KENDAL Athletic Club members were among the thousands competing in the Northern Cross Country championships in Pontefract, West Yorkshire.

With over 3,000 entrants pulling on their running shoes, the course was deceivingly tough with flat fast sections, long uphill climbs and plenty of mud.

Never far off the pace set by the leaders, Rebecca Robinson timed her race perfectly to pull through into bronze medal position on the tough uphill finish over the 8k Senior Women's Championship.

With 342 runners the clear winner was Ellie Vernon of Stockport in 28:22 with Robinson crossing the line in 29:07. Helm Hill's Melanie Hyder was 19th.

Mairead Rock proved to be a great team asset finishing 63rd in 34:13.

Sadly hopes for the team were dashed when a disappointed Sarah Tunstall was unwell.

Alisdair Russell finished 47th in the Senior Men's race despite a year blighted by injury.

The 650 strong field saw a battle between triathlete Alistair Brownlee who won gold at the 2012 London Olympics and the 2014 Commonwealth Games, and eventual winner, Stockport's Andrew Davis.

In the 8k U20 mens race Mark Sullivan was 51st in 31.06 and Tom Hartley 57th in 31.27.

Helm Hill's u17 runner Chris Richards finished 28th and Matt Senior 50th.

It was success for u15 Cole Blaikie who finished 16th in 14.22 while Luke Bowen also ran well to finish 42nd in 14.54. But there was yet more disappointment for the team as hopes of a top position were lost as Alex Birkett's chip timer was mis-placed.

Samantha Bland led the way for the club in the u15 girls with a 30th placed finish while Jemma Litzki and Imogen Gorst also ran well. Helm Hill's Imogen Burrow was 27th.

Frasor Sproul finished 40 seconds behind the winner in the u13 boys, enough for a 17th placed spot while Steph Driscoll put Kendal in the headlines in the girls race - finishing tenth.