SOUTHAMPTON Running Club sent a small band of athletes across The Solent to compete in the Isle of Wight's two-day Easter running festival.

On Saturday Ryde Harriers hosted a seven-mile race from Newport to Ryde and Southampton wound up second team behind Halesowen AC thanks to Steve Haggerty (5th, 43min 9sec), Alan Doney (7th, 44.01) and Ian Joliffe (37th, 55.09).

Two days later the circuit returned to the Three Hills Race over Freshwater and Tennyson Downs, covering an eight-mile multi-terrain course of extreme severity.

Southampton's Eric Parker was fifth in 50min 52 sec, ahead of clubmates Ryan McGovern (8th, 51.22) and Malcolm Price (43rd, 63.46).

This Sunday all eyes turn to the Totton 10k Road Race which doubles as round eight of the Hampshire Road Race League.

Meanwhile, SRC's men will be tackling the best in the south at the 12-Stage Road Relays at Milton Keynes. They will have to finish in the top 20 of 70 teams to qualify for the National Road Relays three weeks later at Sutton Coldfield.