Bury St Edmunds-based runners dominated the annual Ipswich JAFFA Friday Five, the first five-miler of this summer’s Friday Five Series.

Macauley Delo, of West Suffolk AC, led home a 300-strong field to win the men’s title, while Saint Edmund Pacers filled five of the leading seven places in the ladies’ race.

Staged over the regular route from St Joseph’s College, featuring a swift downhill start but then – the sting in the tail – a challenging uphill climb to the finish – Delo powered to victory by a margin of 26 seconds.

The 19-year-old track specialist clocked 26mins 57secs, just seven seconds adrift of his personal best time, set on his way to third position at last year’s Kirton Five.

Connor Whiting, of Ipswich Harriers, was Delo’s closest challenger with 27.23 in second spot, followed by third-placed Robert Reason, of Harwich Runners, in 28.05.

Pacers’ Glenn Douglas posted an impressive 28.13 in fourth slot, while Colchester & Tendring AC’s Joe Patterson was fifth overall and the leading under-17 junior in 28.29.

Odette Robson, of the Pacers, retained her JAFFA Five ladies’ title. The 42-year-old eased to victory in 30.06, with only 16 men running faster times. Her PB for five miles (29.33) was recorded at Great Bentley last summer.

JAFFA’s Val Jennings, an over-50 veteran, was a fine second overall in 33.57, while teenager Emma Watts, of the Pacers, was third and the leading junior with 34.18.

Over-35 veterans, Cath Jeffery of the Pacers, and Dawn Davies of JAFFA, were fourth and fifth respectively.

The second race in the Friday Five Series is this evening, at Kirton (7.30pm). There is a supporting junior race at 7pm.

n William Page, of Colchester & Tendring, won the Ipswich JAFFA junior race. He won in 6.39, also topping the under-15 category.

Ashley Wilding was first under-13 in 7.12, and Ashton Redhead first under-10 in 8.39. Tilly Aldis won the girls’ race in 7.39, while Amelie Taylor was first under-10 in 9.12.

Ipswich JAFFA Friday Five results

Top 30 men: 1 M Delo (West Suffolk AC) 26.57; 2 C Whiting (Ipswich Harriers) 27.23; 3 R Reason (Harwich Runners) 28.05; 4 G Douglas (Saint Edmund Pacers) 28.13; 5 J Patterson (Colchester & Tendring) 29.29; 6 J Ling (Ipswich JAFFA) 28.35; 7 P Davy (Sudbury Joggers) 28.55; 8 D Moss (Unattached) 29.00; 9 J Last (Framlingham Flyers) 29.05; 10 D Laing (JAFFA) 29.07; 11 A Howlett (Un) 29.24; 12 R Stone (Felixstowe RR) 29.32; 13 B Turley (JAFFA) 29.42; 14 N Palmer (Stowmarket Striders) 29.43; 15 D Sheppard (Framlingham) 29.55; 16 T White (Pacers) 29.56; 17 P Wain (JAFFA) 30.20; 18 M Lloyd (Harwich Runners) 30.28; 19 S Burbidge (Harwich) 30.56; 20 J Thorpe (JAFFA) 30.58; 21 J Long (Pacers) 31.03; 22 L Whitwell (Felixstowe) 31.06; 23 S Powell (Un) 31.14; 24 W Blackburn (Ips/Harr) 31.17; 25 D Cook (Felixstowe) 31.34; 26 D Solomon (Felixstowe) 31.40; 27 M Hayward (Stowmarket) 31.41; 28 P Nickells (Woodbridge Shufflers) 31.48; 29 M Simmons (Gt Bentley RC) 31.51; 30 S Harrison (Harwich) 31.52.

Top 30 ladies: 1 O Robson (Pacers) 30.06; 2 V Jennings (JAFFA) 33.57; 3 E Watts (Pacers) 34.18; 4 C Jeffery (Pacers) 34.55; 5 D Davies (JAFFA) 35.15; 6 A Clayton (Pacers) 35.15; 7 C Hoblyn (Pacers) 35.54; 8 R Pittman (Springfield) 36.34; 9 E Mann (Hadleigh Hares) 37.40; 10 M Lewis (Harwich) 38.10; 11 J Gooderham (Pacers) 38.21; 12 D Hughes (Stowmarket) 38.35; 13 C Taylor (Un) 38.37; 14 C Barstow (Framlingham) 38.42; 15 N Weldon (JAFFA) 38.43; 16 S White (Sudbury) 38.49; 17 J Stephenson (Stowmarket) 38.54; 18 N Watson (Woodbridge) 38.58; 19 K Thomas (Hadleigh) 39.23; 20 G MacKie (Felixstowe) 39.42; 21 A Morgan (Tiptree RR) 39.46; 22 M Parker (Felixstowe) 39.49; 23 J Sheahan (Un) 40.03; 24 N Vince (Hadleigh) 40.05; 25 I Renn (JAFFA) 40.22; 26 J Baldwin (Stowmarket) 40.38; 27 L Goddard (Stowmarket) 40.34; 28 K Rigby (Hadleigh) 40.48; 29 J Bird (Stowmarket) 40.48; 30 M Constable (JAFFA) 40.48.

Male veterans, over-40: 1 Howlett, 2 Sheppard, 3 Lloyd. Over-45: 1 Laing, 2 Stone, 3 Solomon. Over-50: 1 Nickells, 2 A Buck (Sudbury) 31.59; 3 M Watts (Pacers) 32.16. Over-55: 1 S Pugh (JAFFA) 35.15; 2 A Jackson (JAFFA) 35.28; 3 D Martin (Un) 38.57. Over-60: 1 R Hill (JAFFA) 35.40; 2 N Clarke (Newmarket Joggers) 36.28; 3 P Mills (Stowmarket) 36.29. 1 Over-65: 1 M Savage (Springfield Striders) 33.55; 2 R Hobson (Woodbridge) 39.41; 3 E Shaw (Gt Bentley) 41.35.

Female veterans, over-35: 1 Jeffery, 2 Davies, 3 Lewis. Over-40: 1 Robson, 2 White, 3 Watson. Over-45: 1 Stephenson, 2 Thomas, 3 Bird. Over-50: 1 Jennings, 2 Hoblyn, 3 Pittman. Over-55: 1 B Sauerzapf (Bungay Black Dog) 41.34; 2 K Hatton (Pacers) 42.24; 3 J Higgon (Harwich) 46.13. Over-60: 1 D Wooller (Col/Tend) 41.02; 2 V Taylor (Framlingham) 46.11; 3 M Wright (JAFFA) 46.32.

Under-17s, male: 1 Patterson, 2 Wain, 3 Blackburn. Female: 1 Watts, 2 S Hicks (Col/Tend) 41.09; 3 M Burgess (Felixstowe) 45.57.