ENTRIES for January’s Minehead seafront races were again good.

Minehead Middle School youngster Joseph Wright celebrated the new year in style by clocking the fastest time of the season in the Under 10s’ race run over 0.8miles.

Jake Thomas, who chased Joseph to the line last month, was missing from the line-up, but Finley Priddle filled the gap and was only a few metres behind Wright at the line.

While Minehead Middle swept the board in the boys’ race it was Danesfield who shone in the girls’, with Eleanor Pring and Orlana Sinclair-Short coming in first and second.

In the Under 12s’ 1.6 mile race, Tiverton’s Charlie White was the boy to beat and Louie Liddle did just that, leading the field home in 12 minutes flat.

Danesfield’s Tabitha Pye was back to winning form and recorded an impressive time in the girls’ race.

There was no contest in the Under 14s’ boys’ race, with Tiverton’s Lee Dart taking the flag again, while Minehead Middle’s Lucy Crossman was just as impressive for the girls, although her winning time was slower than usual.

A crowded field for the seniors’ three-mile race was soon stretched by the season’s fastest man Oliver Berry who, although still not back to his top form, found his 16.02 time enough for victory.

Left with no one around him to latch on to, second-placed Christian Hewitt was able to ease off the pace as the line approached.

Most times were subdued, although a spirited final 200 metres by Minehead’s Russell Cowling and Matthew Bowden made for a tight finish as they both closed down on third-placed Keith Paul.

Laura Parker, first senior lady to finish, made it look easy as her time of 19.13 - close to the season’s best - gave her a 400-metre lead at the tape.

An off-form Jo Taphouse, although second, had no answer, and it was left to her Minehead clubmate Janet Hewlett, back on form after a disappointing December time, to lead the club’s lady veterans home.

There are just two races left in the series – run on the first Wednesday of February and March – and all new runners and joggers are welcome. Visit Minehead Running Club’s website for more details.

RESULTS

Under 10s: Boys, 1 Joseph Wright (Minehead Middle) 5.05, 2 Finley Priddle (Minehead Middle) 5.12, 3 Reuben Walter (Minehead Middle) 5.42; girls, 1 Eleanor Pring (Danesfield) 5.53, 2 Orlana Sinclair-Short (Danesfield) 6.02, 3 Courtney Wright (Knight’s Templar) 6.15.

Under 12s: Boys, 1 Louie Liddle (Brymore) 12.00, 2 Charlie Liddle (Danesfield) 12.32, 3 Charlie White (Tiverton High) 16.17; girls,1 Tabitha Pye (Minehead Middle) 13.55, 2 Pink Richards (Minehead Middle) 19.47, 3 Isabella Hole (Dunster) 19.48.

Under 14s: Boys,1 Lee Dart (Tiverton High) 10.30; girls, 1 Lucy Crossman (Minehead Middle) 11.57, 2 Sinead Wright (Danesfield) 13.13, 3 Elizabeth Towells (Haygrove) 13.36.

Ladies: Seniors, 1 L Parker 19.13, 2 J Taphouse 21.06, 3 H Bryant 23.21; female over 45, 1 C Hewitt 21.26, 2 J Hewlett 21.53, 3 J Batten 22.35; female over 55, 1 M Butcher 23.22, 2 E Pascall 24.30, 3 L Crossman 26.02.

Under 17s: 1 T Davies 21.47.

Men: Seniors, 1 O Berry 16.02, 2 C Hewitt 16.36, 3 M Bowden 17.53; male over 40, 1 R Cowling 17.51, 2 A Grainger 21.02, 3 I Hutchings; male over 50, 1 K Paul 17.29, 2 A Virgin 19.38, 3 P Rigler 19.40; male over 60, 1 N Pettit 21.10, 2 C Goulty 21.39, 3 C Pascall.