Southend's Adam Hickey and Kristina Marshall continued the form which earned them success the previous week in the National Schools Cup in Yorkshire when the Essex Veterans and Young Athletes' Cross-Country Championships were staged at Claybury.

In wet conditions, Hickey won the under-13 boys' race in 13 mins. 12 secs, while Kristina was fourth in the corresponding event for girls in 15.10.

Her performance led the Southend Athletic Club girls to second spot in the team race, their 44 points splitting the two star-studded Havering Mayes-brook squads.

Other members of the silver-winning seasiders line-up were Sarah Jeffrey, Nicole Schade and Natasha Bailey. Both under-13 events were over two miles.

Ashley Humphreys was sixth for Southend in the under-15 boys, raced over 2.5 miles.

There was further Southend success among the "golden oldies" with Peter Binns finishing third in the men's 50-plus event in 32.15.

Basildon Athletic Club's top triumph came in the under-15 girls (2.5 miles) event where the two girls who have dominated the Essex League this season, Stacey Ward and Melissa Wall, captured First and second places respectively with 18.12 and 18.23.

With L Clifford fifth (19.05), Basildon took the team prize on 19 points and their B team captured runners-up spot on 79 for good measure.

Kirsty Tydeman (15.16), was Basildon's first girl home in the under-13s in fifth spot.

In the boys David Bottjer led the way in third place in 13.41 which saw Basildon third team home on 52 points.

First six home in most races will line-up for Essex in the inter-counties championships, which incorporate the Reebok Challenge final, at Nottingham in February.

Billericay Striders provided two top ten finishers in the 50-plus veterans' competition with S Fulkes (seventh in 33.16) and J Barber (ninth in 34.09) leading them home to fourth place on 56 points.

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