AN already outstanding season in which ladies teams from Tavistock Athletic Club won the Westward League, Devon County Championships and second place in the South West at cross country, was capped with their first national title on Sunday. The venue at Exmouth saw temperatures in the high 20 degree Cs for the large field of 226 men and women from all over the country who came to contest the British Masters 10K Road Championship.

On a relatively flat two lap course, including a seafront stretch crowded with sunworshippers, Tavistock were superbly led by the in-form Caroline Steven. In her 45-49 year age group, Caroline was to take the only individual medal for Tavistock athletes by finishing third.

As creditable as this fine performance was, it was eclipsed by the overall result achieved by the ladies team. In the 45-54 team category, Caroline's 10th place was reinforced by fine performances from Rebecca Deane in 14th and a superb 21st from Kate Rogers who stepped down to the younger age-group to be the third team member. Their cumulative time of 2hrs 16mins 37secs meant victory by more than two minutes form Westbury Harriers of Bristol.

In men's Masters racing, the strength of the Tavistock squad is such that they were always likely to be in contention after dominating this category in Devon and Cornwall on all surfaces for several years. In the men's 45-54 age group, their team of Chris Champion, Richard Drage, Martin Exley and Tony Symons met their expectations with all four finishing in the top 60 overall and Drage, Champion and Symons combining in their age-group to achieve the silver medal position, losing out on a national title only to one of the biggest clubs in the country - Bristol and West AC

While there were no individual national honours, Drage and Symons added to their track medal hauls from this summer by taking first and third in the South West in the largest male category, the 50-54 age-group.