Nestl Rowntree Athletics Club Under-20 Women's team won the first medals the club have ever gained at the national cross country championships.

They finished third over a tough course at Temple Newsam, Leeds.

The commitment of the team paid dividends, with a strong team of York-based girls coming from various parts of the country to represent their club.

Nina Griffith came up from university in London to join St Peter's School pupil Lara Gibbs, Leeds University student Claire Duck and Susanna Dale, who is now based at Loughborough University.

The other runners of the six-strong team were Aimee Collett and Ruth Tinsley.

Nestl Rowntree's best individual performance came from Sophie Hunter, who ran an outstanding race on the hilly course to finish 25th out of more than 320 runners.

Tom Bean also excelled, finishing 42nd in the youths race which included a very tough section of course that no other Age Group had to face. He was the third Yorkshire runner home.

A large group from Nestl Rowntree also took part in the Snake Lane '10' race at Pocklington.

They were led home by Dave Lancaster, who was fifth Over 45 and 29th overall out of the 620 finishers - just beating one hour in very windy conditions.

Other successful Nestl Rowntree runners were Howard Winzar (tenth over 50 and 99th overall), Colin Utterson (third over 60 in an outstanding time for his age of 67min 42sec).

The club's first female finisher was Heather McIntosh who was 23rd in 72min 08sec.

Knavesmire Harriers' men's team finished 54th, led home by Cameron Brooks, who clocked 47min 33sec to finish in 171st place.

Dave Chippett and Neil Strange, both returning from injury, finished 554th and 561st respectively. Other team scorers were Barry Atkinson (627th), Kevin Langan (700th) and Kieron Batt (707th). Darren Hendley (758th), Mike McGrath( 964th) and Richard Gott (1285) also represented Knavesmire.

In the 8.1k women's race, Knavesmire's Lisa Guscott-Trout was the first York runner to finish, 79th in 37-06. Fiona Strange (170th) and Andrea Calladine (339th) were Knavesmire's other runners.

Atkinson triumphs in veterans' race

Barry Atkinson of Knavesmire Harriers was the clear winner in the first race of the Yorkshire Veterans' Grand Prix series at Horsforth.

He led from start to finish on the six mile multi-terrain course, finishing in 32min 56 sec and 250 metres clear of Steve Tibbs (Wakefield Harriers).

Knavesmire men's team finished second behind Holmfirth Harriers.

Kate Wiggins was third woman overall and collected the second over 40 prize.

Fiona Strange won the over 35 category and last year's over 65 champion Jean Snelling won her age group.

Other Knavesmire Harriers finishers at Horsforth were: 17th Neil Holdsworth, 18th Kevin Langan, 28th Mike McGrath, 69th Richard Gott, 89th Carmel Keary, 100th David Berry, 108th Ingrid Sugden, 112th Liz Markey and 114th Pat Rowson.

Updated: 10:15 Saturday, February 28, 2004