CITY of Plymouth AC, Tavistock AC, Erme Valley Harriers, Plymouth Harriers, Tavistock Run Project and Plymstock Road Runners all had athletes claiming top three places at the opening Westward Cross Country League meeting of the season.
The first event of the campaign was held at Plympton’s Newnham Park on Sunday.
Unlike previous years where the opening meeting had taken place in glorious sunshine, this time the races took place in torrential rain.
The weather and a new steep downhill section did make it tricky for runners, but it was entertaining for those spectators who did brave the conditions.
The under-15 runners faced the course in its muddiest state as they went last, but that did not stop Tavistock AC’s Thomas Hennessey claiming victory by seven seconds. His club colleagues Freddie Whybrow and Eldon Young came fifth and eighth as Tavistock came first in the team event.
There was also a win in the rain for City of Plymouth’s Evie Welsh in the under-11 girls’ race.
She was quite dominant, taking victory by 15 seconds ahead of her team-mate Evie Bolt.
Tavistock’s Olivia Walkerdine was third, with City of Plymouth’s Margot Goodspeed fourth and Erme Valley’s Imogen Palmer fifth. City of Plymouth’s Thiea Jones (6th) and Genevieve Stone (7th) and Tavistock’s Serena Bigham (9th) also finished in the top 10.
In the boys’ under-11 race, City of Plymouth’s Jack Penney came second, with Erme Valley athletes Arthur Nicholson and William Rogers fifth and sixth, respectively, and City of Plymouth’s Jacob Sweeney seventh.
City of Plymouth packed well as they came first team in the under-13 boys’ race.
Finley Eales and Lucas Sweeney were third and fourth, with team-mate Sebastian Travers 10th.
Tavistock AC were the second team, with Jack Antony their top finisher in fifth place and Tristan Bigham also making the top 10.
In the under-15 girls’ event, Tavistock’s Zoe Bigham came second behind North Devon’s Isla Bater, with City of Plymouth’s Elsie Goodspeed fourth.
Erme Valley Harriers’ Luke Hayes enjoyed a good cross country debut at under-17 level. He came third, with City of Plymouth’s Benjamin Marriott and East Cornwall Harriers’ Jack White both overcoming falls to finish seventh and eighth, respectively, and Tavistock’s Reuben Sebag-Montefiore also made the top 10.
Tamar Trotters’ Bex Ezra-Ham took third place in a strong senior women’s race behind Cornwall AC’s Megan Davies and Exeter University’s Mollie Porter. University of Plymouth’s Annabel Arnold came fifth.
The senior women once again ran with the under-17 girls and boys.
Torbay’s 2024 under-15 national cross country champion Paige Quinn was first female overall at Newnham Park and first under-17.
Plymouth Harriers’ Ruth Farr-Semmens and Michelle Cooper were second and third F35, with Erme Valley’s Sally Erith first F40. Tavistock’s Sam Lake was the leading F45 runner, ahead of Erme Valley’s Jennifer Hayes and Plymstock’s Jane Ling.
City of Plymouth’s Jane Allison was second F50 behind Cornwall’s Emma Stepto, with Tavistock’s Caroline Stevens the top F55 competitor and her team-mate Carole Walters the leading F60 runner.
In the men’s race, there was a top 10 finish overall for Plymouth Harriers’ Johnny Gilby, who came ninth and second M45.
Tavistock Run Project’s Jim Cole was 15th overall and first M40. He finished one place ahead of City of Plymouth’s Kairn Stone, who was third M45.
Tavistock’s Marc Curtis was third M55, with City of Plymouth’s Simon Anderson the leading M60.
Full results can be found HERE.
All pictures are low resolution and are protected by copyright so should not be used without permission. Unfortunately, due to the terrible weather conditions, we were noy able to cover all the races on Sunday as we would normally.