Youth prevailed over experience on Bermuda's roads yesterday as Tucker Murphy took advantage of a watered down field to capture overall honours in the Cornerstone Development Group Ten-Mile Road Race.

But the 26-year-old Bermuda runner didn't have things all his own way as he was pushed by senior rivals, 50-year-old Sylvester John-Pierre and 42-year-old Peter Mills before eventually slicing the tape in a winning time of 58 minutes and 19 seconds - well outside the race record held by Mike Watson.

After trailing John-Pierre and Mills over the first four miles, cross-country skier Murphy made the decisive break just before the half-way mark in Tucker's Town and managed to protect his lead heading back to the Botanical Gardens finish, helped along by a generous tailwind.

"Sylvester is a great runner and obviously I was worried about him. He was in front for most of the first half of the race before I finally made my move at the five-mile mark," said Murphy.

"I held back on the way out because I was worried about the head wind, but I felt strong.

"I wasn't too familiar with the course and so I figured I'd take it easy on the way up, running into a head wind and then pick it up on the way in. It was a beautiful course and a well-organised race.

"It's the first time I've won a race in Bermuda and it feels good. It's always nice to come back and enjoy the local competition. My main sport is cross-country skiing and this race was good training for that."

Second place went to John-Pierre in 59 minutes and 51 seconds while Mills finished third in a time of one hour and 18 seconds.

Among those who did not compete in this year's race was defending champion Jay Donawa.

Unlike Donawa, however, last year's women's winner, Dawn Richardson, was back to defend her title - and she did just that, clocking a time of one hour, four minutes and 24 seconds.

Richardson ran a comfortable race and was never tested as she broke the tape well ahead of second-place finisher Jill Montgomery (one hour, 28 minutes and 39 seconds). Third place went to Ruth Kempe who covered the course in a time of one hour, 30 minutes and 14 seconds.

John-Pierre and Sharlene Sousa (one hour, 12 minutes and 32 seconds) captured the men's and women's Masters titles.

Full results, see Scoreboard.