AFTER his fine win in the Bromham 10k, Simon Nott, of Calne Running Club, had declared his racing year was over.

However, the Calne man then made the late decision to enter the Wiltshire Cross Country championships and was rewarded with his first county senior title.

“I think the last time I did this race, it was as an under 20, so I have never won the senior title before,” said Nott.

On paper, the winning margin of 17 seconds over Southampton’s Ben Brewster looks comfortable but the 22-year-old Calne man left it late, not taking the lead until the final lap.

“It was actually only in the last half-a-mile that I caught him as I finished very strongly after a steady start,” explained Nott. “I was pretty pleased with that.”

A further minute behind, Mike Towler, of Avon Valley Runners was third.

Ruth Barnes was crowned the the ladies winner as her year keeps getting better.

Until Sunday, the 37-year-old member of AVR had been making her mark on the road, notching up numerous wins in the county, culminating in a recent hat-trick of victories in the Grittleton, Swindon and Bromham 10k races and improving her personal best to 35mins 32secs, which is quickest in Wiltshire and ninth-fastest in the South West Rankings.

Lining up for the Wiltshire Cross Country Championships for the first time was a step outside her comfort zone but the manner in which she ran away from the field suggests she has plenty to offering this field too.

“I have only done a bit of cross country in the past but having done better than I thought in a recent Gwent League race a few weeks ago, I thought I would give the county champs a go,” said Barnes.

“I am better at cross country than I thought and it was a lot of fun.

“I particularly like the fact that it is nothing to do with times and you just have to race and concentrate on tactics and judge what is happening in the field.

“I really enjoyed it and it was very nice to win the Wiltshire title.”

Barnes, who lives in Bradford on Avon, admitted that when she looked at the entries on the eve of the race, she thought that a top three-place would be a success.

Defending champion Imogen Wolsey, of Warminster, was her biggest threat and initially, the pair ran together at the head of the field, which also included competitors from Avon and Somerset.

“I noticed, up the hill, Imogen started to fade but I am strong on hills as there are plenty where I live, so on the next two laps, I pushed on harder and moved well clear,” explained Barnes.

By the finish, Barnes was 39 seconds clear of Wosley – the pair also finished ahead of all their Avon and Somerset rivals - while another AVR athlete, Jackie Rockcliffe, came third. Denise Grech, of Calne Running Club, and the Chippenham Harriers’ pair of Cordula Hurcum and Tess Warnes completed the top six.

“Cross country is great fun and really good training, so it would be nice if more people did it,” said Barnes.

In the young athletes' races, the most impressive win came from 18-year-old Yatesbury runner Gemma Shepherd as she notched up her fourth successive victory, adding to titles at under 15s, 17s and 20 level.

“I felt really good and it was a nice warm-up for the South West Championships on Sunday,” said Shepherd.

Hilperton’s Rory Howorth won the under 15 boys’ race, with older brother Robert third in the under 17s, won by his Team Bath clubmate Freddie Webb.

Eleanor Webster, who lives in Alderton near Malmesbury, improved from seventh last year to win the under 13 girls’ title with a commanding performance.