Oh, brother! What a race the Lindo’s to Lindo’s 10k turned out to be this year as two sets of siblings filled the first four positions to confuse spectators into thinking they were seeing double.

First across the line was Lamont Marshall with older brother Larry jr in close contention, and a short while later twins Evan and Riaan Nuade kept the brotherly theme going as they secured third and fourth respectively.

“That’s sibling rivalry — you always want to compete and beat each other,” commented fourth-placed Riaan Nuade after the race.

In the women’s battle it was Dawn Richardson who fought off the lingering effects of a cold bug and swollen throat to stay ahead of rival Victoria Fiddick.

Humidity between 80 and 90 percent made it tougher for all the competitors in the popular event.

Starting at the Lindo’s supermarket in Warwick and running along Middle Road and South Road, runners faced a stiff uphill climb around the six kilometre mark at Collector’s Hill and another up Chaingate Hill just before the finish at the Devonshire Lindo’s. Both hills were at the back of Marshall’s mind as he set out on his first outing in the race for a number of years.

Brother Larry, the reigning champion, was in close pursuit for much of the race.

Marshall said: “I started out flat but at the top of Trimington Hill it started to get easier as the course flattened out.

“My brother was on me the whole race. He was about 30 metres back at one point. After the first four miles he started getting closer.”

Marshall, who has not been beaten in a domestic race since coming second to Jay Donawa in December’s national cross country championships, admitted he found the two late hills in Sunday’s race challenging.

Although his winning time of 32 minutes 55 seconds was nine seconds slower than the mark set by his brother last year, Marshall said: “I’m pleased with the time. It was good conditions. I knew my brother was closing in on the last mile.

“I’m just trying to get in real shape for May 24 and I’ve cut back on the mileage.”

Second home Larry jr ran 33:33 and was followed by the first of the Nuade twins Evan in 34:41, whose brother Riaan ran 36:01.

Nuade said: “It was good to beat him (Riaan) today. I tried to go with the Marshalls in the first mile. I had to push to keep up with them and I had to be careful not to blow up on Collector’s Hill.

“I always knew it was a tough course. It is a net uphill course, which suits me, and after the rain yesterday it was perfect conditions for me.”

His brother Riaan, who came in fourth, said: “This is probably the toughest 10K on the Island. The Marshall brothers did very well, congratulations to them. I tried to maintain a steady pace. I knew my brother was fitter than me at the moment.”

Fifth-placed Peter Mills was using the race as part of an extensive day of training that also included a three-hour cycle ride in a build up to the Boston Marathon.

In sixth was resurgent Otis Robinson who set his course best of just over 38 minutes, although he had pre-race hopes to get close to 36 minutes.

“I dropped off the pace in the last few miles. I was keeping up with Riaan Nuade but then he got away from me,” said Robinson.

First woman Dawn Richardson, in 40.25, was unconcerned with her time having run after a week fighting a cold bug and swollen throat.

Had it not been for an agreement to train with Victoria Fiddick (who came second) she would have given the event a miss.

She tucked into a group that included Geoff Blee and came home ahead of Fiddick, who ran 41:45.

Fiddick, who found her breathing laboured in the humid conditions, said: “Dawn was close but I could not give anything today.”

Third place went to Rosa Peichoto.