Bronze for Tawney at Canicross Worlds

Warm conditions saw start times brought forward on the opening day and the dry, sandy course shortened by 600m to 4.7k.

Tawney and her Shorthaired Pointer Rivelin were first out in the masters’ women 50-59 category which saw runners set off at 20-second intervals, and remained out in front to clock the third-fastest time of the day.

The unseasonal temperatures saw the course further shorted to 3.5k on day two and, with the whole of her category starting together, Tawney was able to keep an eye on her nearest rivals, with second place just six seconds ahead of her and fourth sitting seven seconds back.

The three eventual medallists broke clear and, after a thrilling battle at the front, the medal positions remained unchanged.

“With the year I have had, battling a back injury and picking up a cold I was delighted to medal,” admitted Tawney. “It wasn’t my strongest run but Rivelin was wonderful, coping with the 2,200-mile road trip and all the other stresses of a trip abroad.”

Fellow C&AC athlete Jonathan Ingram finished seventh in the junior boys’ category despite being tripped at the start.