TAVISTOCK’S Oliver Smart continued his impressive cross country season by winning the Devon county title and claiming a third success Westward League victory at Exeter on Sunday.
The Devon Country Championships were combined with the third race of the Westward League series and Smart had no difficulty winning both events in the boys’ under-15 category.
He triumphed by eight seconds, finishing ahead of Exeter’s Jonny Livingstone.
There was also a Devon county title for his club colleague Amelia Riggot in the under-13 girls’ event.
She was third overall in the league race, but was only beaten by Cornwall’s Maisy Luke and Abigail Jose. Her Tavistock team-mate Kristyna Cade won bronze in the Devon Championships and came sixth overall.
In the under-11 girls’ league race, there was victory for Tavistock’s Matilda Riggot, who just beat City of Plymouth’s Holly Reid by one second.
Tavistock’s Bradley Stevens finished third in the main under-17 boys’ race, with City of Plymouth’s Jamie Williams fifth and Tavistock’s Michael Barton sixth. Edward Smart was ninth overall but claimed a bronze medal in the Devon County Championships, with team-mate Tom Brew fifth in Devon and 12th overall.
There was a strong men’s field at Exeter on Sunday. Tavistock Run Project’s Jim Cole came eighth in the league race and fifth in county championships, with team-mate Jordan Andrews just one place behind him. Tavistock ultra marathon runner Adam Holland also had a good run to finish 10th in the senior men’s league race and seventh in Devon. There was also some strong running from Erme Valley under-20 athletes Joe Battershill and Nathan Brown.
In the senior women’s race, there was top 10 county championship placings for Tavistock Olympian Heather Fell (24.55), Plymouth Harriers’ Ami Yetton (25.01) and Tavistock Run Projects Sam Lake (25.05) and Rachel Malthouse (25.20), with City of Plymouth’s Paula Simson just behind in 12th (25.40).
Tavistock’s Natasha Farrington had a good run and was third under-17 in 24.43 minutes. Team-mate Jennifer Sabine was second Devon under-20 in 25.07, with fellow Tavistock athlete Emma Ryder (25.29) taking bronze medal in the Devon under-20 race.
In the under-15 girls’ race, Erme Valley’s April Oakshott was fifth overall and fourth Devon athlete, with Tavistock’s Tilly McDowell also claiming a top 10 league finish.
Full league results can be found HERE.