THE youngest guns were the stars of the show for South Cumbrian running clubs at the Mid Lancs Cross Country in Liverpool.

On a day when national aces starred in the big BKA Cross Challenge races, it was left to two Furness girls to impress among the regional battles.

Barrow and Furness Striders' Georgia Bell and Levens Valley AC's Olesia Winder took victories in the under-11s and under-13s girls race respectively at Sefton Park, where mud on some of the courses was up to a foot deep in places.

They were among 10 juniors from those two clubs and Hoad Hill Harriers, as well as more than 50 seniors, to travel to Merseyside for the latest round of the Mid Lancs League.

Bell was dominant in the under-11s girls race, completing the course in 8:02, more than 20 seconds quicker than her nearest rival, Erin Stone, of Team North Cumbria.

Her efforts were matched by Winder in the under-13s event, as she clocked 11:56 to finish 12 seconds clear of Wigan Harriers' Ava Lloyd. Her Levens Valley team-mates Bethan Saunders (13:48) and Freyah Nelson (14:39) finished 40th and 66th respectively, with their team ninth overall.

There was a top-10 finish for Levens Valley's Will McNally in the under-11s boy race, as he clocked 7:41 for sixth, as the only South Cumbrian in the 90-strong field.

There were two in the under-13s boys race, with Levens Valley's Finlay Corkill ninth in 11:54, and Barrow and Furness Striders' Greg Barnard-Mackenzie 13th in 12:14.

Jacob Nelson and Harvey Cooper both ran in the under-15s boys race. The Levens pair were 38th and 51st respectively in times of 12:11 and 12:46.

Reuben Copley was the final junior to make the trip, with the Barrow Strider coming home in ninth in the under-17s men's race, with a time of 19:50.

All three local teams were well-represented in the senior men and women's races.

Among the women, Hoad Hill's Sharon Dixon was an impressive 22nd overall from a field of 171, and third lady veteran 45, with a time of 34:45.

Along with team-mates Stephanie Gillies (65th in 40:05) and Alison Cooke (78th in 41:16), Dixon helped the Glaxo team to second in the LV45 category. They were fifth among the LV35s – with Dixon and Gillies' times complemented by Elsie Roberts (43rd in 37:57). Cooke's time was good enough for fourth in the LV55 individual category.

Joanne McLoed was first home for Barrow and Furness Striders (39:29 for 59th), with Emma Broadbent leading the Levens Valley contingent with a time of 40:16 for 67th.

Among the men, Striders' Ross Campbell was an impressive 26th overall over the 10km route, clocking 35:53, followed home by Hoad Hill's Dave Fulford, in 36:59 for 38th.

Ryan Everett was first across the line for Levens Valley, with his time of 38:31 good enough for 55th place overall and fifth under-20s.

Mark Bonner had come in not far ahead of Everett for Hoad Hill, with a fourth-placed V40 finish in 50th (38:13).

Along with Jeffrey Chadwick, Mark Tomkinson and Andy Jackman, Bonner made up the Glaxo V40 team who finished second behind Blackburn Harriers – whose runners were first, third, sixth and seventh in category in a dominant display.

INDIVIDUAL RESULTS

Under-11s Girls: 1. Georgia Bell (BFS), 8:02.

Under-11s Boys: 5. Will McNally (LV), 7:41.

Under-13s Girls: 1. Olesia Winder (LV), 11:56; 40. Bethan Saunders (LV), 13:48; 66. Freyah Nelson (LV), 14:39.

Under-13s Boys: 9. Finlay Corkhill (LV), 11:54; 13. Gregg Barnard-Mackenzie (BFS), 12:14.

Under-15s Boys: 38. Jacob Nelson (LV), 12:11; 51. Harvey Cooper (LV), 12:46.

Under-17s Men: 9. Reuben Copley (BFS), 19:50.

Ladies Seniors: 22. Sharon Dixon, (HHH, LV45), 34:35; 43. Elsie Roberts (HHH, LV35), 37:57; 53. Darina Dalinova (HHH), 38:33; 59. Joanne McLoed (BFS, LV45), 39:29; 65. Stephanie Gillies (HHH, LV45), 40:05; 67. Emma Broadbent (LV, LV35), 40:16; 76. Heather Travis (HHH, LV35), 41:04; 78. Alison Cooke (HHH, LV55), 41:16; 81. Sarah Bouffler (BFS, LV35), 42:06; 86. Kerry Travers (BFS, LV45), 42:35; 90. Joanna Bernard (LV), 42:53; 120. Anastasia Winder (LV, LV35), 45:48; 138. Cath Grisedale (BFS, LV55), 48:05; 144. Sally Barton (HHH, LV55), 49:27; 152. Lucy Saunders (LV), 51:16; 153. Penny Moreton (HHH, LV55), 51:26; 164. Julie Newnham (HHH, LV55), 55:44.

Men's Seniors: 26. Ross Campbell (BFS), 35:53; 38. Dave Fulford (HHH), 36:59; 50. Mark Bonner (HHH, V40), 38:13; 55. Ryan Everett (LV, U20), 38:31; 83. Jeffrey Chadwick (HHH, V40), 39:49; 92. Matthew Wall (LV), 40:46; 96. Mark Tomkinson (HHH, V40), 41:01; 104. Dave McNally (LV, V40), 41:39; 121. Andy Jackson (HHH, V40), 42:44; 151. Tom Southward (HHH), 43:42; 153. Kieran Ireland (HHH), 43:46; 169. Chris Laird (LV), 44:32; 176. Gary Dover (HHH, V50), 44:50; 182. Andy Jennings (LV), 45:13; 188. Cian Nutt (HHH), 45:29; 194. Damian Jones (HHH, V50), 45:51; 198. Keith Conway (HHH, V40), 46:03; 199. Nigel Storey (HHH, V50), 46:05; 200. Phil Everett (LV, V40), 46:11; 202. Luke Turner (HHH, U20), 46:17; 212. Paul Willet (LV), 47:31; 225. Nathan Harris (LV), 47:31; 231. Paul Managh (HHH, V40), 47:40; 232. Paul Quinn (HHH, V50), 47:54; 245. Ben Gill (L)V, 49:09; 246. Mike Cooper (LV), 49:10; 251. Alan Wilson (HHH, V50), 49:37; 263. Paul Corkill (LV), 50:44; 266. Tom Evelin (HHH, V60), 50:53; 269. Alastair Macdonald (HHH), 51:03; 271. Phil Horrocks (HHH), 51:26; 273. Tim Winder (LV, V50), 51:43; 284. Adrian Newnham (HHH, V60), 53:19; 295. David Laurie (LV), 56:10; 301. Simon Barton (HHH, V60), 58:30.