Inter-Counties/World Cross Trials/UK Cross Challenge, Wollaton Park, Nottingham

Dramatic Inter-County win for Greg Billington

Threatened snowfall failed to materialise and it was a benign Wollaton Park, with sunny periods and little wind, that welcomed cross country fans for the final major fixture of the season.

U20 Men's 8 km

The very first race saw Belgrave action as Kris Gauson, running for Scotland East and gunning for a GBR World Cross team place, was prominent from the very start of the Under 20 Men's 8k. Kris spent the initial lap in the front rank but when Lee Carey and Adam Hickey's duel for the victory got serious, the pack broke up and Kris found himself hanging on in around 6th place. He was never in danger of slipping further and as the race drew to a conclusion he was as strong as anyone and closing on fourth and fifth positions. He must now wait to see whether he gets a nod from the selectors.

U20 Men's 8 km. 1 L Carey (Warwickshire) 26:07; 6 K Gauson (Scotland East/Belgrave) 26:40.

Senior Women's 8 km

As befits her consistent high placing in every race throughout the winter, Sarah Murphy contributed greatly to Surrey's cause in the Senior Women's race. Hattie Dean of Oxfordshire stormed away, with our adopted member Gemma Phillips holding on to fourth this time, as opposed to her "National" placing of 2nd.

1 H Dean (Oxford) 28:52; 4 G Phillips (Cumbria) 29:20; 87 S Murphy (Surrey) 32:22. Teams: 1 North East 206; 2 Yorkshire 235; 3 Nottinghamshire 296; 8 Surrey 365.

Senior Men's 4 km

Jonathan Blackledge had been tipped as an outsider in the pre-race review - putting a little more pressure on his young shoulders - but as the UK Cross Challenge 4 km winner in Cardiff, there certainly was the chance of an upset. In fact three Belgravians - Jonathan, Chris Moss and Darren Gauson - were heavily involved in the race, and Alasdair McLean-Foreman wasn't far away either. In spite of eventually winning at Cardiff, Jonathan had let the leaders gain an advantage in the middle section of the race but, gaining in confidence, that didn't happen here, and into the last kilometre it was impossible to say who would win. With only 200 metres to go Essex Beagle Mark Warmby, now advised by our own Gary Staines, gained mastery, with Aldershot's Chris Thompson fighting to get into the top six. Jonathan's hard won fifth place was superb - his best race yet - and although we only expect three from this race to gain World Cross selection, it only wants a couple of dropouts from the pre-selected middle-distance boys in Melbourne to send him searching for his passport. Poor "Mossy" gave everything and lost several places on the run in.

1 M Warmby (Newham &EB) 12:23; 5 J Blackledge (Belgrave) 12:26; 15 C Moss 12:48; 17 D Gauson (Scotland/Belgrave) 12:52; dnf? A McLean-Foreman (Belgrave).

U17 Men's 6 km

What a dramatic race! Sixteen year-old Greg Billlington has been unbeaten in Europe and the UK this winter - and gave a terrific account of himself in a race in the USA where he was way among the youngest in his race. Here at Wollaton Park he was back in the 20s - maybe 30s - after climbing the first hill, then worked his way through the field ... into the top four ... and then the top two as he fell in behind Ricky Stephenson (North East). It was commented by onlookers that Greg seemed to fall away each time the hill was tackled, but nevertheless, he always got back. At 5k the hill was ascended for the last time before the runners disappeared behind a clump of trees and at this point, it has to be said, Stephenson looked as if he was going to claim the victory as the gap reached its largest extent - about six metres.

What we didn't know was that Greg's coach Mick Graham had advised him to hold back on the hills - take them as comfortably as possible - and then burst back at the top to hurt his opponent while he was feeling the effort. It worked a treat. That last kilometre saw Greg take a lead that Stephenson could do nothing about - and as the Belgrave man stretched away, the North-Easterner faded - and then dramatically collapsed with only a couple of hundred metres remaining. He didn't finish in the top ten and we have a feeling that he didn't finish at all. He had literally run himself to a standstill in an effort to break away.

Greg's winning margin was 12 seconds - and he seemed quite at ease in spite of this titanic struggle. Mick was delighted with his protege - and Suffolk had claimed their first ever male win at the Inter-Counties in a time which equalled the course record.

1 G Billington (Suffolk/Belgrave) 20:30.

Senior Men's 12 km

David Anderson got the call-up from his North East Counties Team Manager while Phil Wicks donned the "old gold" colours of Surrey. A powerful start by Phil saw him in 18th place when the field settled into the first circuit, with David just inside 30. Tom Humphries of Staffs made most of the running in the middle of the race with the experienced Dominic Bannister alongside Phil prior to working his way slowly towards the front - and an eventual win. Phil dropped a couple of places with each lap and didn't look quite right. It transpired that he was suffering from a bad blister and while Phil's position climbed into the 20s, David slowly came forward - sprinting past to become our first man home in the final straight.

1 D Bannister (North East) 38:12; 23 D Anderson (North East/Belgrave) 39:34; 27 P Wicks (Surrey/Belgrave) 39:41. Teams: 1 Yorkshire 144; 2 Lancashire 235; 3 North East 264; 4 Surrey 287.

Restored from the club's earlier website, belgraveharriers.com, and published here as originally written.