THE Chiltern Harriers have had their best-ever day at the Southern Cross Country Relay Championships at Wormwood Scrubs.

There were four team wins - the Under 13s (U13s) girls, U13s boys, U15s girls and U17s men. The senior men took part for the first time and came home in an excellent fifth position and there was an eighth place finish for the U15s boys.

The conditions were pleasant at the fast and flat course but rain made the woodland section fairly muddy. The U13s and U15s ran a two kilometre (km) circuit, the U17s a 3.1km loop and the seniors 4.4km.

First off were the U15s girls and Chiltern Harriers started the meeting with team gold. Alice Brown led off and ran a great leg of seven minutes and 34 seconds (7.34) to come in third position. Abbie Henderson took over and ran the equal-fastest leg of the day (7.23) to take the lead. Holly Henderson ran 7.35 to take the win by 10 seconds, with Windsor, Slough, Eton & Hounslow in second place and Guildford third.

The B team ran well for 18th position thanks to Ellie Shield (8.10), Charlotte Docwra (8.24) and Hannah Ashby (8.09).

The U15s boys put in a good performance to be eighth from the 38 complete teams, with the B side in 20th place. Nathan Sweeney ran 7.07 on the first leg to come in 16th spot for the A team. Thomas Redmond ran 6.54 to move up to seventh position and Oakley Denson had a good run of 6.59 to lose just a single place.

The B team featured Angus Stoneham (7.37), Laurie Gawne (7.31) and Matt Aldred (7.03).

Bucks Free Press:

PHOTO: The Chiltern Harriers U13s girls gold medal-winning team of Frankie Baxter, Lesedi Nkoane and Zoe Gilbody.

Zoe Gilbody ran the fastest leg of the U13s girls race (7.23) to lead off. Lesedi Nkoane took over on leg two and ran the third fastest leg of the day (7.38) to extend the margin, and Frankie Baxter ran 7.28 (second fastest) to complete an easy Chiltern win.

The B team were a very good seventh thanks to Marea Logan (7.57), Lucy Wilkinson (8.11) and Lily Jessop-Tranter (8.19).

The U13s boys made it win number three courtesy of Euan Pinder (6.58), Max Baxter (7.22) and Alden Collier (6.54).

The B team had a great run to be fourth and included Isaac Jessop-Turner (7.22), Archie Pinder (7.17) and Rowan Gawne (7.34). Also running well was the C side of Callum Powell (7.55), Leon Doran (7.49) and Gabriel Strutton-Smith (7.47) to come home in 10th spot.

The U17s men and U20s men ran together and the Chiltern U17s men took an unexpected but welcome victory. Alex Johnson (10.33), Alex Aldred (10.41) and Angus Williams (10.49) all ran well.

The U20s men were sixth in their race with Cameron Reid (10.41), Ed Watson (12.08) and Cam Hathaway-Enright (12.45) comprising the team.

The senior men had not entered this event before but a young team of Richard Slade, Will Perkin, Adam Day and Aran Davidson ran very well to finish fifth from the 36 finishing teams.

The course was billed as 5km but runners advised it was closer to 4,400m (4.4km). Slade ran the first leg and came in eighth place in a good time of 14.01. Perkin made up several places to bring the team into third spot after a good lap of 13.57. Day ran 14.59 to be fifth and Davidson 15.07 to maintain that position.