There were 57 teams at the Woodland Relays organised by Exmouth Harriers last week starting from the Wheathill Car Park on Woodbury Common and amongst them were 6 teams from Sidmouth. Writes John Perrott.

We have never done particularly well at this event in the past, but our younger runners certainly made our presence felt.

Sub 16 minute splits were rare over the rugged two and a half mile course but four of them came from Jason Drew (15.10), Kit and Grey Grierson (both 15.39), and Nick Smith (15.55).

On top of that Issie and Oliver Beech won the 11 and under shorter course race with Will and Joe Ashby in third place out of 13 teams..

In the main race Jason got his team off to a great start, handing over to the steady Ben Chesters who kept us in the race for first place. It was then left to Justin Ashby, back from his recent bike accident, but up against the quickest man of the day we had to settle for a well deserved and satisfactory second place.

The Grierson boys with Josh Knight as their third man took the fourth spot.

Jane Beech running in a mixed team with Nick Smith and Byron Fitzgerald was one of the quicker ladies and somewhere at the back of the field Jayne Drew kindly made up a team with Bill Valentine and John Perratt who somehow confused the timekeepers and thereby gained a few places.

Kit Grierson was out again on the Saturday at the Charmouth Challenge up to the Golden Cap and back. He will have been well pleased with his ninth place finish whilst David Welsh, George Chalstrey and Trudy Lester favoured a more leisurely pace in the heat.

This year the cool down provided by the Fire Brigade was more welcome than usual!