Lamont Marshall was literally streets ahead of his nearest rivals as he cut a lone figure through Hamilton and Pembroke en route to an emphatic victory in the Labour Day five-mile road race.

The younger of the Marshall brothers retained the title he had wrestled from Kavin Smith last year, running marginally quicker than his 2006 winning time as he stopped the clock at 26 minutes, 32 seconds.

In the women's race it was a duel between close friends Victoria Fiddick and Dawn Richardson, with Fiddick pulling ahead just before half-way to secure a rare win over the two-times May 24 Marathon Derby champion.

Overall race winner Marshall quickly found himself on his own with only a police motorcycle outrider for company. The course had been altered to start and finish at Bernard Park. Marshall stamped his authority early, before he had reached the junction of Marsh Folly Road and Cedar Avenue he had opened a gap of nearly 100 metres ahead of his pursuers.

"The first mile was good. I was planning on doing 5:10. The change to the course did not seem to effect anyone. For the first three miles I was comfortable and then I felt a little discomfort when I hit Cox's Hill. Along North Shore it was a bit windy and the fourth mile was tough," said Marshall.

He had glanced back to see if there was anyone near enough to challenge him, but there was no-one in sight.

"Around West Pembroke School I started to labour a little. Apart from that it was a good opener for the season. The first race is always about getting the kinks out."

Marshall will be competing in the Fifth Avenue Mile Race in New York on September 29 and intends to sharpen up his speed in preperation with track sessions.

Runner-up Sylvester Jean Pierre, 49, won a highly competitive 40-49 master's category to prove that age is no barrier to seasoned road running athletes as he broke clear of fellow master and course record holder Kavin Smith, finishing in 29:09 from Smith's 29:57.

Jean Pierre, taking inspiration from Bermudian great Ray Swan, sees no reason why he should not continue running at a high level despite the approach of his 50th birthday next March. He was happy to mix it with the likes of Smith, Ricky Sousa and Neil de Ste. Croix.

"I made my move coming off Cox's Hill, then I was on my own. I want to get back in shape and get competitive," he said.

Smith, who set the current record for the Labour Day race of 25:18 in 2003, had warmed up for the race with a half-hour cycle ride.

"I just wanted to see if I could hang out with Ricky and Sylvester. Sylvester is in good shape," said Smith, 40.

"I'm going to see how things go. I feel like training again at this point. You can't train 12 months a year in Bermuda, even eight months is too long. May 24 will be my long-term goal."

First woman Fiddick broke out of the shadow of Richardson, who has dominated the Island's road running scene since arriving in Bermuda in early 2006.

The pair ran together and within the first mile caught early leader, New York's Amy Cole, a short-term Island resident.

Approaching the Front Street 'bird cage' Fiddick edged ahead of Richardson and was not headed again as she finished in 31:27 with Richardson, currently training for next month's Chicago marathon, managing 32:16.

New Yorker Cole, 23, was third, and 19th overall, in 33:59.

Winner Fiddick has achieved two personal bests in recent months, most recently a sub 31-minute five-miler in Canada and before that a sub 19-minute 5K in her native Sweden.

She was part of Bermuda's gold winning half-marathon team, along with individual bronze medallist Richardson, at the Small Island Games in Rhodes, Greece, earlier in the summer.

"After Rhodes I backed off from my training a bit," said Fiddick, who had anticipated a shake-up in the women's field with Ashley Cooper now back on the Island, and former May 24 champion Anna Eatherley back to racing ways.

"I didn't see any mile markers on the course, but the pace worked out for me. I was expecting Dawn to come past me and I was waiting, I tried to look back to see where she was but there were some other guys in the way.

"Having run two recent personal bests I knew I was capable of a good time."

Hard marathon training appeared to have dulled Richardson's ability to react to a swift pace and she was unable to respond once Fiddick hit the front.

She said afterwards that Fiddick had been a worthy winner, adding: "I ran as fast as I could, but Victoria seemed so strong and I was just hanging on."

Yesterday's 23rd annual Labour Day road race was organised by Swan's Running Club and, together with a junior race event and a walk, attracted around 200 entrants.