individual and overall honours in yesterday's popular annual Couples Road Race.

The event, which is decided on combined times -- the men running five miles and their female partners five kilometres -- saw Ward blaze a hot trail as he completed the route from East Broadway out to Spanish Point and back in an impressive 25 minutes and 55 seconds.

That, combined with partner Kim Mason's 21.49 for the 5K (13th among the women) provided for an aggregate time of 47.44, more than a minute ahead of their nearest Open division rivals, Tracy Wright (26.48) and Georgia Belboda (22.01.) The second fastest time actually belonged to married division winners Brett Forgesson, who finished third behind Ward and Wright in 27.36, and Anna Eatherley, who was second behind women's winner Jane Christie in 19.57.

Christie (19.39) teamed up with Harry Patchett to claim the Masters title in 48.39, the third best combined time of the day.

On a hot, humid morning, more than 170 competitors took part.

It was Ward's first victory since arriving on the Island earlier in the year, since when he's twice finished behind Marathon Derby champion Kavin Smith, first in the Pure Water/Tropicana 10K and then in the Ed Sherlock five miler.

Only one more road race -- next Tuesday evening's St. George's Heritage weight handicap 5K -- remains this season, with the next event not until September.

Results -- see Scoreboard PERFECT PARTNERS -- Nick Ward and Kim Mason teamed up to take first place overall in yesterday's annual Couples' Road Race.