SIXTEEN athletes from Tavistock Athletic Club made the journey to the north Devon coast to tackle the fourth round of the Westward League cross-country event at Northern Burrows, near Westward Ho! on Sunday.

The course appears to be very flat, but the reality is that it is probably the toughest course in the 6-fixture series.

It has fierce winds driving from the southwest with marshes and ditches needing strength and endurance in abundance from the runners to survive. It’s not a course for the faint-hearted.

Fearne Brogden was the first TAC runner to take to the course in the U13 girls race over 2.8km. She came home with a strong finish to cross the line in 11th place.

Next TAC runner home was Ollie Neale in the U13 boys race, who battled all the way to finish in a creditable 35th place

In the U15 boys race, the TAC team has strength in depth and showed it again by storming the overall positions. Freddie Whybrow ran a very sensible race, sitting in second place for the first lap of the 4.4km course before unleashing his attack on the second lap to take the victory.

Luke Scott-Tucker worked hard for his 3rd place and with Eldon Young 5th and Archie Neale 13th. The team took victory on the day and went a long way to cementing the league title.

In the penultimate race of the day the women ran 5.7km (2 large laps of the course). With Jenny Jeeves commanding her age category - finishing 31st overall and first in her category - she boosted her unbeaten winning streak to four races this season.

Backed up by Emma White in 48th and Carole Watson in 63rd, the ladies are pushing hard to win the veterans team category.

The final race of the day was the Vet men's race, covering 8.7km (three large laps), which took place just before a massive storm blew in. The TAC team acquitted themselves well.

Ben Neale was first home for the club in 13th and gave himself a good chance of picking up the Vet 40 category from Tom Brogden (also TAC) who currently leads the category. Brogden had a strong run, in 19th place overall.

With Marc Curtis (60th), Paddy Moyna (66th), Martin Exley-Deane (68th), debutant Nigel Cowley (87th) and David Harris (88th), the veteran men are making a strong bid to move up the league table and take a podium place in the veterans’ series.

The Western League Cross Country series comprises six events, held between October and February, often made even more challenging by the prevailing winter weather, the races always attract a large turnout from across the southwest.

Over 500 runners, with age categories from under 11 to over 65, typically take part in what is one of the toughest of the running disciplines supported by the Club.

Pictured are the Tavistock Athletic Club vet men's team: Paddy Moyna, Nigel Cowley, David Harris, Martin Exley-Deane, Marc Curtis, Ben Neale and Tom Brogden.