The fourth race of the season in the Essex Cross Country League was held at Gloucester Park, Basildon on Sunday, with the top clubs in the county competing, and it was a succesful day for Chelmsford Athletic Club.

Weather conditions were good and most of the course was firm under foot but as usual for this course there was a sting in the tail as the end of each lap consisted of a large hill which had to be climbed three times in quick succession.

For the senior men in their three lap, six and a half mile race, the hill had to be tackled nine times.

The hill did not stop the club from winning two of the team events, the senior men and Under 17 men, and coming second in the Under 15 boys and third in the senior women's and Under 13 boys event.

In the senior men's race John Burrell won, Mark Sanford was third, followed by Rob Malseed in fourth. Gavin Chatterton was seventh, David Tullett 10th and Martin Gibbs in 12th position completed the scoring team that once again won the team event following on from their county championship win last week.

Other club runners to compete were John Braine (14th), Chris Purse (18th), Pete Tullett (24th), Dave Collier (25th), Barry Thorpe (31st), James Hunton (39th), Glen Kent (40th). Dave Warley (53rd), Geoff Green (54th), Charlie Ross (57th), Phil Harris (61st) and Stephen Williams (65th).

For the third time this season, the Under 17 boys won with a total of 25 points. James Williams was (2nd), David Fewell (4th), Tristan Windley (6th) and Mark Mascard (13th).

The Under 15 boys came second as a team with 43 points, Robbie Smith was fifth, Tom Henderson ninth, Sam Mason (12th), Robert (Big Man) Smith (17th) and Clive Jackson was 18th.

In the Under 13 boys event, Matthew Missen was fourth, James Moore 12th, Orrie Rock 17th and John Self 18th, as a team they finished third.

The senior women's team came third, Tracy Minton was 11th, Jill Chandler 12th, Hazel Cybyk 14th, Margaret Jarvis 15th and Jenny Grainger was 17th.

In the Under 20's women's race, Leah Walland was second and in the Under 17 girls race, Marney Lamb finished in ninth place.

In the U13 girls event, Sarah Jarvis was eighth and Kayleigh Dickson finished 24th.

The Essex Amateur Athletics Association hold the Cross Country relay championships at Chigwell Row on Sunday.

The Springfield Striders' Mid Essex Cross-Country League squad were back in action at a sunny Hylands Park on Sunday.

The clement weather attracted the largest field of the season with all five clubs well represented.

The Striders men got back to winning form with Jamie Woodyard to the fore and top ten places for Dave Jellicoe, Richard Taylor and Rob Rodie.

All the scoring team made the top 15, to give the Striders their best result in this league, this season.

Alan Wheelhouse, Alec Coleman and Mark Jeffrey were the other scorers.

The ladies were also out in force with Janet Hill, Ann Claydon, Suzanne Kuyser, Helen Walker and Theresa Tremain all completing the three lap course.

This weekend the club's fellrunners are off to Box Hill in Surrey, while the majority of the club will be at the Essex Cross-Country Relays at Chigwell Row.

Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.