TAVISTOCK Athletic Club enjoyed plenty of success at their own relay event held at the Meadows on Thursday evening.
The club claim the main prizes in both the women’s and junior events.
However, the men’s race at the popular event was won by GTR Racing – a team made up of Steve Wilsmore, Nathan Brown, Tony Dunn and Mike Wilsmore.
Mike Wilsmore produced the fastest leg of the night, clocking four minutes and 44 seconds, to give his team the win by five seconds.
They overtook South West Road Runners on the last lap to take the title in 20.49 minutes.
South West Road Runners had four runners who all ran within 12 seconds of each other for the 1.1 mile course, but GTR Racing had two runners go under five minutes.
There were only three athletes who went under the five minute barrier – Steve and Mike Wilsmore and Tavistock Run Project’s Ben Neale.
Third team home in the men’s race was the Plymouth Harriers’ quartet Steve Fletcher, Ed Smith, Ed Davies and Tom Humphrey. They finished in a total time of 21.47 minutes.
Tavistock dominated the ladies event, even though City of Plymouth AC had the two fastest runners on the night.
Tavistock’s quartet of Sam Lake, Jennifer Sabine, Joely Bytheway and Emma Ryder triumphed in 24.43 minutes, with City of Plymouth taking second in 26.37.
Plymouth’s Hannah Blair ran the quickest leg of the night (5.35) to give her side the lead on the first lap, but they lost ground on legs two and three, leaving Poppy Tank with an uphill task on the last circuit.
Tank, who had run the Armada 5k the night before, clocked 5.39 minutes but Tavistock had too big a lead to be challenged.
Third team home in the women’s race was Launceston RR in 26.58, with East Cornwall Harriers’ White Lightening quartet fourth and first veteran side.
Tavistock AC had the first two junior teams home. Their Year 11/12 boys side (Dave’s Boys) made up of Mike Barton, Ollie Smart, Jakob Hegaty and Edward Smart won the race in 21.56 minutes. All four ran under 5.45 minutes, with Barton the quickest with 5.14 minutes.
Tavistock’s Year 7/8 team (Tavy Boys) won their category and were second overall in 23.37. Their team was made up of Will Russell, Dan Luckham, Joe Dix and Olly Woodmason.
The first Year 5/6 team home and also the first mixed quartet were The Plym Plodders made up of Poppy Northcott, Barnaby Hutchings, Rosie Northcott and Jed Hutchings. They finished in an impressive 26.59 minutes.
The first all female junior team were Tavistock AC (Mark’s Year 7/8 girls) made up of Izzy Page Persephone Sparrow, Rosie Warren and Kristyna Cade.
They narrowly finished ahead of their Year 9/10 club colleagues (Dave’s Girls) made up of Tilly McDowell, Tayla James, Lucy Stephens and Jenny Milburn.
Before the relay events there was also a kids’ fun run.
The event, which forms part of the Tavistock Carnival, once again proved extremely popular.
To be able to satisfy demand, the women’s race was run separately for the first time.
Some 109 relay teams completed the event – 46 men’s/mixed, 33 women’s and 30 junior teams.
The relays have been running for 31 years. When it was first organised, athletes would run down Plymouth Road, but now the relays take place in the safe environment of Meadows Park.
Results of the men’s/mixed adult race can be found HERE
Results of the women’s event can be found HERE
Junior results are available HERE