NESTLE Rowntree Running Club athletes were in good form when representing Yorkshire at the Inter-Counties Cross Country Championships held at Wollaton Park, Nottingham.

The Senior and Under 20 races form the basis for selection to the Great Britain teams for the World Championships in two weeks time

Nine athletes from the club tackled a fast, firm course which saw the Under 13 girls race, which was won by Ailish McColgan, daughter of Liz McColgan. Rowntree's Sophie Hunter came 98th in a field of 296 finishers in that race.

In the team event, Yorkshire were fifth behind winners Hampshire.

Charlotte Maxted finished strongly to cross the line in 154th position out of 284 in the U15 girls race, won by Non Stanford (West Wales).

The U20 womens team this year boasted four Rowntree runners of the eight-strong team. Lara Gibbs was 19th, Nina Griffith 27th, Claire Duck 52nd and Aimee Collett 79th in a field of 130 finishers. The team were sixth behind winners the North East. The individual winner was world junior fell running champion Karrie Hawitt (Cheshire).

In the boys events, Manor School's Ian Lynn was 122nd out of 280 in a race won by M Gillespie (Scotland East).

Danny Phillips was 34th in the Boys U15 and team-mate Alastair Smith came home 131st in a field of more than 300. The winner was A Derricott (Staffordshire).

Tom Bean, in the U17 men's race, was 34th in a field of 257 finishers, won by A Felce (Gloucester).

Joel Riley and David MacQuarrie, of Sherburn High School, helped Yorkshire secure the team gold in the U20 mens race. Riley finished 19th.

Former Nestl Rowntree junior, Rachel Ogden, now based in Sussex, finished ninth in the senior women's short race having had a competitive battle with Aine Hoban (Wakefield) in the closing stages.

Most of the junior athletes were representing North Yorkshire Schools at the English Schools Championships at Maidstone today.

Updated: 10:45 Saturday, March 13, 2004