THE first of the Tavistock Athletic Club Primary Schools cross country races were held at Princetown. With a record 14 schools taking part the inaugural league race was bound to be a fiercely contested affair and so it proved to be. The tough off road course was approximately 1.8 miles and was a challenge to those short of endurance. New teams to the league this year, Bickleigh Down Primary and Kelly Preparatory School, acquitted themselves well – with Kelly showing their strength to take overall team honours. The first race was a fun run, open to all and included nearly 30 runners from years four, five and six. This race and the subsequent boys 'and girls' races used a two lap field course that was shared with a flock of energetic ewes who delighted in having company on a chilly afternoon. At least they had pure woolly jumpers! 'Harry the Hare' – local celebrity led the runners on the first lap of the course before stepping aside, exhausted. Next off was the girls' race and it was dominated by Kelly girls who had four counting runners in the first 13 places. Selina Kisby and Eleanor Partington ran the race together and crossed the line hand in hand, but the judges gave the race to Kisby. With Olivia Lunn and Sophie Whitfield making up the other Kelly team places, the girls had a clear victory over St Peter's and St Andrew's. The boys' race followed and it was led from start to finish by Jordan Channon who won in commanding fashion with his Tavistock schoolmate Robert Young coming second. However, the packing of the Walkhampton boys (Adam Thyer in fourth, Tom Eggins in seventh, William Langdon, 11th and James Anderson in 12th), meant that Walkhampton took the boys' team race. The league uses the combined scores from the girls' and boys' races to calculate results. This gave victory to Kelly by just one point from Tavistock (36), Walkhampton (35) and St Peter's (34). Martin Exley, on behalf of Tavistock Athletic Club, thanks Princetown Primary School, and in particular Andy Radford, for all the work involved hosting the event. l The last race in the series is being held at Meavy Primary School on March 18 at 2pm. Pictures by James Bird