Green Army edge team battle but Harper takes the individual honours at Two Castles

However, despite being out in force, the Green Army had to settle for an individual third and the male team prize as Leamington C&AC claimed a fine one-two through Richard Harper and Andrew Savery.

Entrants awoke to cold and cloudy conditions, which would have been near ideal were it not for the breeze that blew into runners’ faces for much of the point-to-point route.

After a 9am start through the narrow gates of the castle, the opening kilometres saw the lead group whittled down to Savery, Harper and Kenilworth Runners’ Chris McCarthy.

Feeling strong, McCarthy led the race from 7k through to just inside the final kilometre.

Opting not to attack on the Rouncil Lane hill, McCarthy left himself vulnerable to the Leamington duo, who duly kicked past him on the final ramp up to Kenilworth Castle.

Loughborough-based Harper pulled away to win in 33:11, with Savery coming home in 33:17 and McCarthy crossing the line just two seconds later and wondering what might have been had he employed different tactics.

Kenilworth Runners’ Andrew Siggers was fourth, clocking a PB-equalling 33:36 to finish nine seconds clear of Phil Gould, who who picked up his first veteran’s prize.

Connor Carson set an excellent new PB of 34:04 to finish sixth and secure Kenilworth the team prize by the narrowest of margins.

Leamington C&AC finished level with Kenilworth on 18 points after a seventh place for Jamie Langley (34:24) and eighth for the first M20 runner Guy Allen (34:28).

However, Kenilworth claimed the team trophy thanks to having the better placed fourth man home.

Paddy Roddy was the fifth Kenilworth Runner inside the top ten, coming home ninth in 34:58.

Leamington C&AC’s Callum Hanlon was 16th in 36:17 with Kenilworth’s Stephen Page bettering his 2012 Two Castles Run by nearly six minutes to clock an impressive 36:42 for 18th.

Matthew Kingston-Lee came home 24th in 37:21, just ahead of the ladies’ winner Eleanor Fowler of Nuneaton Harriers AC (37:31).

Alex Atkinson clocked a new PB of 37:46 to finish second senior male, with Graham Birch (38:06), Richard Steel (38:09), Pete Matthews (38:22), Matt Dyer (38:48), Steve Allatson (39:11), Dave Ramus (39:12), James Richardson (39:16), Matthew Elkington (39:47) and Clive Pearce (39:50) also dipping below 40 minutes for Kenilworth.

Leamington also had several additional runners inside the magic 40-minute mark - Matt Butler (37:48), Eoin O’Flynn (38:04), Dean Mawby (38:06), Craig Bower (38:22), Chris Hitchman (38:32), George Loveday (38:44), Brian Miller (38:45) and Jack Savage (39:52) - with Zara Blower (42:10) their leading female.

Spa Striders fielded a 30-strong team, with Paul Edwards leading them home in 39:36 for 76th place and Susie Stannard (chip time of 46:21 ) their quickest female.