Dominic Oliver and Jo Andrews were the individual winners at the second race in this season’s Suffolk Winter Cross Country League, held recently at Sutton, near Woodbridge.

Former Southwold 10K road race champion Oliver, representing Waveney Valley AC, led home a bumper field of 435 runners in the senior race, staged over a muddy course, in 24mins 29secs.

He finished 11 seconds clear of team-mate Matt Jeffries, who posted 24:40 in second, with Ipswich Harriers’ talented teenager Tom Adams taking third place in 24:48.

The experienced Robert Chenery, who was third to winner Andrew Rooke at the first race in the series at Framlingham, finished fourth at Sutton in 24:58, with young Ipswich Harrier Matthew Snowden, up against some far more experienced runners, taking an impressive fifth in 25:05.

Over-40 veteran Jo Andrews had finished second to Lowestoft’s Colleen Nicole Mukuya at the first race at Framlingham Castle, but she went one better to win the ladies’ race at Sutton.

A member of Bungay Black Dog, Andrews was nearly three minutes clear of the field. She clocked 28mins 17secs, in 35th place overall, finishing well clear of runner-up Nicky Bennett, of West Suffolk Wheelers, who was second in 31:11.

Just four seconds further adrift was Gemma Porch, of Stowmarket Striders (31:15), followed by veterans Sabine Schaefer, of Thetford AC (fourth in 31:30) and Bungay’s over-45 athlete Lynn Emmett (fifth in 31:48).

With regards the team positions, Waveney Valley AC, helped by their one-two in the individual race, topped the pile with a combined score (men and ladies) of 3,162 points.

Second on the day was the combined Newmarket Joggers and Sudbury Joggers with 3,112, followed by Framlingham Flyers (3,110), Felixstowe Road Runners (3,095) and Lowestoft Road Runners (3,083).

After two of five races, Waveney Valley (6,324pts) have opened up a lead of 115 points at the top, with Newmarket/Sudbury their closest challengers (6,209).

Saint Edmund Pacers currently lie in third slot, ahead of Ipswich Harriers and Framlingham, although only 11 points separate these three teams.

The third race in the Suffolk Winter League will be hosted by Stowmarket Striders at Haughley Park on Sunday, January 14.