TAVISTOCK Athletic Club members had a tough test in the penultimate Westward League meeting of the season at the picturesque setting of Parke at Bovey Tracey. It was particularly challenging for the town athletes as a number of the senior men had run the Torremolinos half-marathon on the previous weekend and many of the leading juniors, having qualified for the English schools regional championships, had been competing in Gloucester on the previous day. However, there was a good turnout from the Tavistock club. The conditions at Bovey Tracey were good with a challenging but classic cross-country course. The senior ladies and U17s was the first race of the day and the first runner to cross the finish line was Tavistock AC runner Tom Gill. Tom had completed the English schools regional championships on the previous day where he finished in fifth place, and his victory at Bovey Tracey reflected a tremendous achievement. Matt McNamara-Waddington and Owen Drage also both achieved their best league positions of the season finishing in sixth and tenth place respectively. In the U17 ladies' race Sammy Fraser finished in an overall 11th place, registering a season's best placing. In the combined senior ladies' event the Tavistock club were well represented with Heather Fell finishing in a strong third, Sue Bratchley in 14th, Megan Fell in 16th with Rebecca Deane finishing in 17th place. In the U13 girls race Tavistock was again well represented and looking certain to retain their first team placing. Claire Fraser who had run in the English schools on the previous day ran a superb race coming home with a clear lead in an excellent first place. Sarah Hornby also had an excellent run recording a season's best position in fifth place. Emma Champion and Annabel Longden both recorded season's best positions — finishing in eighth and ninth respectively — to give the Tavistock girls an almost certain team gold medal. In the U13 boys' race Seth McNamara-Waddington ran a strong race to record another season's best finish in 13th place. Tavistock fielded a strong contingent of runners in the senior mens' event with Richard Drage again recording a season's best position by finishing in seventh place and consolidating his lead in the veteran 45 category. He was followed by Chris Champion with another season's best in tenth. The next Tavistock runner to finish was Rupert Warren in 17th, one place ahead of Tony Symonds with Martin Exley in 23rd, Adam Holland in 30th, Robin Musgrave in 55th, Peter Bazley in 75th and Keith Bowles in 82th place. In the U15 girls' race Rebecca Windemer was again the only Tavistock representative and the regional schools qualifier showed her level of fitness by recording an excellent second place. In the final race of the day Tavistock fielded a strong team with Nick Champion and Sam Straughan. Nick ran particularly well moving steadily through the field to finish an excellent second. He was followed by George Speak who produced another season's best to finish fifth one place ahead of Sam Straughan. Sam Eaton also produced a typical gutsy effort to finish in tenth place ensuring the Tavistock team will be well placed to win the team event for the second consecutive year.