Shropshire Cross Country runners brave the mud

Reigning champion Paul Ward, from Telford AC, retained his men's title as he held off a challenge from Joe Brocklehurst of Shrewsbury AC.

National Masters champion Claire Martin took the lead straight from the gun in the women's race and came home ahead of her Telford team-mate Kim Fawke, with Oswestry Olympians' Alison Lavender in third.

In the team competition the expected challenge from Shrewsbury Athletic club failed to materialise and Telford completely dominated the two senior age groups, winning both the open and masters categories convincingly.

The first race of the day was the under-13 girls and it was Telford AC runner Eva Wade, returning back after injury, who won in a very impressive nine minutes, 40 seconds.

Oswestry Olympian Ellie Russell finished 39 seconds further back followed by May Davies and Issi Boden, both of Shrewsbury Girls High School, with Anna Maria Wake in 11th bringing the school team home to take team gold.

The biggest field of the day saw 44 athletes compete in the under-13 boys' race. This was the most eagerly-awaited clash of the day between Oswestry's Cameron Van Onselen and Wrekin College triathlete Connor Bentley.

The pair had been difficult to separate in the league races before Christmas but Bentley, a year younger, seemed to run through the heavy mud better, his lighter frame carrying him to victory by 14 seconds.

Ethan Rochelle came in third despite suffering illness over the holiday period. He had the pleasure of leading home the victorious Thomas Telford School team, taking the trophy for a second year.

At under-15 level, the races are often more tactical and favourite Alex Burrows was running easily within himself as the pack of runners completed the first of two laps.

On the second lap, the William Brookes student eased away to win by nearly a minute from the fast-improving Matt Yapp of Ludlow Runners, with Ross Kirby of Shrewsbury in third.

Joel Roura was a distance behind in fourth but he has another year in this age group and was pleased to lead in the Thomas Telford team for another win.

Chloe Evans, running for Ludlow School, dominated the under-15 girls' race, winning in 16 minutes, 44 seconds from Geogina Benbow of Wenlock Olympians, with Maddie Wong of Thomas Telford clinching the bronze.

Shrewsbury High School just pipped Thomas Telford for the title. In the under-17 boys' event, it was two training partners who were racing head-to-head once the race had settled down.

Ben Ashcroft of Shrewsbury is the Midland 3,000m champion and Josh Burrows, of Telford AC, the former 800m winner.

Ashcroft knew he couldn't leave it to a sprint finish but used his distance runner's strength to pull away at the start of the third and last lap to take gold by 16 seconds.

Another Telford athlete, Matthew Giles, took the bronze with Jack Forrester making up the winning Telford AC team.

Last year's under-17 champion Joe Morris moved up an age group and the Oswestry Olympian coped brilliantly with the longer distance to win from Russell Adams of Ludlow Runners and Bath University.

Isabel Bradley was favourite in the under- 17 girls' race and held off a challenge from Eilish Gilbert and Megan Turner of Ludlow Runners. With Heulwen Gilbert coming fourth, they convincingly wrapped up the team competition.

The first six in each race are automatically selected to compete for Shropshire at the Inter Counties Championship in Birmingham on March 9 .

By Colin Lancaster