On Sunday 24 members of Torbay AAC headed out in force to The Templer 10. The trail race boasts a start and finish in the beautiful grounds of Stover School and follows an undulating course around Teigngrace and Stover Country Park. The fierce storms, lashing rain and hurricane force winds of the previous day had given way to a bright, still autumnal morning. The aftermath of the weather meant that for safety reasons the two miles alongside the river were deemed unsafe to run, this was a delight for the Halloween sore heads and tired legs and a disappointment for the long runs are more fun runners. Athletes gave it their all on the muddy trails, sinking in the bogs, skipping over tree roots and huffing and puffing up the hills all against the backdrop of glorious red and gold autumn leaves. There were 268 finishers and not a dry foot amongst them!
Torbay AAC produced some very impressive performances and great teamwork with the Ladies Team claiming the first place trophy (Betsy Bebbington, Sara Crozier, Hayley Ratcliff and Cassandra Harrison)
Betsy Bebbington claimed 2nd fv55, Sara Crozier 2nd fv50, Hayley Ratcliffe 3rd fv50, Sally Davies 2nd fv65 and Anthony Raine 3rd mv50. Club results as follows:
First home for Torbay in position 28 Matthew Smith (57:23), 33 Anthony Raine (57:57), First Lady for the club 53 Betsy Bebbington (1:03:25), 83 Mark Bruce (1:07:25), 88 Sara Crozier (1:08:42), 105 Hayley Ratcliffe (1:10:41), 108 Mark Smith (1:10:54), 109 Cassandra Harrison (1:11:04), 110 Mike Davies (1:11:04), 148 Ian Sharrock (1:16:18), 161 Ray Brown (1:17:22), 167 Lisa Haley (1:18:03), 169 David Pressley (1:18:17), 182 Andy Phillipou (1:19:38), 183 Sally Davies (1:19:46), 186 Lisa Belsten (1:20:17), 191 Mark Luscombe (1:20:53), 192 Tessa Hearfield (1:20:58), 220 Tas Felstead (1:26:01), 224 Anita Ley (1:27:06), 239 Debra Pressley (1:30:53), 241 Glen Hawkins (1:31:21), 244 Gemma Radcliffe (1:32:12), 245 Charlotte Phillipou (1:32:13)
Many thanks to Teignbridge Trotters for hosting the event and to all the marvelous marshals for the fantastic support.
Four Torbay AAC runners headed to Sidford to take on the inaugural Sidmouth 10k road race, this out and back course down to and along Sidmouth Seafront had a sneaky long hill which runners had to run up in both directions. 324 runners lined up at the start.
27 Brian Lewis 48.20
49 Shaun Andrew 50.59
125 Irene Hewings 57.22 1st FV60
167 Anna Andrews 1.01.08
Christopher Norman was flying the red and gold colours for Torbay AAC in the Bideford 10 miler claiming position 422 in a time of 1:29:48. There were 832 runners. A nice sunny ish day in Bideford with some decent flood water to contend with.