Club History

Torbay AC was officially formed in 1970 when road and cross country specialists at Paignton AC, one of the top clubs in the country at the time, amalgamated with track club Torquay AAC. The history of the club goes back to the 1870s, though, when clubs in Torquay, Paignton, Newton Abbot and Exmouth engaged in regular “foot races”, and Paignton AC and St Marychurch Harriers – formed in 1894 and 1909 respectively – dominated the racing scene for decades. Paignton AC had their headquarters at Queen’s Park, sharing the facilities with the town’s cricket and rugby clubs, and from 1946, when Torquay AAC was formed, the Recreation Ground was also used for training. At the end of the 1960s, Paignton was ranked seventh in the country for distance running, and were able to field six teams in the county cross-country championships.