THE FOREST of Dean Athletic Club's Christmas Tree race included a class for Canicross runners which drew entrants from as far afield as Cornwall.

Canicross features runners and their dogs and the Forest of Dean Athletic Club (FODAC) course was described as a proper cross-country run with plenty of technical elements on a variety of surfaces and terrains.

The first Forest runner home, and second overall, was Mark Mazzucca of Forest of Dean Canicross and Matt Bond of FODAC was third.

Other Forest runners taking part were Emma Davies, Martyn Gunter, Sarah Harrison, Abby Lusty, Barb Morris and Briar Morris.

The overall winner of the Canicross event was Ian Littlewood of Cornwall Harriers.

The 30 Canicross runners were joined by about 120 cross-country runners for the race which started and finished at Ellwood Football Club and covered a slightly longer route than usual.

Forest of Dean AC had a clean sweep of the men's category awards, with John Russell receiving the MV40 award, Bill Turner the MV50 and Chris Moore, the MV60.

Rebecca Comins of Chepstow Harriers won the FV40 award and club-mate Vanessa Lawson was the first woman home in a time of 44 mins 19 secs.

FoDAC's Leyton Fleet was third in the men's race which was won by Richard de Camps of Gloucester who repeated his success of 2012.

Mark Matthews and Mark Blake represented the club in the Skirrid Fell Race near Abergavenny.

Mark Mathews finished seventh overall in 35 mins 32 secs and Mark Blake was 30th in 41 mins 32 secs.

The race includes a continual 1.5km climb through fields and a steep ridge.

Peter Woodward was the first Forest runner home in the third round of the Gloucestershire Amateur Athletics Association cross- country league three which was held at the Malvern College in Worcestershire.

Woodward finished in 40 mins 55 secs and was followed by John Russell in 41 mins 14 secs, Daren Smith in 42 mins 25 secs, Jules Boon in 42 mins 30 secs, Richard Dennant in 48 mins 21 secs and Brian Francis in 50 mins 35 secs.

Jacqui Wynds won the FV60 category in 36 mins 27 secs making her the second Forest woman home after Liz Usedon who finished in 36 mins 15 secs.

The other Forest women were Stef Francis in 36 mins 29 secs, Jane Creed in 37 mins 12 secs and Lynne Park in 39 mins 33 secs.

The men's team was 13th of 19 in the open competition and fifth of 17 in the Masters while the women were 16th of 20 in the open and 11th of 15 in the Masters.