Edgars Sumskis strode to a convincing win in the Cambridgeshire Cross Country Championship at St Neots as he became the first Nene Valley Harrier to have his name carved on the trophy since the 1990s.
On a semi-frozen Priory Park course, the rangy runner broke from the leading group well before halfway and never looked back, as he rapidly pulled away from runner-up Chris Darling of Cambridge and Coleridge AC.
Sumskis, who is a specialist Steeplechaser, now hopes to represent his native Latvia at this year’s European Athletics Championship.
He said “I decided to make my move early on as I could hear other runners in the group breathing heavily, and I wanted to make sure it didn’t come down to a sprint finish.
“It didn’t seem such a good idea when I had to run into the strong wind on my own though.”
Former Harrier Alex Hampson finished in a fine third place, with Peterborough AC’s Steve Robinson one place further back.
Nene Valley athletes picked up plenty of prizes, with the all-conquering under-17 girls winning team gold thanks to Josie Fortune and Ellie Piccaver winning the individual silver and bronze medals, while Amber Park finished fifth.
The Nene Valley under-11 girls also took team gold, with Matilda Halford have a fine run to take the individual bronze just ahead of fourth-placed Evie Hemmings.
Alexander Braid completed the scoring team by finishing 11th.
The older of the Hemmings sisters, Lottie, won under-13 bronze but also picked up team silver, with Chelsea Bole (fourth) and 13th-placed Amelia Devine both running well.
Peterborough AC’s Chloe Findlay (fifth) and Sarah Caskey (eighth) led the senior ladies to bronze, while Emma Randall was the first Harrier home in 11th place.
Elsewhere, Nene Valley Harrier Katie Tasker was the first local in the under-15 race finishing fourth.
The Harriers’ boys did not fare as well as the girls, and it was William Tee of Yaxley Runners who led the local challenge in the under-11 race with a 13th-place finish.
The Nene Valley under-13 boys finished fourth overall, with 11th-placed Sam Oakley leading the charge behind ten Cambridge and Coleridge youngsters. Kai Chilvers came in eighth in the boys
under-15 race, and Ben Roberts in seventh was the first under-17 Harrier home.
