Seventeen Chiltern Harriers were representing Buckinghamshire at the National Inter Counties at Cofton Park, Birmingham on Saturday, with two representing Hertfordshire and one Dorset.
The event, which for the seniors acts as the trial for selection to the World Cross Country Championships in Poland on March 27th, is the highest calibre race of the year.
In the Senior men's event Matt Bennett ran a fine race, finishing in 140th place and third Bucks scorer from the 285 finishers, completing the fast, gently undulating 12K course in 39.59. Tom Beedell also ran well to finish 182nd in 40.53 and fifth scorer.
Sian Thomas, running for Dorset, had a great run to be 158th in the Senior women's race, clocking 33.22 on the 8K course. Grace Birch had another very good race to be the leading Bucks Under 20 woman. She was 72nd in 25.19 on the 6K circuit from 138 finishers.
The Under 17 men saw Will Fletcher 223rd in 22.10 and Dan Loach 243rd in 22.51 on their 6K run. George Gillingwater was the first Chiltern runner home in the Under 15 boys team and third Bucks scorer. He was 97th in 16.11 on the 4.5K route. Jack Dutton was 168th in 16.42 and Michael Goddard was 218th in 17.04.
The Under 13 age group Bucks teams featured several Chiltern Harriers after their medal collecting season. For the boys James McCarthy was first Bucks scorer in 77th place in 11.15 on the very quick 3K one-lap course. Bill Hughes was right behind in 81st in 11.16 and Andrew Stenning 99th in 11.23. Joe Aherne was 152nd in 11.41 and for Hertfordshire Callum Neal was 200th. There were 295 finishers.
In the Bucks girls team there were five Harriers in a team expected to do well as a county. Although running well, the girls have run many races over the season with some fatigue inevitably creeping in. Connie Lewis was second Bucks girl home in 25th place in 11.48, Rosalind Firth was 73rd in 12.07, Emma Barraclough 156th in 12.42, Georgie Bingham 195th in 12.55 and Katie Bench 222nd in 13.08. Hannah Morton was the first Hertfordshire runner home in 91st place in 12.15. This was from 305 finishers.
The Under 13 Bucks boys were 17th from 39 counties and the Under 13 girls were 14th from 40.