SIMON Nott may have lost his unbeaten 10k record in the Grittleton race but his performance in finishing second proved that the Calne Running Club athlete is getting back to his best form, writes KEVIN FAHEY.

The 23-year-old moved to the top of the Wiltshire rankings after clocking 32mins 09secs in a humdinger of a race on Sunday with Bristol & West AC’s former teenage star Luke Evans.

Nott had been hoping for a hat-trick of 10k wins this year after successes in the Yeovil Easter Bunny and Corsham events – where he was crowned county champion – but there was no need to reproach himself after clocking a season’s best time.

“It was a really good race between the two of us and we were neck-and-neck the whole way,” said Nott.

“Luke looked very powerful and because I had not run the race before and wasn’t sure what to expect out on the course I thought I would wait until the final half a mile to have a go at getting away.

“But we matched each other until the last 200 metres when he out-sprinted me to the finish line. It was a cracking race though.”

Evans, who as a teenager once out-sprinted Mo Farah in a cross country race, opened a winning gap of four seconds with that decisive burst to clock a personal best of 32:04 to go 15th in the South West rankings.

“I can vouch that Luke can sprint a bit,” added Nott.

“But I have to be happy with that as my times are steadily coming down. I have entered the Swindon 10k on November 20 and if the conditions are good then I will be looking to run below 32 minutes.

“But if I don’t do it this year I will do it next and the Gritteton race is definitely a step in the right direction. I have to say it was a good event, very well organised and a quick course.”

Wife Denise Nott also enjoyed her first experience of the Grittleton event, which was launched last year and saw a big leap in finishers from 253 to 360, as she finished fifth overall and top veteran over 40.

But the honour of finishing top county woman went to Chippenham Harriers’ newcomer Eilidh Bell with the 26-year-old clocking a fine time of 39mins 20secs in third, just one second outside the PB she ran in the Cardiff 10k the previous month.

Bell is in her first full season with the club and is making terrific progress having launched her 10k career with 41:44 in the Devizes event just seven months ago. She is one to watch for the future.

Men: 1 Luke Evans (B&W) 32:05; 2 Simon Nott (Calne Running Club) 32:09; 3 Andy Cannel (U/A) 35:05; 4 Michael Milstead (SMART) 35:38; 5 Mike Rose (AVR) 35:42; 6 Ciara Cooper (Swin, U20) 35:57; 7 Ciaran McQuade (B&W) 36:26; 8 Simon Gilbert (Devizes) 36:28; 9 Andrew Duncan (Chipp) 36:39; 10 Alex Harris (Devizes) 37:04.

M40: 1 David Warren (AVR) 37:40.

Women: 1 Hannah Alderson (U/A) 37:17; 2 Erica Fogg (New Forest, 35) 37:29; 3 Eilidh Bell (Chippenham) 39:20; 4 Alexandra Cutts (SWRR, W35) 39:44; 4 Dense Nott (CRC, W40) 40:01.