PRINCETOWN Moor was the scenic and sunny but windy location for the final cross country run of the Tavistock Area Schools Cross Country Series. This was the race that decided the medals and the overall individual and team positions.

The year 3/4 races were back to fun runs for the final event. Lara Dix of St Peter’s, Clara Edwards of Horrabridge and Emily Pocknell of Tavistock were the first three girls back. Nicolas Maczvgowski of St Peter’s, Dylan Taylor of Meavy and William Elliot of Gulworthy led the boys’ run home.

The year 5/6 boys race was the first to start and did not disappoint the spectators. Matthew Brimacombe of St Andrew’s led the field in,his first victory of the series, followed by 2, Luke Tyler of Lady Modiford’s; 3, Ewan Dix of St Peter’s; 4, Kebba Murch of Tavistock; 5, William White and 6, Solly Hunter of Mary Tavy and Brentor.

As soon as the boys came in the girls took off and previous form held up for the final race. Kristyna Cade of St Andrew’s, Izzy Page of Meavy and Hannah Walker of St Peter’s were 1, 2 and 3 respectively in all three races. They were followed in by Jessica Griffiths (St Andrew’s), Tilly Murdoch (Horrabridge) and Emma Luckham (Whitchurch).

The overall individual winners of the series: Boys gold medal, Ewan Dix, silver, William White and Kebba Murch; girls’ gold, Kristyna Cade, silver, Izzy Page, bronze, Hannah Walker.

The team winners of the annual shield competition was St Peter’s school with 4,513 points. The six boys and six girls received gold medals. Second, on 4,509 pts was St Andrew’s; 3, Tavistock; 4, Whitchurch; 5, Meavy and 6, Horrabridge.

Meavy won the small schools team competition with Gulworthy as runners-up.

Thanks go to Joe Dix and Dan Luckham for being the ‘hares’ for all three events, to all those parents who volunteered as marshals, Sam Lake at Tavistock Primary, Lyndsay Hobbs at Whitchurch primary and the staff of Princetown Primary School who hosted the last event.

The OCRA/Tavistock Athletic Team of Mhairi McCall, Allan Herdman and Martin Exley-Deane thoroughly enjoyed the Tavistock Area Schools Cross Country Series 2016 and are already looking forward to next year’s.