WESTWARD Ho! was the venue for the fourth race of the Charles Stanley Westward Cross Country League season.

Normally runners are greeted at Westward Ho! by cold, howling gales and of course it was the same on Sunday.

The first race of the day for the Tavistock AC runners was the under 11 girls over a one-mile lap of the course, followed by the U11 boys over the same distance. Then it was the turn of the U13 girls in the first team race of the afternoon. The four TAC runners faired well with a solid team score which will help them in their fight for an overall bronze position.

They were followed by the combined U15 girls and U13 boys’ race over 2.5-miles. Charlotte Walker had a strong performance but unfortunately Krystina Cade had a bad fall which affected the team score but she gamely managed to finish in order to register a score. In the U15 boys Ewan Dix (fifth) had a great run followed up by Jacob Holland in 13th. The afternoon’s penultimate race was the U17 men and the senior/vet/U17 combined women’s race over 3.5 laps (3.5-miles). Will Russell led the TAC runners home in seventh to improve his personal score in the league. Jo Meek led the ladies team home (24th) supported by Heather Fell (33rd) and Sam Lake (36th) and Caroline Steven (48th).

As always the senior men’s race over 5.5-miles was the last race of the day. Runners endured another squall just before the start to get them cold and wet before the off. Ed Horn ran well in 20th for his highest finish in the league so far.

Nine other senior men backed up Ed for another solid team score, which undoubtedly will move them up from sixth in the league.

Results: U11 girls (1,600m): Ellena Hess sixth; Nell Maguire 12th, Florence Riggott 15th Miley Lake 19th. U11 boys (1,600m): George Page 29th. U13 girls (3,200m): Matilda Riggott 5th, Piper Haffenden 10th, Freya Page 12th; Elsie Maguire 17th. U13 boys (4,000m): Thomas Harris 29th.

U15 girls (4,000m): Charlotte Walker 20th, Issy Page 30th, Krystina Cade 34th. U15 boys (4,800m): Ewan Dix fifth, Jacob Holland 13th.

U17 men/women and senior women (5,600m): Will Russell seventh, Jo Meek 24th, Heather Fell 33rd; Sam Lake 36th, Caroline Steven 48th, Elyse Kedzior-MacDonough 59th, Sarah Holland 69th, Helen Kula-Przezwanski 81st, Hazel Walker 104th. Senior men (8,800m): Ed Horn 20th, Martin Exley-Deane 37th, Richard Drage 48th, Alistair Peers 52nd, Steve Thackham 69th, Pat MacDonough 73rd, Richard Best 75th, David Harris 77th, Guy Riggott 86th, Bob Chapman 99th.