Winchester & District AC's women protected their lead in the Road Runners Ten team event by dominating the latest race in the New Forest.

The club claimed four of the top five places, thanks to efforts from first-placed Michaela McCallum, runner-up Rachel Townend, Katharine Jones (fourth) and reliable Bev Edwards (fifth).

Last year's women's team winners, Hardley Runners, could not take part in the event at Dibden Inclosure as it was their turn to organise and marshall.

A massive downpour of rain half-an-hour before the start turned the five-mile course into a puddle-ridden cross country type race as the competitors splashed through unexpected water hazards.

In the men's race Team Solent's Angus Maclean led the way once more with New Forest runners' Lee Rodriguez second, his teammate Chris Olden third and Team Solent's John McCole fourth. The quartet finished in exactly the same order as they did in the Manor Farm Country Park two weeks before.

Despite having no runners in the top six, Winchester managed second place in the men's team competition behind Team Solent and ahead of New Forest.

Rodriguez leads the men's overall individual table with three races to go in the series with Wessex Road Runners' Rob Bentley second.

Winchester's Bev Edwards heads the women's individual placings followed by Hardley's Jane Morgan.

The next race - open to club runners only - will be staged by Wessex and Romsey Road Runners at Worthy Down on Wednesday, July 16 (7.30pm).