CITY of Plymouth’s Annabel Arnold stormed to victory on home soil as Central Park hosted the penultimate Westward Cross Country League meeting of the series on Saturday.
The event had to be moved 24 hours earlier than originally scheduled due to Argyle’s televised FA Cup game with Liverpool.
Arnold took victory in the senior women’s race by 17 seconds. It was her first win of the season, having been improving her position in every meeting. She came sixth in the opening round at Newnham Park, fifth at Newquay, fourth at Exeter and second at Westward Ho!
Tavistock’s Jasmine Gray was sixth in the same senior race, with her team-mate Hannah Smith ninth.
Tavistock’s Sam Lake (F45) and Caroline Steven (F55) and City of Plymouth’s Jane Allison (F50) were all first in their age categories.
There was a good race in the senior men’s event between Exmouth’s Robert Ellis and Tamar Trotters’ Jacob Landers.
Ellis just pulled away in the closing stages, but Landers comfortably finished second, which equalled his position at Exeter in December.
Plymouth Harriers’ Johnny Gilby (M45) and Tavistock Run Project’s Jim Cole (M40) were both also inside the top eight in the men’s race, while City of Plymouth’s Simon Anderson was first M60.
Tavistock’s Olivia Walkerdine enjoyed a win at the Plymouth venue on Saturday. She took first place in the under-11 girls’ race, where Armada athletes dominated.
City of Plymouth’s Evie Bolt and Genevieve Stone came third and fourth, respectively, Tavistock’s Harriet Silvester was fifth, City of Plymouth’s Margot Goodspeed sixth, East Cornwall Harriers’ India Davies seventh and City of Plymouth’s Theia Jones eighth.
Plymouth’s Elsie Goodspeed and Tavistock’s Zoe Bigham continued their good battle in the under-15 girls’ age group, where they came second and third, respectively on Saturday.
City of Plymouth team-mates Finley Eales and Lucas Sweeney also enjoy good battles in the under-13 boys’ category. Eales took second on Saturday, with Sweeney third. In the same race, Erme Valley Harriers’ Dougal Buzza was fourth, Tavistock’s Tristan Bigham seventh and City of Plymouth’s Sebastian Travers eighth.
In the under-15 boys’ race, Tavistock’s Freddie Whybrow came second, with City of Plymouth’s Freddie Blight fourth.
Jack Penney of City of Plymouth came runner-up in the under-11 boys’ race, with East Cornwall Harriers’ Rafe Jackson fifth.
In the under-17 boys’ event, Erme Valley’s Luke Hayes took fourth place, with Plymouth’s Benjamin Marriott sixth, while in the under-13 girls’ race, City of Plymouth’s Daisy Elliot was fourth and in the under-17 girls’ event Tavistock’s Claudia Jones came seventh.
The Westward League will conclude at Redruth on March 1.
Pictures are low resolution and are protected by copyright so should not be used without permission.