RORY Howorth and Ciara Newcastle were the Wiltshire stars at the South West Cross Country Championships at the weekend, writes KEVIN FAHEY.

Hilperton’s Howorth dominated the U13 boys’ race as the 12-year-old St Augustine’s College (Trowbridge) student led from gun to tape for one of the most emphatic victories of the day at Bicton College, near Budleigh Salterton, in east Devon.

“That was really hard,” said Howorth.

“The race went off very quickly but I was determined to get to the front and then pushed hard up the hills. I got a gap but towards the end I saw the other boys were pulling me back a bit so tried to kick again but there was nothing left in the tank.

“It is really nice to win and that has given me a lot of confidence after the injury problems I have had.”

Howorth, who is a member of Team Bath AC, injured shoulder ligaments while playing rugby for Bath and then had problems with his Achilles tendon.

Sunday’s race over a testing course was as searching a test as Howorth and coach Adrian Clover could have asked for and he passed with flying colours to deliver one of Wiltshire’s two gold medals.

The first came in the opening race of the day in the combined U11 boys and girls event with 10-year-old Ciara Newcastle, from Melksham, finishing top female.

Newcastle was making her debut in Wiltshire colours after being selected following her victory in the county championships before Christmas.

“That was okay, I am really pleased,” said a delighted Newcastle, who looked shocked at her success.

There was also an excellent bronze for Bradford on Avon runner Katherine Turner in the senior women’s race.

The 21-year-old was running the event for the first time since 2011 – when she also finished third in the U20s – but has since become one of the best cross country runners in the region.

A battling third place behind the Bristol & West pair of Jessie Sanzo and Jasmine Finney will only serve to enhance that reputation and it should be a launchpad for further success this year.

Wiltshire’s senior ladies put in a silver medal-winning team performance with Turner supported by Team Bath clubmate Imogen Wolsey in sixth, 12th placed (and second U20) Lillie Bellamy, of Swindon Harriers, Alex Mundell from City of Salisbury A&RC (23rd), Jackie Rockliffe, of Avon Valley Runners, (26th) and 40th placed Cordula Hurcum, of Chippenham Harriers.

Elsewhere there were numerous top ten Wiltshire performances.

Sheldon School’s Gemma Shepherd was a solid seventh in the U17 women’s race and Eleanor Webster finished similarly in the under 13s.

Semington runner Will Stockley, who won this title 12 months ago, had to settle for fifth this time in a highly-competitive race with Cameron Perkins also making the top 20.

Runner-up last year, John of Gaunt School student Hayden Bailey, finished sixth in a strong U15 boys’ race with teammate John Howorth just behind in seventh.

Former Dauntsey’s School student Will Christofi continued his progress in the senior ranks and the 20-year-old’s fifth was a fine effort – and a massive improvement on his 22nd in the same event last year.

Michael Towler, of Avon Valley Runners, was 20th while Corsham Running Club’s Stuart Anderson was third veteran over 40.

The Team Bath trio of Dauntsey’s geography teacher Allister Sheffield (29th), 31st placed Hugo Coutinho (31st) and Chris Hine (39th) followed, along with 42nd-placed Simon Byrne, of Swindon Harriers, and Rich Ayling, of Avon Valley Runners (48th).

In the women’s veterans’ age groups there were bronze medals for the Avon Valley pair of Fiona Price (W45) and Diane Hier (W50) which helped the club claim third spot in the team competition.

In the South West Inter-Club Championships which also took place within the event, Avon Valley Runners put in a great performance to take the bronze medal behind Bristol & West AC and Westbury Harriers, with Rockliffe, Jennifer Ford, Price, Hier and Kiersty Barnett making up the Trowbridge team.

South West Cross Country Championships, Bicton College, Budleigh Salterton Women: 1 Jessie Sanzo (B&W, W35) 24:45; 2 Jasmine Finney (B&W) 25:04; 3 Katherine Turner (TBAC) 25:18; 4 Emma Stepto (CAC, W40) 25:31; 5 Eleanor Davis (NRR) 25:54; 6 Imogen Wolsey (TBAC) 25:55; 7 Helen Sharpe (B&W) 26:16; 8 Catherine Lee (WH) 26:23; 9 Isabel Glaisher (Wells, U20) 26:37; 10 Mia O’Connell (Chelt, U20) 27:00; 11 Rebecca Pierce (TBAC)27:08; 12 Lillie Bellamy (Swin, U20) 27:18.

W40: 2 Katie Hughes (WH) 27:22; 3 Lucy Hodgson (N&P) 27:32.

W45: 1 Rosemary Terribile 29:31; 2 Jane Colman (B&W) 29:36; 3 Fiona Price (AVR) 30:14.

W50: 1 Jenny Nash (ECH) 29:21; 2 Tracy Allan (B&W) 30:11; 3 Diane Hier (AVR) 31:19.

W55: 1 Marilyn Blair (Tor) 30:27; 2 Lorraine Gibson (Exm) 34:37.

Local: 12 Lillie Bellamy (Swin, U20) 27:18; 26 Jackie Rockcliffe (AVR, W40 6th) 28:29; 40 Cordua Hurcum (Chipp, W35 6th) 29:48; 41 Jennifer Ford (AVR) 29:53; 42 Michelle Maxwell (Chipp, W40) 30:02; 47 Tess Mewton (Chipp) 30:34; 48 Claire Frances (Chipp W40) 30:48.

Teams: 1 Bristol & West AC 25; 2 Westbury Harriers 68 3 Avon Valley Runners 163; 4 Exmouth Harriers 168; 5 Chippenham Harriers 177.

Counties: 1 Avon 18; 2 Wiltshire 44; 3 Cornwall 60; 4 Devon 93; 5 Somerset 101.

U17 women: 1 Yoyo Barnsley (CAC) 20:08; 2 Serena O’Connor (Poole) 20:26; 3 Poppy Tank (CoP) 20:51.

Local: 7 Gemma Shepherd (TBAC) 21:59; 15 Jade Day (AVR) 23:27; 16 Elen Lindsay (TBAC) 23:33; 29 Katherine Townsend (TBAC) 28:24.

Teams: 1 Exeter Harriers 63.

Counties: 1 Devon 24; 2 Dorset 28; 3 Wiltshire 64; 4 Cornwall 77.

U15 girls: 1 Sian Temple (N&P) 15:17; 2 Sophie Hamilton (Wells) 15:21; 3 Grace Copeland (Wimborne) 15:24.

Local: 17 Anna Burt (TBAC) 17:07; 28 Sarah Wilson (TBAC) 17:48; 30 Jade Littlechild (TBAC) 17:55; 32 Lucy Fitzpatrick (TBAC) 18:18; 40 Caroline Brenchley (TBAC) 19:12.

Teams: 1 Wells City Harriers 69; 2 Newquay & Par AC 74; 3 Wimborne AC 91; 4 Team Bath AC 107.

Counties: 1 Somerset 28; 2 Cornwall 50; 3 Avon 64; 4 Dorset 67; 5 Devon 74; 6 Wiltshire 136.

U13 girls: Molly Canham (NA) 12:02; 2 Maddy Johnson (Dorch) 12:17; 3 Abigail Burn (CoS) 12:22.

Local: 7 Eleanor Webster (TBAC) 13:00; 38 Beth Mayer (Marlbro) 14:13; 46 Eleanor Barer (Marlbro) 14:41; 59 Maya Short (Marlbro) 17:00.

Teams: 1 Exeter Harriers 72; 2 Wimborne AC 90; 3 Yeovil Olympiads 103.

Counties: 1 Devon 25; 2 Cornwall 43; 3 Dorset 54; 4 Wiltshire 66; 5 Somerset 71.

U11 girls: 1 Ciara Newcastle (Melksham) 6:22; 2 Imogen Tanner (IIF) 6:25; 3 Rebecca Lamb (Tavi) 6:27.

Local: 11 Lola Gibbon (Marlbro) 7:03; 20 Molly Brophy (Chipp) 7:20; 24 Abby Rucker (TBAC) 7:29; 25 Josie Rucker (TBAC) 7:31; 27 Lottie Brown (AVR) 7:51.

Senior men: 1 Jamie Parkinson (P&B) 33:47; 2 Tom Merson (B&W) 33:58; 3 Johnny Gilby (Derby) 34:08; 4 Dan Nash (ECH) 34:18; 5 Will Christofi (B&W) 34:23; 6 Ben Westhenry (B&W) 34:34; 7Mark Jenkin (Bide) 34:40; 8 Matt Dickinson (Wells, U20) 34:48; 9 Harry Lane (Wells, U20) 34:53; 10 Matt Whitfield (B&W) 34:57.

M40: 1 Allister Bristow (EVH) 37:07; 2 Nick Ratcliffe (Mile High) 37:37; 3 Stuart Anderson (Corsham RC) 40:36.

M45: 1 Steve Goss (B&W) 38:00; 2 Mike Musgrove (Ex) 38:25; 3 Jez Mancer (St Austell) 39:38.

M50: 1 Jon James (Wells) 37:21; 2 Simon Anderson (CoP) 39:42; 3 Tony Symons (Tavi) 41:24.

M55: 1 Richard Drage (Tavi) 39:26; 2 Mike Baddick (NDAC) 42:27; 3 Terence Oldham (Exm) 52:53.

M60: 1 Ian Snow (Torr) 50:37.

Local: 20 Michael Towler (AVR) 36:24; 22 Ewen Malloch (TBAC) 36:41; 25 Dan Jones (TBAC) 37:04; 29 Allister Sheffield (TBAC) 37:18; 31 Hugo Coutinho (TBAC) 37:22; 39 Chris Hine (TBAC) 37:39; 42 Simon Byrne (Swin) 37:42; 48 Rich Ayling (AVR) 38:13; 69 Peter Slade (AVR) 40:19; 70 Stuart Henderson (CRC, M40 3rd) 40:36; 76 Dominic Beddis (AVR) 40:57; 87 Robin-Mark Schols (AVR, M50 4th) 42:55; 91 Mike Bright (Chipp) 43:15; 98 Neil Perry (Chipp) 44:46; 99 Richard Page (ChippP 45:12.

Teams: 1 Bristol & West AC 23; 2 Wells City Harriers 66; 3 Bideford AAC 79; 4 Team Bath AC 107.

Counties: 1 Devon 38; 2 Devon B 47; 3 Avon 56; 4 Cornwall 60; 5 Somerset 68; 6 Dorset 93; 7 Wiltshire 119.

U17 men: 1 Will Battershill (EVH) 18:11; 2 Tom Mortimer (Stroud) 18:14; 3 Sam Somerville (YO) 18:16.

Local: 5 Will Stockley (TBAC) 18:48; 14 Cameron Perkins (TBAC) 19:33; 27 Elliot Lassiter (Marlbro) 20:10; 33 Jay Painter (TBAC) 20:24; 42 Callum Short (Marlbro) 22:10.

Teams: 1 Wells City Harriers 67; 2 Exeter Harriers 68; 3 Taunton AC 69.

Counties: 1 Somerset 34; 2 Devon 36; 3 Dorset 55; 4 Wiltshire 72; 5 Cornwall 137.

U15 boys: 1 Aidan Kent (N&P) 13:44; 2 Thomas Bourne (Wimborne) 13:58; 3 Finn Birnie (N&P) 14:05.

Local: 6 Hayden Bailey (TBAC) 14:13; 7 John Howorth (TBAC) 14:21; 30 Max Davis (AVR) 15:45; 35 Otto Copping (TBAC) 16:29.

Teams: 1 Newquay & Par 45; 2 North Devon AC 57; 3 Wimborne AC 75.

Counties: 1 Cornwall 30; 2 Devon 38; 3 Dorset 48; 4 Wiltshire 51; 5 Avon 117.

U13 boys: 1 Rory Howorth (TBAC) 10:50; 2 Harris Mier (CAC) 11:01; 3 Joel Kirby (NDAC) 11:14.

Local: 9 Felix Jones (TBAC) 11:45; 32 James Pickford (AVR) 12:50; 35 James Gordon (TBAC) 12:55; 38 Jack Wosika (TBAC) 13:11; 45 Fergal Brophy (Chipp) 13:45; 47 Luke Slade (AVR) 16:15.

Teams: 1 North Devon AC 53; 2 Team Bath AC 83; 3 Newquay & Par AC 89.

Counties: 1 Cornwall 23; 2 Devon 35; 3 Wiltshire 53; 4 Dorset 98.

U11 boys: 1 Bradley Glover (Wells) 5:52; 2 Joe Ponter (Taun) 5:57; 3 Henry Cooper (NDAC) 6:00.

Teams: 1 Exeter Harriers 35.