Wendy Jones is athletic club's star in cross a country race (From Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard)

Wendy Jones is athletic club's star in cross a country race

WENDY Jones proved to be the star of Cirencester Athletics Club's opening campaign in the Oxford Cross Country League.

The club were well represented with nearly 30 runners taking part on a demanding Ascott-under-Wychwood course with its notorious long uphill finish.

Wendy, who led the senior ladies race from the start, gradually extended her lead.

Cathy Cook, having her first race for the club in over a year, was a fighting second, moving up in the closing stages.

The team, completed by Elaine Wilson, third in the over-45 age group, finished second overall.

Making their debuts for the club were Kim Ingleby and Fiona West, who both ran very well to finish in the top half of the field.

But the club's senior men were not so near the front in their race, managing only eighth position in the team standings.

First home was reigning club champion Keith Firkin who worked his way through the field from his usual cautious start to finish 46th.

Closing fast behind him was another club debutante, Justin Nicholls, who crossed the line in 53rd place.

The rest of the team packed the midfield with Chris Riches and Bob Ferris doing well to finish seventh and eighth in the O50 category. Further back, Dick Waldron who was second over 60 finisher.

In the younger age group races, Cirencester had another victory in 16-year-old Tom Hill who won in fine style.

Others to do well included Lucy Vass, sixth in the U11s and Jack Stevens, 12th in his first race in the under 13 age group.

Olivia Williams, Alice Thomas and Darren Warriner had their first race and the experience should serve them well in future rounds of the series. Cirencester finishers at Ascott-under-Wychwood are as follows:

Senior ladies: 1 Wendy Jones, 2 Cathy Cook, 30 Elaine Wilson, 34 Kim Ingleby, 44 Fiona West.

Senior men: 46 Keith Firkin, 53 Justin Nicholls, 95 Chris Riches, 96 Bill Leggate, 99 Bob Ferris, 119 Ian Fletcher, 123 Dave Cook, 126 Chris Sherrington, 136 Colin O'Hare, 140 Tim Willson, 158 Dick Waldron, 168 Ian Pople, 180 Bob May, 184 Tom Stevens.

U17 boys: 1 Tom Hill; U13 girls: 18 Elly Pudifoot, 19 Alice Thomas; U13 boys: 12 Jack Stevens; U11 girls: 6 Lucy Vass, 18 Olivia Williams. l Next round is at Enslow Quarry on Sunday, December 7.