TAVISTOCK AC’s Charlotte Walker claimed another fell running victory on Wednesday night as she won the Ivybridge Three Tops Race.
Despite still being a junior, Walker has dominated the female category in this year’s South West Fell Running Series and had already won at Meldon, Langstone Coronation, Buckland Bounder, Summer Solstice, Cosdon Hill and Postbridge Pootle before Wednesday’s win.
She took victory in the tough Ivybridge race by more than two minutes, with Headington’s Tilly Woods second and Cornwall AC’s Chloe Clarke third.
The men’s race was won by Exmouth’s Sam Kelly, who powered home in a quick time of 42.58 minutes.
Second place went to Exeter Harriers junior Ben Perry, with Tom Perry third, Luke Roberts fourth and veteran Ceri Rees fifth and first M50.
The race on Dartmoor, which is roughly 10k, starts with athletes running up Western Beacon, which towers above Ivybridge, before then heading up to Weatherdon and Glasscombe Ball and then up Ugborough Beacon before heading back to Ivybridge Rugby Club.
Last year’s winner Matthew Gilvear of host club Erme Valley was chasing Kelly and Perry down Western Beacon when he took nasty fall and cut and damaged his knee. He did manage to pick himself up and get back to the finish, but he was overtaken by five athletes to finish eighth.
Gilvear had finished third and first junior a few days early at the Totnes 10k.
Tavistock’s Charlotte Walker also ran the Totnes 10k and came second overall and first junior. Her sister, Hannah, was second junior.
Storm’s Charlene Matthews was first F35, while Erme Valley Harriers’ Kate Medlicott (F55), Alison Engledew (F65) and Ronnie Haynes (M40) all won age category titles, as did Tavistock’s Allan Herdman (M70).
Meanwhile, Tavistock Run Project’s Jim Cole produced a strong run to win the Indian Queens Half Marathon.
Cole, now in the M40 category, clocked 1:13.13 to finish nearly a minute-and-a-half ahead of second-placed Tom Morton of Mile High.
Erme Valley Harriers’ youngster Charlie Milward made his debut over the half marathon distance and finished 17th in a strong field in 1:23.36.
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