Royal Navy cross-country runners enjoyed excellent conditions at the annual championships, with West Country athletes taking the honours.

On a relatively dry and firm course, Royal Marine Bandsman Cpl Tim Watson (CTCRM) started as strong favourite, having clocked some good times in the build-up to the race, and with an illness that had dogged his running for the past two years now seemingly firmly behind him.

His closest rival appeared to be fellow Royal Mne Wayne Dashper (HQRM), who was in no mood to let Tim have an easy ride, and was looking strong as he built up to his debut marathon.

Wayne forced the pace in the early stages, with Tim happy to tuck in and wait for his opportunity as the pair soon opened a gap on their rivals.

Mne Pete Belcher (Edinburgh Careers), POPT Sean Childs (BRNC), Mne Brian Cole (Stoke Careers) and WO Steve Payne (RM Bickleigh) were all in with a shout of third place.

When Tim made his bid for the lead he quickly left Wayne trailing in his wake, and they ran on to claim the top two spots.

The real battle developed for the bronze medal, as Pete Belcher and Sean Childs swapped places at the head of the chasing pack. They saw off the challenges of Brian Cole then Steve Payne before Sean made his move on the Fire School hill, gaining a decisive advantage that saw him home in third place ahead of Pete.

Steve Payne took fifth, as well as the veterans’ title, and Brian Cole held on for sixth.

As expected the Royal Marines took the men’s team event comfortably, though they were surprisingly pipped into second place by one point for the veterans title by Portsmouth Command’s team of Lt Graeme Riley (HMS Sultan), who was 7th, Lt Cdr Ginge Gough (HMS Temeraire) in 10th and Cdr Al Rich (FONA) in 16th.

The women’s race looked to be a straight contest between the marathon-honed strength of Lt Cdr Wendy Scott and the track speed and cross-country experience of POPT Belinda Fear, both of HMS Raleigh.

Aware of Belinda’s devastatingly-fast finishing speed, Wendy decided to run the kick out of her rival and set off at a strong pace, gradually opening up a gap which increased as the race progressed.

It proved the right tactic as Belinda was unable to close in enough to make her finishing speed count.

Third place went to a newcomer to the Navy cross-country scene, POPT Natasha Pulley (HMS Temeraire).

With only a few months running behind her, Natasha has been bitten by the running bug, and has gained a place at this year’s London Marathon – and it was that training which paid off over the tough Raleigh course.

Plymouth Command were the comfortable winners of the women’s race.

The focus then moved on to Tweseldown racecourse near Aldershot – but the Navy squad was not just up against the elements and a tough, twisting course in the Inter-Services championships.

Operational commitments, injury and flu cut a swathe through the teams, with five of the top senior male runners falling by the wayside before the starter’s gun as well as almost half the veterans team.

But Maj John Rye typified the gritty attitude of the Navy, making a mockery of his pre-race form to storm round the rainswept racecourse and take his third title in his ninth year as a veteran.

He and two Navy colleagues, Lt Cdr Dai Roberts and Lt Graeme Riley, contested the first lap with a trio of RAF runners, but it was left to Rye to reel in the RAF runner – who had made an abortive mid-race break for glory – and go on to claim the gold medal. Riley and Roberts picked up fifth and six places respectively.

The Army ladies took all six top places, but Lt Cdr Wendy Scott ran a strong race to once again prove the pick of the Navy women runners, taking 7th place. She led the Navy team into second place, backed by WSTD Kelly Wharton, who managed 9th, POWTR Vicki Norton (10th) and POPT Belinda Fear (11th).

The Army also dominated the junior men’s race, but once again the Navy ran as a group to finish ahead of the RAF. Mne Downing was first Navy runner home in fourth place, with MID Jonathan Wright a surprise contender in eighth – he had something to prove, as he had been nominated running reserve.

Mne Wayne Dashper led the men’s senior team effort, finishing sixth, while POPT Sean Childs managed 14th. Less than 20 seconds separated Sean and the sixth Navy runner home, PO Pete Waumsley in 20th. In between were Cpl Pete Belcher (16th), POPT Mick Breed (17th) and Cpl Brian Stokes (19th).

The loss of their key runners consigned the Navy men to third spot in the senior men’s competition.