STEVE DAWES already looks set to win the men’s title just three events into the seven-stage annual RBC All-Terrain Challenge series. The past winner won the opening two races but had to settle for second best last night as the tour moved to the punishing Telegraph Bay steps at Jerbourg.

Dave Holmes was the quickest up the uneven rocks and then steps from the bay to the car park, clocking 2min. 14sec. to eat ever so narrowly into Dawes’ overall advantage which still stands at a healthy 1min. 52sec. as the event moves to Port Soif this evening.

Dawes was second best last evening with a slick 2-18, while Sam Dowding, the flying postman, again demonstrated his natural athletics ability with a fine 2-23 for third spot. Steve Bienvenu was fourth.

There is a far more intriguing battle among the leading women with, coincidentally, Gail Merrien leading the way by exactly the same margin Dawes does in the men’s.

Merrien had to settle for third place among the women on the steps, but there was only seven seconds separating her and the quickest, newcomer Tricia Lewis.

The latter stopped the clock at 3-12, while young Sarah Mercier was second best on 3-15 and Merrien third on 33-19. Kerry Robin, another promising find, was fourth but is still in the overall title hunt, lying third just 11sec. behind second-placed Mercier.

The previous evening and following another rainy day which left the cliff paths slippery and the course slow for the punishing 8km race at Icart, Dawes attacked from the front and built up a commanding lead which grew dramatically when second-placed Francis Kehoe hurt his ankle and had to retire.

This left Holmes in second place, although some way behind.

In the women’s race, Merrien went off hard in attempt to take the overall lead from Mercier and went on to be leading woman by nearly two minutes.

Robin and Lewis had a great battle which was only settled in the final few strides.

Despite being demoted to third place, the 16-year-old Mercier is expected to make up large amounts of time in the shorter races over the next two days and is still in with an excellent chance of overall glory.

This evening’s circuit stage is three miles long.