Tony Brewer (Mile High) and Thomas Fisher (Cornwall AC) led the Cornish challenge in the winter's third Brooks Westward Cross Country League fixture at Exeter recently.

With the Devon Championships included at this event, the competition was tougher than usual in all age groups, none more so than the Senior Men, which attracted a huge field of one hundred and seventy three runners.  

Brewer, the recently crowned Cornwall Cross Country Champion, showed why he is currently the Duchy’s number one cross country exponent, mixing it at the front of the race with Devon’s best. 

Despite being no match for the race winner, Tom Merson (Exmouth Harriers), the Mile High man finished in third place and now moves into a clear lead at the half way point of the season in the overall Senior Men’s league classification.

The Cornwall AC Senior Men’s team continue to do battle with Bideford AAC in the team competition, winning their third successive league race but each victory over their North Devon rivals has been a little too close for comfort, so much so that the local club still lead by only twenty eight points. 

Cornwall AC were led home for the second successive league race by Callum Jones, who finished in an excellent fifth place, an outstanding performance from the Under 20 athlete. 

Callum certainly seems to be befitting from a new training environment since beginning his degree course at Bristol University in September and now looks stronger than ever on the country.

Thomas Fished enjoyed a great run in the Under 13 race, although he had to fight hard all the way, with the top four finishers separated by just three seconds. 

Tom’s victory moves him into the overall lead in this age group and also helped Cornwall AC move into the lead in the team competition, which they will be looking to consolidate in the next Westward League match at Westward Ho early in January, hopefully with the return of Joshua Broome and the Miers twins, who were both away representing Truro School in the English Schools Cup Final at Southend.

In the Senior Ladies race, Cornwall AC, missing most of their established  Senior Ladies, relied on two of the club’s talented youngsters, Charlotte Cayton-Smith (13th and 5th Under 17) and Issy Steele (16th) to keep the club in contention in the team competition.

CORNWALL AC RESULTS

Under 11 Girls: 9 Beth Ireland 6.44, 12 Catherine Groves 6.53, 13 Olivia Iles 6.54, 16 Lani Groves 7.11,  Under 13 Girls: 8 Grace Brock 11.22.  Under 15 Girls: 8 Katie Hughes 15.29, 15 Abbie Cayton-Smith 16.30, 16 Myra Groves 16.33.  Team: 3 Cornwall AC.  Senior Ladies: 13 Charlotte Cayton-Smith (5th Under 17) 18.35, 16 Issy Steele 18.48, 29 Kathryn Burgess  (V35) 19.51, 51 Karen Harrison (V45) 21.42, 58 Martha Carlisle (8th Under 17) 22.15, 69 Lesley Wright (V55) 23.21. Team: 5 Cornwall AC, Veteran Team 7 Cornwall AC

Under 13 Boys : 1 Thomas Fisher 9.56, 9 Abu Gupta 10.36, 12 Jacob Milligan 10.39.  Team: 1 Cornwall AC.  Under 15 Boys: 5 Tom Slattery 13.21, 7 James Williams 13.45. Team 5 Cornwall AC.  Senior Men: 3 Tony Brewer (Mile High) 28.26, 5 Callum Jones (U20) 28.35, 9 Justin Thomas  (V40) 28.48, 11 Dan Rodgers 28.53, 14 Phil Wilson 29.06, 18 Chris Harry (V50) 29.19, 34 Dave Buzza (V50) 30.24, 38 Paul Whear 30.41, 51 Andrew Martin (Mile High) 31.10, 53 Ceri Whitmore 31.37, 63 Mike Dowrick (V40) 32.00, 75 David Angell (Mile High) 32.31, 82 A Benney (Mile High) 32.54, 87 Adrian Ball (V45) 33.15, 95 Tim Rowe (V40) 33.45, 99 Dale Triggs (Under 20) 34.13, 104 Andrew Eddison (V45) 34.49, 112 Sam Heslop-George (Under 20) 35.28, 141 Lee Burrows 37.32, 146 Nigel Trevena (V45) 37.53. Teams 1 Cornwall AC.  Veteran Team 1 Cornwall AC