TAVISTOCK runner James Best took an impressive third place at the English Schools Fell Race Championship in Kendal, Cumbria.

The competition for school years 12/13 was run over a distance of 7km with a 1,100ft climb to the summit. The course, gently undulating to start, took a sharp rise at 1km with a 300ft incline before dropping back to the valley, followed by a steady 500ft ascent of the approach to Hay Fell and finished with a sharp 300ft steep climb to the top.

James's confident ascent of the first hill saw him in a breakaway pack of five. On the next steady climb he moved into third behind two international capped runners. On the last steep climb James pulled away on the fast descent to finish third in 32mins 54 sec.

It was James's fifth fell race of the season and makes up for the disappointment of narrowly missing selection at the England Athletics Mountain Trials in August at Whinlatter Forest Park where he finished 11th in the U20 age group.

James trains with Tavistock Athletic Club, where he has really benefitted from the friendly competitive spirit in the 'Farah' training group and the guidance of his coach Carrie Lawson. The club is enjoying a reputation for young running talent and trains on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.

James is now stepping up his mileage as he moves up an age group into 'junior men'. He will be competing in the Westward League cross country series and local 10k races as he builds his training for more fell running in the spring.