• LINING up for the start — a record number of athletes for the Bideford Haslf-marathon. Ref: GS1014

• PETER Hockin, of Bideford AAC, who came second, congratulates the winner, Steve Waldron, from Ashburton. Ref: GS1008

• LONG way to go — runners round the corner in Kingsley Road. Ref: GS1012

Nearing the finish! Ref: GS1010.

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ELECTRONIC tagging came to North Devon for the first time on Sunday at Bideford Amateur Athletic Club’s record-breaking half-marathon.

All the runners wore ankle tags, which enabled their times and places to be electronically logged as soon as they crossed the finish line.

A most-ever 802 athletes from a wide area entered the annual event, making it a spectacle for onlookers as the runners, aged from 17 to over 70, made their way through Bideford to Torrington and returned via the Tarka Trail to finish on Bideford Quay.

First home was 20-year-old Steve Waldron from Torbay AC in a time of 1hr 11mins 5secs. He was followed by local veteran Peter Hockin ,43, from Bideford AAC in 1 hr 11mins 21secs and Pete Waumsley from Tamar Trotters in 1 hr 11mins 46secs.

Maddy Clarke-Gray of Braunton, took the colours of the North Devon Road Runners to victory in the women’s event, the 35-year-old finishing in a new record time of 1hr 17mins 29secs.

Second woman home was Helen Parkinson of Bideford AAC in 1hr 22mins 41 secs and Caroline Hewitt of Tiverton Harriers was third in 1hr 23 mins 15secs.

Hosts Bideford AAC made a clean sweep in the team events, winning the senior and veteran men’s sections and the senior women’s.

Other awards winners were:

Men over-40 -1 Andy Jones (SW Road Runners); 2 Peter Monaghan (S Devon AC); 3 Ricky Butler (Bideford AAC). Men over-45 -1, Steve Hay (Bideford AAC); 2, Eddie Taylor (ND Road Runners); 3, Malcolm Bayer (Sidmouth AC). Men over-50 -1 Stephen Groombridge (Tavistock AC); 2, Peter Dent (Plymouth Harriers); 3, John Winter (SW Road Runners). Men over-55 - 1, Mike Beattie (Plymouth Harriers); 2, Jim Jennings (Torrington AC); 3, Brian Wiles (Launceston Road Runners). Men over-60 - 1, Terry Field (unattached); 2, Roger Cowd (Exmouth ); 3, Kevin O’Mahoney (Launceston). Men over-65 -1 Peter Watson (Torbay); 2, John Lethaby (South Molton Strugglers); 3, Mark Waddicor (unattached). Over-70s - 1, Charlie Davis (Bideford AAC).

Women over-35 - 1, Jaine Swift (Women’s Running Network); 2, Sharon Daw (East Cornwall Harriers); 3, Cathy Fewings (Torbay). Over-40 -1 Wendy Urban (Torbay); 2, Janet Ritchie (Carn Runners); 3, Carol Gale (unattached). Over-45 - 1,Anne Luke (Tamar Trotters); 2 Christine Searle (Tamar); 3, Pip Hayes (SW Road Runners).

Over-50 -1, Amanda Erith (East Cornwall); 2, Bridget Funnell (unattached); 3, Linda Pollard (Tamar). Over-55 - 1, Rita Hoile (East Cornwall); 2, Trish Clatworthy (Dawlish Coasters); 3, Anne Lake (Tavistock). Over-60 - 1 Valerie Peters (unattached); 2, Pat Edmunds (Axe Valley); 3, Pam Carroll (Tamar).