Tamworth ACs Senior Men cross country team put in a superior performance at the first race of the Birmingham & District XC league fixture held over the typically wet and mud saturated Newbold Comyn course.

Held over an undulating 3 lap course including 3 climbs of the daunting beacon hill this course is fast becoming the typical season opener for the Div#2 clubs.

Steve Parkes and Scott Hudspith were always to the fore over the first lap and only when the heavy conditions started to tell on their legs did then fall back off the lead group. Parkes led TAC home with a highly creditable 12^th place followed closely by Hudspith who was making has senior team XC debut in 14^th place. Ben Evans was the 3^rd TAC counter finishing in 38^th place followed by Bikram Singh in 44^th place. Club stalwart Howard Bush had a solid performance despite nursing a sore hamstring to finish in 63^rd place ahead of Dale Langley who completed the counting A-team 6th counter in 85^th position. The race was won by Leamington’s Callum Hanlon from Alex McKerrell of Warwick University AC and Peter Freedman of Massey Fergusson RC

Overall and all importantly in the team competition TAC finished in a fine 6^th place with 256 pts. Winners on the day were Leamington C & AC with 116 pts, Warwick University AC were 2^nd also on 116 pts and Worcester AC 3^rd with 147 pts.

In the B-team competition, the team were led home by Dave Williams in 101^st place, followed by Andy Wright in 117^th. Tom Ainsworth, more used to track running over 400 & 800m had a very good run into 146^th place, narrowly edging out Steve Deegan into 147^th place. Mark Waplington was next home in 194^th place and the final 6^th counter being taken by Derek Bolton in 214^th place. Nigel Fisher also returned to action for the team, placing 278^th place.

Overall, in the B-team competition, TAC finished in an excellent 7^th place with 919 pts. Winners on the day and completely replicating the A-team 1,2, 3 results were Leamington C & AC with 333 pts, Warwick University 2^ndon 444 pts and Worcester were 3^rd with 521pts.

The 2^nd race of the 4 race series will be held on Saturday 03/December at Stratford upon Avon.