VIDEO & GALLERY: Blake and Walker overcome windy conditions on Dartmoor to take Tavy 7 titles

CITY of Plymouth’s Josh Blake and Tavistock AC’s Charlotte Walker claimed victories at the popular Tavy 7 race held on Dartmoor on Sunday morning.

The pair had both been runners-up last year but went one better this time around in windy conditions on Plaster Down.

Organisers managed to beat Storm Austen and Storm Boelo to get the seven-mile event on, which saw 310 finishers.

Blake made light of the conditions to take overall victory by more than a minute.

He clocked 38 minutes and 39 seconds for the race that takes competitors on country roads around Pew Tor and Sampford Spiney.

Second home was Erme Valley Harriers’ Ronnie Haynes, who was also first M40. He came home in a time of 39.46 minutes.

South West Road Runners’ Sam Rowell was third (40.31), with Eton Manor’s Ethan Reeves fourth (40.56) and Barry Miles fifth and second M40 (41.22).

Charlotte Walker, of host club Tavistock AC, took the women’s title by one minute and 13 seconds.

She clocked an impressive 43.10 minutes, which was a quicker time than she ran last year on her way to second.

Second woman on Sunday was South West Road Runners’ Laura Macro, who clocked 44.23 minutes, with Tavistock AC’s Hannah Smith third in 45.35, South West Road Runners’ Victoria Hill fourth in 45.52 and fifth place went to Tavistock’s Hannah Walker in 47.36 minutes.

As in previous years, the race incorporated the Ross Shield – Devon’s oldest running championship – which is a team event.

In the men’s Ross Shield, six athletes count, and three count in the women’s event, while in the Tavy 7 team event it is four runners for both categories.

Tavistock AC retained the women’s Ross Shield trophy with the Walker sisters and Smith, but they had to settle for second in the race team prize, with South West Road Runners taking that honour.

Erme Valley Harriers finished second in both the race and the Ross Shield men’s team events.

The Ivybridge-based club did pick up a number of age category prizes.

As well as Haynes winning the M40 section, Nick Bristow took top honours in the M50 category, team-mate Stuart Witty won the M55 prize ahead of Tavistock’s Marc Curtis, while Alison Engledew was first F65 and fellow Erme Valley athlete David Rayfield was third M60.

Plymouth Harriers’ Steve Hale took first place in the M65 age group, with Instinctive Sports’ Andrew Whitby second.

Tamar Trotters’ Barry Olver and Richard Morton were second and third in the M70 category, while Storm Plymouth’s Sarah Phillips was second F40, ahead of Tavistock’s Hannah Gethrin.

Jane Bremner (Tamar Trotters) was second F65, while Instinctive Sports’ Brenda Thorne was second F70 and Tavistock’s Jenny Jeeves was third F55.

Full results can be found HERE.

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