Southampton has always had a strong tradition in cyclo-cross, which is enjoying something of a renaissance around the world. In Belgium, crowds of 10,000-plus pack the woodland courses to watch even the smallest events.

On Boxing Day, when most people are pondering the quantity of food they consumed the day before, the area's cyclo-cross riders were back in action in the Crabwood Cycling Club promotion.

The annual event enjoyed a course that criss-crossed the steeply-banked Southampton Sports Centre, strongly mirroring the fast course many of the riders will encounter in the upcoming national championships.

The senior event was a hard-fought affair, with Principia RT's Ian Legg and Southampton-based GA Cycles rider Phil Smith fighting tooth and nail from the gun. The two were initially joined by another GA rider, Jon Samways, but the cold he had been fighting all week took its toll in the freezing conditions and he slipped away to finish seventh.

As Legg and Smith played cat and mouse at the front, the GA Cycles team were trying to put two more riders in contention as Tony Green and Andrew MacDonald toughed out the vet's title behind.

As the race entered its final stages, Smith was clearly starting to struggle, continually asking officials how far the race had to go. With two laps left, Legg made his move and the elastic that had held the two together finally snapped.

The final push for victory saw Legg open up a 35-second advantage over the tiring Smith.

Hargroves Cycles star rider Stuart Bowers rounded out the top three, with Green taking the vets title from Macdonald. Junior category rider Phillip Gough came home in ninth place to take the first prize in his category.

The event also saw the return to cross of Paralympic multi-gold medalist Darren Kenny from Bournemouth. Kenny, pictured, was the sensation of the summer Paralympics in Athens, taking two gold medals on the track. Kenny was a regular in cross events as a schoolboy and will be using the winter discipline to prepare for the 2005 season.

Opening the day with another victory was local youngster Jon Dibben of the Chapel Tri Stars. Hamble-based Dibben is showing immense versatility week in week out as he alternates between cyclo-cross and the Calshot Track League. The talented youngster took the under-12s' race in a sprint against Charlie White of the Solent Racing Team.

Another local rider showing great consistency is Ben Plain from the Hargroves cycles-SCOTT squad. Plain took the youth event by almost two minutes from Tom Butt of the internet club i-team.co.uk.

The same venue will be the home of the A-category Southampton City Cyclo-Cross on January 2. Sponsored by the city council, the event will be a dry run of the national series event that the promoters have been awarded for the 2005-06 season.

Racing gets under way at 12.30 with the youth event, with the seniors starting at 2pm. These top class events are free to watch. Results:

Crabwood CC Cyclo Cross Southampton Sports Centre U12 - 1 Jon Dibben (Chapel Tri Stars) 11.35, 2 Chris Keeble-Smith (ST), 3 Rob Yateman (Oxonian CC) @one lap.

Youths - 1 Ben Plain (Hargroves Cycles-SCOTT-Next) 24.47, 2 Tom Butt (i-team) @1.44, 3 Lewis Charity (Sutton CC) @2.20.

Senior - 1 Ian Legg (Principia RT) ten laps 57.22, 2 Phil Smith (GA Cycles) @35sec, 3 Stuart Bowers (Hargroves Cycles-SCOTT-Next) @1.33.

Vets - 1 Tony Green (GA Cycles). Juniors - 1 Phillip Gough (Portswood Cycles RT). Women - 1 Catherine Pascoe (Primera B'mouth New Forest CC).

Boxing Day ten-mile time trial - 1 Bryce Dyer (Primera Bournemouth) 24.20, 2 Malcolm Cox (VC St Raphael Waites Contracts) 24.43, 3 Ryan James (Primera Bournemouth) 24.56. Tandem - 1 Ian Ayliffe/Danny Searle 26.13. Best fancy dress - Mary Corbett/Norman Harvey (Sotonia CC) 35.56.