valley Walk trails headed to Kerne Bridge and onto Symonds Yat before reaching Monmouth.

Runners then raced to Gumbersland Barn, followed by Bigsweir Bridge, Brockweir Bridge and Wyndcliffe’s 365 Steps, with the finish at Chepstow Leisure Centre after a total ascent of 1,434 feet.

Rob Potter ran the first leg for Trailblazers in 46mins 05secs, followed by Grant White in 49.54, Rob Nicholls in 35.08, Gavin Jones in 52.25, Sophie Williams in 28.40, Luke Gray finishing second fastest on the sixth leg in 32.14, and Laura Lelievre finishing off in 21.11.

Parc Brynbach took the top spot in 3.49.58, followed by Niki’s Gnarlies in 4.14.49 and Trailblazers in 4.25.37.

Spirit of Monmouth’s team of Emily Harrison, Brian Evans, Emily McDonald, Richard Foster, Stephen McMenemey, Rob Nelson and Becca Foster placed seventh overall in 4.57.48.

And the 2nd team of Abi Buckley, Maixent Gaillard, Liv Farrington, Katie Adams, Alison McMenemey, Alex Wilson and Chris Baber were just two places behind in 5.22.37.

The Monross mixed veteran team also took third in their class in 13th overall in 5.42.32, with Griff Vets winning the class and Crickhowell RC second.

The team was Lucia Demkova, Andy Stephens, Richard Bevan, Chris Fletcher, Emma King, Dan Sandford and Tony Davies.

Meanwhile, evergreen Chepstow Harriers runner Niki Morgan showed younger racers the way home by finishing third overall woman and and fastest V55 in the four-race Rose Run summer series hosted by the club in Redwick.

Clubmates Paul Dodd, Stephen Owen, Neil Grant and Brenda Avery also won their series age-group categories in men’s V60, V65, V70 and women’s V70 respectively,

Racing over two laps on a four-mile course at Redwick, evergreen Morgan took the over-55 class finishing fifth fastest woman in the final 150-strong race in 25 minutes 24 seconds.

First home on the night was Harry Davies of Newport Harriers in 20.36, followed by Simeon Howson of Bristol & West AC in 20.52 and Oliver Williams of Pontypridd Roadents in 20.54.

Monmouth Tri Club’s Jason Hanson placed 13th in 22.16, with Tim Batchelor fastest Harrier in 18th in 22.40.

Harriers’ Robert Pritchard was 29th in 23.54, while club mate Tony Marshall took second in the V60 class in 24.20 and fellow Chepstow runner Stephen Owen won the V65 crown in 26.20.

Spirit’s Brian Evans finished in 28.15 ahead of club mate Robert Nelson in 29.20, while Harriers’ Brenda Avery landed the V70 women’s category in 33.26, just ahead of clubmate and V60 women’s winner Barbara Maddison in 34.02.

Chepstow’s Paul Griffiths also landed the V70 men’s class in 36.47.