THE second round of the Charles Stanley Westward Cross Country League took place on Sunday at Newquay — the event also included the Cornwall County Championships.

Remarkably, the course was far drier than runners expected and this led to some fast and competitive racing.

Yet again Tavistock AC had a big contingent of runners across the age groups with 38 athletes competing. First race of the day was the under 13 girls who were then followed by the U13 boys over the 3km course. Charlotte Walker & Piper Haffenden led the TAC girls home in 16th and 17th place. Ewan Dix led the TAC boys home, also in 17th place. third race was the combined U17 men, U17 women and senior women.

Brad Stevens was the first runner for the club home, in a big field (and their only U17 male)in fifth overall, and gaining County selection. Heather Fell was the clubs first female in 17th (and fourth female) putting her in with a great chance of a medal in the Devon Championships next month. Natasha Farrington (29th) and Tilly McDowell (32th) counted for an excellent team score. Tilly’s superb run secured the gold medal in the U17 Cornwall women’s category.

The U11 girls and boys races were next with TAC having two runners in each. The 4km, U15 girls race showed the class of the TAC girls with their three team counters all finishing in the top 16.

In the U15 boys the TAC runners also combined well all finishing in the top 15.

The final race of the day was the senior mens race over three full laps totalling 8.5km.

Adam Holland again led the team home in 16th, Tom Brew made his senior debut in the senior ranks with a solid 27th place and also in his first outing in the league Ed Horn finished in 65th.

Martin Exley-Deane picked up a Cornish bronze in the veteran 50 category, finishing as the fifth counter for TAC.

Full results: U13 girls, Charlotte Walker 16th, Piper Haffenden 17th, Hannah Walker 25th, Penny Jones 33thd, Sophie Varcoe 41st, Chloe Howells 44th.

U13 boys, Ewan Dix 17th, Nicolas Maczugowski 23rd, Jacob Holland 24th, James Crossey 34th.

U17 women, U17 men, senior women, (combined results) Brad Stevens fifth, Heather Fell 17th, Natasha Farrington 29th, Tilly McDowell 32th, Jodi Fisk 38th, Emma White 73rd, Helen Kula-Przezwanski 107th.

U11 girls, Claudia Jones 13th, Lara Dix 14th.

U11 Boys Oscar Jones 30th, Ewan Mill 34th.

U15 girls Amelia Riggott fourth, Krystina Cade ninth, Elyse Kedzior-MacDonough 16th. U15 boys, Joe Dix ninth, Will Russell 11th, Dan Luckham 15th.

Senior men, Adam Holland 16th, William Dax 21st, Tom Brew 27th, Ed Horn 65th, Martin Exley-Deane 77th, James Armstrong 103rd, David Harris 139th, Richard Best 142nd, Jason Shipton 170th, Pat MacDonough 182th, Bob Chapman 194th.