THE opening contest in the ten-event Hampshire Road Race League starts with the Overton 5-mile this Saturday (2.30pm).

About 500 runners are expected on the start line at Overton Recreation Ground.

The 2004 League winners in both the men's and women's titles were Winchester AC with Denmead Striders and Southampton Running Club giving chase in the men's trophy.

The series extends over ten months with distances from five miles to 20 miles.

The following week (September 11) sees a change in surface for 25 local club teams who will attempt to navigate the 48 miles of the Test Way from Inkpen to Totton. Runners will follow the designated Hampshire countryside route in eight legs of differing difficulty and distance, aiming to arrive at Totton sometime after 4.30pm.

The men and women of Southampton Running retained their titles in 2003 and hope to repeat those performances.

Southern clubs head into the first major Championship of the season at Rsuhmoor Arena near Aldershot in the South of England Road Relay Championships on September 26/26.

A top 20 position for either the men (in their 6 / 6km race) or the women (in their 4 /4km race) will enable the club to go foward to the National event at Sutton Coldfield a month later.