Westward League - Final Race

In the final round of the 2004/5 Westward Cross Country League, held last Sunday at the Rolle College Sports Ground in Exmouth, Exmouth Harriers occupied two of the top three positions in the men's race. Dave Stone secured a rare victory over club mate Anthony Hatchard, powering past him in the final descent after Hatchard had overtaken him on the climb, to finish second to Hatchard's third. Steve Thompson finished 9th, Jon Croome 14th, Shaun Lock 15th and Phil Hatchard 18th, to make it an excellent day for the Harriers. Also in the men's race Tim Gent finished 24th, John Perratt 30th, Jim Wyatt 42nd and Les Turner 43rd.

After Sunday's run, prizes were presented for performances over the six race winter series, which began in Cornwall in October. Exmouth men were third team in the Senior Male category and Hannah Dupain was 10th in the women's rankings.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the Atlantic, Exmouth's Hugh Marsden added to his victory in the Cape Pembroke Half-Marathon earlier this year by winning the inaugural Stanley Marathon in the Falkland Islands last Sunday. Hugh recorded a time of 3 hours and 7 minutes on a hilly course in cold and windy conditions to finish 3 minutes in front of second place. Thirty-one men, nine women and thirteen relay teams entered the race which begin at the Port Stanley branch of the Standard Chartered Bank, who sponsored the race.

(Andrew Johnson)