Steve Dawes burns off Mark Mercier to win the Division One race at Foote’s Lane. (Picture by Peter Frankland, 0816332)

THE ability to sprint and go again and again sorted out the men from the boys at Foote’s Lane last night – and one woman stood up to the males.

Steph Lamb won the Division Four race as the fifth stage of the OSA Recruitment All-Terrain Challenge took on a ‘devil-takes-the-hindmost’ look before a return to the punishment of the cliffs this evening and Herm tomorrow.

Lamb showed the benefit of year-round repetition training at the track to hold off hockey star Damian Wallen and take the honours in the last race of the night.

Earlier, her good friend Sarah Mercier almost produced a second victory for the women, but in a preciously close finish was pipped by rugby player Jim Wyatt.

All four races saw the divisional groups involved in a series of 100m sprint finishes at the end of a steady 300m to eliminate two at a time.

And to even things up – apparently – any women involved received a 10m advantage in the mad dash for the line.

That suited both Lamb and Sarah Mercier, whose fitness stood up well while some of their male challengers crumbled at having to repeat a series of sprints.