AS the 2011/2012 Brooks Westward Cross Country season heads towards its conclusion, Tavistock athletes headed to the mud and hills of Bovey Tracey for round five of the six race series.

The day opened with the U11s development race with Tavistock fielding five boys and girls with Jenny Milburn finishing in a superb second place; Jude White was third, Tilly McDowell 15th, Lucy Steven 18th and Tayla James 21st.

In the mixed U17 men, U17 ladies and senior ladies race, Olympian Heather Fell fought a gripping battle with England over-40 international Emma Stepto all the way round the 5K course before losing out in the final throes to the Cornwall AC runner- leader of the overall ladies competition. As well as a superb second place in the ladies race, Fell finished an excellent fifth in the combined race. With Caroline Steven in 15th overall and Alice Rogers, a junior international at pentathlon, 22nd.

In the U17 men's race, both Harrison Baker and James Best completed their fifth race of five, with Baker an overall seventh and Best not far behind in 13th.

The third race featured the strong U13 girls squad. Tavistock's Emily Attfield enjoyed her best run of the year and her first victory to move to lead the individual competition.

In the men's race Tavistock's Jim Cole fighting tenaciously with the series leader, Kevin Toher from Newquay before having to content himself with second place.

The Over 50 category has been totally dominated by Tavistock , with Tony Symons, Richard Drage and Martin Exley taking top three positions in every race in which they were present. In Drage's absence, Symons took an overall 21st and his third age group win to clinch the series whilst Exley's 31st and second over-50 place; over-60 Bob Chapman was 72nd. Close behind, the veterans continued to finish for Tavistock with Mike Baker 73rd, Dave Rickwodd 85th, Pete Bazley 87th, Gary Chater 92nd and Richard Best 94th.

The final race in the U15s competing together, Sam Lane DeCourtin and Jordan Channon did their club proud. Lane DeCourtin took a marvellous second place and in third came Channon.