TAUNTON AC’s Rowan Preece won the 28th annual Wellington Monument ‘Bert King Memorial’ Race on Sunday.

There was an impressive turnout of supporters and over 200 entries.

A mild, cloudy morning with the rain holding off made for good running conditions for what is one of the hilliest road races in the South-West.

Preece completed the course in an extremely impressive 33m 51s, only a minute off the course record.

He was followed by Kevin Squibb (Tiverton Harriers) and James Denne in 35m 16s and 35m 23s respectively.

Rachel Langbein, also of Taunton AC, was first woman home in 40m 23s.

She was followed by Ellie Sutcliffe of Southwest Road Runners 40m 59s and Kim Hill from Taunton AC in 41m 57s.

The race attracted runners from all over the South-West with others travelling from as far afield as Wales, the South East and the Midlands.

Taunton AC successfully defended their team shield with all four of their scoring members finishing within the top 30 overall.

Southwest Road Runners were second and Weston AC third. The 6.27mile course (just over 10k) followed the usual route, starting from the Catherine Wheel pub in the Hemyock, then climbing the gruelling 16% incline hill toward Simonsburrow before levelling out and circling the Wellington Monument and descending back along the same route.

The fastest local Hemyock man for the second year in succession was Andy Bussell in 38m 52s, with the first local woman Mary Shannon in 51m 57s.

Race sponsors included Sheppy’s Cider, Taunton School, Timpson’s, and Tony Price-Intersport.