NOT only was Haslemere Borders first of 23 running clubs past the post on Sunday, it also won the Southern Cross-Country League Series.

The final race in a series of six, which ran from October to March and attracted around 300 competitors for each multi-terrain challenge, was hosted by Haslemere Borders Athletics Club (HBAC), which is now celebrating being league winner for the first time.

Haslemere Deputy Mayor Malcolm Carter presented the champion’s cup to Haslemere Border’s cross-country captains Amy Smith, Sofia Shearring and race director Andy Wareham to loud cheers from club members and supporters.

Cub chairman Bob Monteath said: “We won the race, we won the league, who could ask for anything more. It has taken me 33 in years in the club to see this. I hope I don’t have to wait the same again.”

The runners had kicked off in Polecat Valley next to the Royal School and raced round the Devil’s Punch Bowl, while club members baked cakes, marshalled the course, recorded scores and directed the parking.

The first challenge for competitors was the narrow steady climb up to Gibbet Hill, which saw the pack separate with the front runners driving the pace.

Next came a stretch of road race along the Gibbet Hill track, followed by a downhill descent and river crossing.

Then it was a steep climb up to the final mile back for the tea and cake waiting at the Royal School.

In the men’s race and scoring for HBAC were: Dave Taylor (3rd), Tom Mendum (4th), Luke Shearring (10th), Harry Wood (21st) and Dan Allaway (26th), plus Chris Shipley (36th), Chris Lee (49th), John Fairs (51st), Graham McDougall (68th), John Raynor (70th), Rob Unwin (76th), Dave Rutter (103rd), Alastair Doyle (110th), Jonathan Barker (118th), Tom Bampton (142nd) and Steve Currie (143rd), which gave the men’s team second place.

In the women’s race and scoring for HBAC were: Katy Ward (3rd), Donna Read (6th) and Sofia Shearring (10th), plus Issy Peters (12th), Amy Smith (19th), Philomel Pike (30th), Steph Moss (61st), Becca Weighall (64th), Jenny Arthur (68th), Sarah Bergquist (73rd) and Kate Elmer (105th), which gave the ladies team first place with combined results giving HBAC first place overall.