Weston clocked 25min. 48sec. – just 1sec. slower than last year’s victory – for the 4.7-mile cross-country race based at the Beach House and held in sunny and fairly still conditions.
His closest challenge had ultimately come from German runner Chris Wolf.
The surprise visitor had tracked veteran Andrew Zabiela initially, with them and others near the top of the order unwittingly taking on a small detour – not more than 100m – at Chouet following the apparent moving of a sign by a member of the public.
Wolf’s move came somewhat later, but he crept ahead to take second spot in 27-24, coming home 17sec. ahead of a personal best run by an athlete fresh from taking runner-up in the 30th All Terrain Challenge.
Given his own focus on the road 5km and 10km, Wolf found the course’s mixed terrain to be tough going.
‘It was very hard for me, but because it was more cross than street – in Germany we have more street races,’ said an athlete who trains with LGV Marathon Giessen.
‘It was difficult with the sand, and the grass, but it was very cool.’
Wolf was visiting Guernsey for the first time because his girlfriend fancied a holiday in the island and Jersey, but he saw the race online and fancied entering.
‘It’s been lovely,’ he added.
‘It’s more fun than competition for me.
‘I train more at the moment for the competitions in October in Germany – 5k and 10k.’
Improving Guernsey athlete Tom Nichols finished fourth in 27-59, with Ben Foote a more distant fifth in 29-57.
Justifiably tired ATC champion Mickey Haimes just missed out on the half-hour barrier with a 30-11 run as Graham Merfield, the remarkable V60 athlete, finished a very solid seventh in 30-36.
But eighth across the line was none other than former Commonwealth Games athlete Roe.
Having been forced into downtime by an ankle injury in the same race last year, she marked her return emphatically with a solid run of 30-41 to dominate the women’s race.
The next spot went to previous Guernsey Marathon podium finisher Eve Bott, who posted 35-19.
The top tranche of female athletes continued to take a rather different look to previous races this season as former Island Games runner and triathlete Chantal Green edged third from Abbie Swain, who had been in the equation for Orkney 2025 but ultimately not competed since last April.
Both shared the same time of 36-25 for the classic course.
