This is North Devon -- Two county champions took the opportunity to stamp their authority on the Gliddon and Squire North Devon Cross Country League.A week after winning under-13 titles at the Devon Championships in Exeter, Holly Martin and Joel Kirby enjoyed runaway victories at Arlington Court.
In the third league meeting of the winter, Holly maintained her 100% record and fellow North Devon AC member Joel made it two wins out of three.
The undulating fields of the National Trust grounds provided a testing course on Sunday for nearly 280 runners who took part in six age groups.
Just two days after winning silver in the North Devon Schools race at West Buckland, Holly showed no signs of fatigue. The 12-year-old from Pyworthy opened up a big lead on the first lap and eased clear over the 2,700m course. Anna Downs, from Chulmleigh, had a strong run to take second and Erin Silvester, of North Devon AC, was third.
For Joel, victory over 3,300m in the boys' race completed a hat-trick of wins in eight days after his successes at Exeter and West Buckland. By the end of the first lap he had opened up a 20-second advantage over club-mate Miles Rees who came through for second.
There was a similar breakaway in the under-15 girls' race as North Devon's Eevee-May Banbury edged in front from Annabel Heath, of West Buckland, to claim first place.
In a thrilling under-9 boys' race, Noah Pearce held off the challenge of his Braunton FC team-mate Robert Morgan to claim the win.
Leading a field of 51 runners, Noah battled at the front with Shebbear's Harry Brown for most of the 1,220 metres. While Harry held on for third, Robert almost timed his late charge to perfection but Noah dug in down the final stretch to cross the line first.
The strength of Jessica Dutton to pull clear up the hill towards the finish made all the difference in the under-9 girls' race. She was pushed all the way by Madison Old, who took second for Bude Rats.
Another North Devon AC versus Bude Rats rivalry made for an excellent under-11 girls' race and it was a battle between two Ellas.
Ella Henry-Brock set the pace for three quarters of the race while Ella Frazer-Smith tenaciously stayed in her shadow. Frazer-Smith finally edged clear to win for North Devon by the narrowest of margins with both girls earning praise for their efforts.
The strength of the NDAC training group was seen in the boys' under-11s where six of the seven runners in a breakaway group at the front were wearing the navy blue vest. In the largest field of the day, 52 athletes set a relentless pace with Arnie Buckley dictating the tempo in the early stages.
Jack Dutton powered through to take his third win of the season with club-mates Henry Cooper and Joe Hill not far behind in the other podium places.
Euan Kernahan and Callum Choules had secured the top two spots in the North Devon Schools junior boys' race and they had another tussle in the under-15 category two days later.
The win went to Euan, from Chulmleigh, while Callum ensured North Devon AC had a one-two. At Exeter last week, Callum held the edge to earn a Devon bronze medal.
Mike Gaunt led the way for North Devon in the under-19 boys with his sister Hannah winning the girls' category in the same age-group.
Gary Suggate, of Bideford AAC, continues to lead the way for the senior men's title, although he had to settle for third on the day. After 15 months since his last race, Bideford's Kevin Heywood, a former South of England cross country medallist, made a winning return.
Marilyn Blair, of Torrington AAC, was the leading senior woman, with Helen Heard, representing Shebbear, in second.
The final meeting of the Gliddon and Squire series takes place at West Buckland School on January 12.
See a gallery of photos from the meeting at Arlington Court
*Gliddon and Squire North Devon Cross Country League – meeting 3 (Arlington Court) – girls – U9:* 1 Jessica Dutton (NDAC), 2 Madison Old (Bude Rats), 3 Daisy Cotton (W Buckland), 4 Ellie Pricket (W Buckland), 5 Isobel Beer (Monkleigh) 6 Annabel Maskell (W Buckland), 7 Julia Grigs (Monkleigh), 8 Eleanor Roome (Marwood), 9 Chloe Shepperd (NDAC/Southmead), 10 Maya Schiffer (Bude Rats), 11 Elsie Andrews (NDAC), 12 Lottie Wakefield (W Buckland), 13 Hazel Rees (NDAC), 14 Sophie Summers (Fremington YFC), 15 Laine Weatherley (Newport), 16 Jasmine Morrish (Newport), 17 Madison Burgess (Orchard V), 18 Natalie Rudd (Orchard V), 19 Lily Fiddes (Fremington), 20 Phoebe Mckeller (Fremington), 21 Katie Nicholson (Caen), 22 Lucy Allix (Marwood), 23 Caitlin Phillips (Orchard V), 24 Mia Fordham (Orchard V), 25 Liberty Wright (Caen), 26 Honeysuckle Andrews (Holywell), 27 Gabriella Gee (Shebbear), 28 Aleana Singleton (Shebbear), 29 Gracie Boycott (Shebbear), 30 Taylor Tyman (Orchard V), 31 Chloe Stacey (Orchard V), 32 Olive Gibbon (Goodleigh), 33 Saffron Burton-Grey (Orchard V), 34 Esther Fox (Redwood), 35 Abigale Turner (Marwood), 36 Isabella Lawson (Coxleigh RC), 37 Ellie Dayman (Sticklepath), 39 Betsy Baldaro (W Down), 40 Madeleine Voce (W Buckland), 41 Madison Phillips (Orchard V), 42 Maya Craig (Caen), 43 Poppy Fiddes (Fremington), 44 Ella Swales (Holywell), 45 Tabitha Andrews (Holywell), 46 Mimi Heath (W Buckland), 47 Keira Craig (Caen).
*U11:* 1 Ella Fraser-Smith (NDAC), 2 Ella Henry-Brock (Bude Rats), 3 Truesanna Cooper (NDAC), 4 Isobel Tanner (Bish Tawton), 5 Lucy Phillips (Orchard V), 6 Katie Miles (W Buckland), 7 Abbi Oscroft (NDAC), 8 Erin Fraser-Smith (NDAC), 9 Ellie Braddick (W Buckland), 10 Abi Knight (Monkleigh), 11 Chloe Parry (W Buckland), 12 Alexandra Barnes (Marwood), 13 Georgia Bell (Marwood), 14 Isobel Nicholson (Caen), 15 Kaitlin Shepperd (NDAC), 16 Olivia Harvey (Instow), 17 Drew Williams (Goodleigh), 18 Esme Raistrick (Goodleigh), 19 Daisy Gatehouse (W Buckland), 20 Bella Dalton-Morgan (W Buckland), 21 Eleanor Voce (W Buckland), 22 Laura Priest (Shebbear), 23 Saffy Ayara-Epke (W Buckland), 24 Bridget Mathews (Shebbear), 25 Kelsie Brewer (Holywell), 26 Flora Corbin (W Buckland), 27 Ellerker Singleton (Shebbear), 28 Rebecca Halloway (Monkleigh), 29 Maisie Hart (W Buckland), 30 Becky Hassall (W Buckland), 31 Taylor Burgess (Orchard V), 32 Persephone Allaway (W Buckland), 33 Poppy Goaman (Kingsley), 34 Scarlet Fairhurst (NDAC), 35 Tamar Weeks (W Buckland), 36 Genevieve Andrews (Holywell).
*U13:* 1 Holly Martin (NDAC), 2 Anna Downs (Chulmleigh), 3 Erin Silvester (NDAC), 4 Charlotte Sutton (NDAC), 5 Fiona Corrick (W Buckland), 6 Harriet Turner (NDAC), 7 Sophie Hedden (NDAC), 8 Laura Fraser-Smith (NDAC), 9 Molly Pennington (Bideford Coll), 10 Molly Thomas (NDAC), 11 Isabella Backway (Kingsley), 12 Esther Cooper (W Buckland), 13 Amelia Dennis (Bideford Coll), 14 Hannah Evans (Bideford Coll), 15 Millie Beever (Bideford Coll), 16 Jessica Morrish (NDAC), 17 Mel Smith (Kingsley), 18 Alice Beresford (Kingsley), 19 Nalani Whiteley (NDAC).
*U15:* 1 Eevee-May Banbury (NDAC), 2 Annabel Heath (W Buckland), 3 Yasmine Wafai (W Buckland), 4 Jenny Johnson (W Buckland), 5 Zoe Bodinetz (Kingsley), 6 Megan Hamilton (Park), 7 Nancy Pennington (Bideford), 8 Ruby Beever (Bideford Coll), 9 Megan Hillger (Gt Torrington).
*U19:* 1 Hannah Gaunt (NDAC), 2 Daisy Waldron (W Buckland).
*Senior women:* 1 Marilyn Blair (Torrington AAC), 2 Helen Heard (Shebbear), 3 Claudia Wafai (NDAC), 4 Tracy Morrish (Kingsley), 5 Tracy Choules (NDAC).
*Boys – U9:* 1 Noah Pearce (Braunton FC), 2 Robert Morgan (Braunton FC), 3 Harry Brown (Shebbear), 4 Dylan Yeardell (Braunton FC), 5 Henry Richards (Kingsley), 6 George Thomas (W Buckland), 7 Fletcher Powe (ind), 8 Edward Butler (W Buckland), 9 Dan Huggins (Braunton FC), 10 Harry Joly-Bloodworth (NDAC), 11 Reuben Banbury (NDAC), 12 James Evans (St Margaret's), 13 Liam Stapleton (Kingsley), 14 Evan Suggate (St Margaret's), 15 Jack Whittaker (Braunton FC), 16 Freddie Harvey (Instow), 17 Harry Wall (ind), 18 Edward Evans (Marwood), 19 Oliver Hedden (NDAC), 20 Nicholas Roberts (Orchard V), 21 Aaron Foster (Braunton FC), 22 Toby Matthews (Goodleigh), 23 Leo Barriball (Orchard V), 24 Zachary Allaway (W Buckland), 25 Edward Pettifer (Monkleigh), 26 Ben Tolson (Monkleigh), 27 William Priest (Shebbear), 28 James Figes (St Margaret's), 30 Samuel Heard (ind), 31 Alex Ferrer (Kingsley), 32 James Keats (Kingsley), 33 Matthew Silverlock (Our Lady's), 34 Josh Flanagan (Kingsley), 35 Charlie Sparvell (Braunton FC), 36 Zach Barnes (Marwood), 37 Jack Cotgreave (ind), 38 George Heard (Shebbear), 39 Oliver Garnet-Smith (Monkleigh), 40 Sunny Wright (Caen), 41 Thomas Murdoch (Kingsley), 43 Harvey Beer (Orchard V), 44 Reuben Jones (Caen), 45 Ben Carter (Kingsley), 46 Riley McCormack (Kingsley), 47 Louis Bloodworth (ind), 48 Keiran Beer (Monkleigh), 49 Harry Fanson (Monkleigh), 50 William Murdoch (Kingsley), 51 Oliver Corbin (W Buckland).
*U11:* 1 Jack Dutton (NDAC), 2 Henry Cooper (NDAC), 3 Joe Hill (NDAC), 4 Arnie Buckley (NDAC), 5 Finlay Ball (NDAC), 6 Jack *****ett (W Buckland), 7 Luke Hamley (NDAC), 8 Rupert Pocock (Orchard V), 9 Dylan Dayman (NDAC), 10 Ellis Rees (NDAC), 11 Hector Darling (NDAC), 12 Adam Leworthy (ind), 13 Sam Copsey (Landkey), 14 Ryan Chalkley (Bude Rats), 15 Ollie Heath (W Buckland), 16 Hughie Fox (Redwood), 17 Alex Grigg (Monkleigh), 18 Oliver McQuillam (St Margaret's), 19 Luke Maxa (Shebbear), 20 William Figes (St Margaret's), 21 Owen Roberts (Bude Rats), 22 Benjamin Rouse (Newport), 23 Brendan Passingham (NDAC), 24 Theo Bishop (W Buckland), 25 Ben Andrews (Monkleigh), 26 Ben Stucley (W Buckland), 27 Sam Allix (NDAC), 28 Tom Hillyer (Langtree), 29 Mikey Ritzen (Holywell), 30 Owen Hopkins (Monkleigh), 31 Ned Etchells (NDAC), 32 Joseph Faulkner (Shebbear), 33 Jacob Butler (Orchard V), 34 Zachary Thorne (Orchard V), 35 Tyler Lindo (NDAC), 36 Billy Heard (ind), 37 Isaac Champion (Monkleigh), 38 Toby Beer (Monkleigh), 39 Fintan Connor (Monkleigh), 40 Clark Easton (Fremington FC), 41 Owen Mendry (Shebbear), 42 Harry Thomas (Orchard V), 43 Archie Boycott (Shebbear), 44 Thomas Gibbon (Goodleigh), 45 Mason Gardner (Goodleigh), 46 Cameron Young (Shebbear), 47 Lennox Bradford (W Buckland), 48 Tom Hemercott (Shebbear), 49 Aidan Beckley (W Buckland), 50 Koby Tanton (Holywell), 51 Harrison Beer (Monkleigh), 52 Euan Lorimer (W Buckland).
*U13:* 1 Joel Kirby (NDAC), 2 Miles Rees (NDAC), 3 Sammy Watts (W Buckland), 4 Alex Walker (NDAC), 5 Jordan Choules (NDAC), 6 Hamish James (NDAC), 7 Seth ***es (NDAC), 8 Ted Andrews (NDAC), 9 Patrick Faulkner (NDAC), 10 Jacob Allchorn (NDAC), 11 Nathaniel Bodinetz (Kingsley), 12 Nick Bone (Kingsley), 13 Fergus Darling (NDAC), 14 Aidan Hart (W Buckland), 15 Lewis Kellaway-Lindo (ind), 16 Gabriel Bodinetz (Kingsley), 17 Hector Bunclark (W Buckland), 18 Tom Whiteley (W Buckland).
*U15:* 1 Euan Kernahan (NDAC), 2 Callum Choules (NDAC), 3 Joe Marshall-Evans (Bude Rats), 4 Kieren Bidwell (NDAC), 5 Sam Rickard (ind), 6 William Allchorn (NDAC), 7 James Varley (W Buckland), 8 Joe Hillyer (Gt Torrington), 9 Marley Purchase (ind).
*U19:* 1 Michael Gaunt (NDAC), 2 Jordan Blair (Torrington AAC), 3 Jack Unsworth (Kingsley), 4 Connor McCowan-Smith (Kingsley), 5 Josh Beer (Kingsley), 6 Justin Chan (Kingsley), 7 Ben Cheung (Kingsley), 8 Harry Cheung (Kingsley), 9 Ewan Wong (Kingsley).
*Senior men:* 1 Kevin Heywood (Bideford AAC), 2 Mark Jenkin (Bideford AAC), 3 Gary Suggate (Bideford AAC), 4 Simon Mathers (Kingsley), 5 Matt Dutton (NDAC), 6 Steve Choules (NDAC), 7 Howard Bone (Kingsley), 7 Phillip Morrish (NDAC), 9 Adrian Clarke (Horwood Harriers), 10 Mark Allchorn (Horwood Harriers), 11 Ian Snow (Torrington AAC), 12 Dom Smallwood (Horwood Harriers), 13 Matt Child (Kingsley), 14 Mark Watts (NDAC), 15 Paul Coles (S Instow SLSC), 16 Justin Beckley (W Buckland), 17 Oliver Hassall (W Buckland), 18 Peter Varley (W Buckland), 19 Graham Beever (S Instow SLSC), 20 Matt Figes (BAAC), 21 Thomas Humphrys (W Buckland), 22 Richard Nobes (Saunton SLSC). Reported by This is 14 hours ago.