AFTER a long, hard cross-country season, Tavistock Athletic Club athletes found themselves in the medals after the final fixture Westward Cross Country League series, which took place on Sunday at Plymouth's Central Park. The spectator-friendly course provides a great mixture of hills, twists and turns as well as plenty of mud, wind and rain.

In the U11s' races a number of Tavistock runners had completed several of these races with Leighton Howe the first to finish in 11th place. Close behind, and first Tavistock girl, was Tilly McDowell closely followed by Joe Dix in 16th and Tayla James in 21st place.

The senior ladies and both U17s' fields combined into one race. U17 men's captain Sam Lane DeCourtin was already in an unbeatable position in the championship thanks to fine performances over the previous races, including winning the Cornish Championship.

Sam set a strong pace from the gun and blew away all but one of his rivals. Despite opening gaps on several hills, he was unable to maintain his momentum and was forced to settle for second. His team-mates Josh Blake and Will Dax pushed each other and their fifth and sixth places on the day were their best so far and reinforced the team's excellent silver medal position overall.

In the U17 girls' category, Tess Masselink ran strongly and only tired in the latter stages before finishing as first U17s girl and 13th in the combined race. It ensured her silver medal for her season's efforts.

The senior ladies' team endured a slight anti-climax to a fruitful season for the Tavistock squad. However, their efforts in rounds one to five had ensured an unassailable position as second veteran team and the absent Rebecca Exley-Deane's best-ever performances had already clinched gold in her over-40s age-group. In the U13 girls, Natasha Farrington took a superb place to round off a season of consistently high finishes and selection to represent Devon at national level. Her team-mate Jenny Milburn finished 11th.

The senior men's competition has been fierce all season, with large entries in every race, of a high standard. All the more credit then to Tavistock's leading runner James Best. In his first season at this level 18 year-old James has improved with every race. On Sunday James fought hard for an excellent fourth place against some of the best runners from Devon and Cornwall. Also in his best run of the series, over-50 Richard Drage surged through the pack to come home in 28th and secure silver in his age category, just holding off youngster Harrison Baker in 29th in his first season at this level. Tony Symons' 40th place was enough to earn him a bronze at over-50 with Tim Exley in 45th. Richard Best was third veteran counter for the team in 57th, Mike Best 64th, Jason Shipton 78th, Gary Chater 80th, over-65 Bob Chapman in 85th and Pete Bazley 88th. These results earned the veteran men's team bronze in the final championship.

In the U15s boys' and girls', conditions were made difficult by a torrential downpour throughout. Despite this, Tavistock's Charlie Shipton achieved his best result of a season to earn 10th place. With three victories and one second place under her belt already and the championship already decided in her favour, the top U15s girl, Tavistock's Sian Temple, did not need to compete in the final fixture.

Tavistock AC honours: U17s boys individual: 1, Sam Lane DeCourtin; U17s boys team: 2, Tavistock AC; U17s girls individual: 2, Tess Masselink; over-40 ladies: 1, Rebecca Exley-Deane; veteran ladies team: 2, Tavistock AC; U15s girls: 1, Sian Temple; over-50 men: 2, Richard Drage, 3, Tony Symons; veteran mens' team: 3, Tavistock AC.