CITY of Salisbury cross country enthusiasts celebrated a superb double in the Hampshire League fixture at Sparsholt College near Winchester last Saturday, undeterred by relentless driving rain and treacherous mud, writes JOHN RUSKIN.

In the under-15’s 4k, Sophie Nicholls took her second consecutive win when she held on to a keenly contested lead and crossed the line in 15min 02sec, four seconds ahead of Southampton's Robyn Fossa. This strengthens her position at the top of the league. Alice Oliff-Lee also did well, taking 28th spot.

Then in the under 17’s 4k, Bea Wood romped away from the field to record another fine win, timed at 14.22 and more than half a minute clear of the rest. She shares top spot in her age group table with Wimborne’s Emily Shaw.

In the under-13’s 3k, Neve Cousins was 26th, Jess Howard 57th, Amelia Brace 59th and Harriet Boardman 62nd. Charlie Coles was best of the under 13 boys in seventh, with Caleb Etheridge 17th, Jacob Earls 49th, Daniel Robertson 64th and Sunny Baum 76th and in the under 15’s Cameron Jacobs was 59th.

Sian Thomas ran another good race, taking 25th place in the senior ladies’ 6k, timed at 26.54. She was followed by Ruth Holloway 46th, Samantha Hibdige 57th, Charlotte Ingram 77th, Jess Brown 81st and Polly Jacobs 83rd. The club took seventh team place among 33. In the 10k men’s race, Joseph Donworth was the club highest finisher in 52nd spot, then came Andy Holme 96th, Richard Davidson 110th, Henry Dix 123rd, Pete Callanan 131st and Mike Brewster 135th. The men’s vets are second in their table.

The course for Gloucestershire’s Sodbury Slog 10mile lived up to its fearsome reputation but Kathryn Dreyer survived to tell the tale in 2hours 11min.