CITY of Plymouth’s young guns showed everyone else a clean pair of heels at the inaugural Armada Christmas Relays at a rain-soaked Central Park on Sunday.

Plymouth’s under-18 boys’ team of Thomas Jones, Isaac Lamerton, Finley Squires and Gregor Norster finished a minute and 20 seconds ahead of their nearest rivals in the new event that saw each runner complete a 3k circuit around the park. Despite horrendous weather, the Plymouth team came home in a total time of 42.18 minutes, with three of their runners finishing among the top six quickest individuals on the day.

Second team home were City of Plymouth’s senior men’s quartet of Joshua Reed, Ryan Travers, Jacob Robinson and Dan Newman, who came home in 43.38 minutes.

There was an impressively strong run by Tavistock AC Ladies, who came third overall and first all-female team in 45.51 minutes. Nikki Kelly, Sam Lake, Jasmine Gray and Emma Ryder made up their side.

Erme Valley Harriers’ men’s team of Charlie Milward, Ben Vieminck, Jamie Frost and Sam Swift were fourth overall, with City of Plymouth senior women’s quartet of Hannah Blair, Katy Anderson, Kate Phillips and Annie Arnold fifth and second female team.

City of Plymouth did also have the first under-18  female team courtesy of Molly Gilbey, Phoebe Timson, Martha Wilson and Abbie Chapman.

Erme Valley Harriers had the first male veteran team, while Tavistock Talkers were the first female veteran team.

Daniel Newman, who ran the final leg for the City of Plymouth Men, was fastest overall in the wet an windy conditions with a 9.58-minute run. That was four seconds quicker than Tavistock’s Sam Larkham, who was second fastest with 10.02. City of Plymouth then had the next four quickest in Joshua Reed (10.07), Isaac Lamerton (10.12), Gregor Norster (10.26) and Thomas Jones (10.37).

City of Plymouth’s Annie Arnold was fastest female in 10.56, with Tavistock’s Emma Ryder and Nikki Kelly not far behind in 11.08 and 11.15, respectively. Plymouth’s Hannah Blair was fourth fastest (11.20), with Tavistock’s Jasmine Gray fifth (11.39).

The new event saw 37 teams finish. Full results can be found HERE