relay in Arizona on Saturday, came away with first place its category and third overall.

The team, headed by well known local road runners Eddie Davies and Simon Groves, completed the gruelling South Mountain 50 race in five hours, 31 minutes and 31 seconds, more than half an hour in front of the second-placed mixed team, and 25 minutes behind overall winners, LAPD Dare America.

Open to law enforcement, fire service and corporate teams, the event took runners over a 1,000 feet climb in the City of Phoenix South Mountain Park, the largest urban park in the US.

Some 43 teams took part with runners required to complete legs varying in distance from 3.63 to 7.63 miles.

Besides Davies and Groves, the Police team included Georgia Belboda, Quennel Robinson, Nataya DeSilva, Kenneth Bartram, Derika Bean, Steve Cosham, Paul Watson, Beverley Basden, Hataya DeSilva and Stuart Innes. Hataya DeSilva and Innes travelled as reserves.

A party of at least 26 local road runners will head for the Big Apple this weekend for Sunday's New York Marathon.

Among those known to have signed up for the 26.2 mile race are: Newton Adcock, Eddie Benjamin, Gillian Bliss, John Borthwick, John Cash, Maryleigh Chasty, Anthony Raynor, Michael Douglas, John Edwards, Ed Gomez, Rhianon Pedro, Debbie Graham, Patrick Hackenberg, Dana Hall, Harry Kast, Manuel Lopes, Jane Marsh, Ray Ming, Duncan Scott, Cal Steede, George Sutherland, Elvin Thomas, Louise Brown, Lesley Bosendorfer, Graham Molyneux and Andrew Fletcher.

Tracy Wright was originally signed up but has now withdrawn.