CITY of Plymouth’s Jed Hutchings claimed an impressive victory in the under-15 boys’ race at the latest Westward League Cross Country meeting.
Hutchings, who had also triumphed in the meetings at Exeter and Newquay, overcame a muddy and waterlogged course at Westward Ho! to win by 42 seconds.
There were also top three finishes in north Devon for Plymouth Harriers’ Johnny Gilby, City of Plymouth’s Barnaby Hutchings, Molly Gibley, Elsie Goodspeed and Martha Wilson and Tavistock’s Jo Meek and Charlotte Walker.
Gilby came second in the men’s senior race behind Bideford’s Jack Hutchens and also finished as first over-40.
There were top 10 finishes in the men’s race for Tavistock’s Ben Neale and Erme Valley’s Jamie Frost.
Barnaby Hutchings came second behind Exeter’s Will Birchall in the under-13 boys’ race.
City of Plymouth team-mate Molly Gibley led a strong Armada charge in the under-15 girls’ event.
She took third place, with club colleague Abbie Chapman fourth, Erme Valley’s Bella May sixth, City of Plymouth’s Phoebe Timson eighth and Tavistock’s Penny Jones ninth.
Tavistock once again showed their strength in the joint women’s and under-17 girls’ race.
Jo Meek came third overall and second in the senior race, while Charlotte Walker was just five seconds behind her to take fourth overall and finish as second under-17 athlete. Club colleague Nikki Kelly was seventh overall and fifth senior, while City of Plymouth’s Martha Wilson was third under-17.
Elsie Goodspeed took second place in the under-11 race behind North Devon’s Isla Bater, while Margot Goodspeed also made the top 10 in that event.
There were also top 10 finishes for City of Plymouth’s Isaac Bramall and Harrison Crawford in the under-11 boys’ race, while Erme Valley athletes Isabella Trowell (U13 girls) and Charlie Milward (U17 boys) came seventh in their respective races. (Full results can be found HERE).
The next Westward League meeting will be at Redruth on February 13.
Meanwhile, Exmouth’s Tom Merson ran away from the rest of the field to win the Plympton January Jaunt 10k on Sunday.
Merson, a sub 30-minute runner, eased to victory on the course that takes athletes into the Saltram House estate, in 32 minutes and 36 seconds.
Second place went to Seb Teg in 36.01 minutes, with City of Plymouth’s Matthew Bradley third in 36.19, Plymstock Road Runners Richard Shelley fourth and first over-50 in 36.55 and Plymouth Musketeers’ Ross MacDonald fifth in 37.41.
Laura Gannon was first woman home in 45.00 minutes, just ahead of Eleanor Keay (45.25) and South Devon’s Dani Waters (45.28.).
Results of the January Jaunt can be found HERE. (A gallery of pictures are below)
On the indoor track, City of Plymouth athletes Tyler Johnson and Toby Clayden competed at the Be Fit Today Track Academy Series at Lee Valley at the weekend.
Johson came second in the senior men’s 400m in 50.07 seconds and also clocked 7.16 seconds in the 60m, while Clayden clocked 9.09 seconds in the men’s 60m hurdles.