Report by A Wright

Tamworth ACs senior men finished off their 2016/17 XC league campaign in emphatic style last W/E at Condon hall Park, Coventry. In a race ran in bitterly cold and wet conditions over a flat and expansive parkland course the ‘Green & Whites’ equalled their previous Div #2 record with a fine 8th O.A.
Steve Parkes was once again the first TAC counter, leading the team home with a superb 10th place, ‘I’m really happy with that run, I cannot complain with the effort, I am aiming to target 1500m races on the track in the summer again, I believe I can still improve, this should give me a good base to work from’ commented Parkes. Another young TAC talent is Grendon’s Scott Hudspith who finished his XC season with another great performance, coming home in 18th place despite having nursed a niggling knee injury over the proceeding few weeks. Ben Evans was third TAC counter home, nearly equalling his seasons best in 37th place. ‘I’ve had a head cold for the last week and taken it easy in training and was not sure how I would go today but I have to be happy with that run’. Fourth counter was ‘H’ Howard Bush who had a good run to finish in 58th place. Having been forced to miss the previous race Dale Langley had a good run to finish in 106th place and just ahead of TAC team manager Andy Wright in 113th place to complete the counter six for the team score.
7th counter home was Mark Waplington who had a solid run to finish in 178th place, ahead of Derek Bolton who just nipped inside the top 200 finishers with 197th place. Nigel Fisher completed his comeback XC season, having completed all four races with a hard earned 245th place.
The race was once again won by Telford’s Paul Ward, from Simon Myatt of Trentham and Callum Hanlon of Leamington.
In the all-important team event, Warwick University won emphatically with 76 pts, 2nd place was Leamington AC with 110 pts and in 3rd was Trentham RC with 172pts. Tamworth AC finished in 7th place with 342 pts.
Overall and final league positions after four events and gaining promotion to Div#1 Warwick University took the title with 423 pts, 2nd place was Leamington AC with 463 pts and in 3rd was Trentham RC with 689pts, Tamworth AC finished the season in an excellent 8th place with 1573 pts.
Amazing Feet RC, Sparkhill Harriers and Staffordshire Moorland AC finished in 15th, 16th and 17th places resp and were relegated to Div#3 for next season.