The winter sun shone not only on the Hertfordshire County Cross Country Championship but on the athletics club in the area with some wonderful individual and team results.
Held at Stanborough Park in Welwyn Garden City, nearly 30 took part from Stevenage & North Herts Athletics Club across the various age groups, and some of them can now call themselves county champions.
That honour fell to Will Galliford, Isaac Whitten and Tyler Wannerton who guided the U17 men to the gold medal in the team competition.
There were also two team silvers, the U15 girls of Abigail Manson, Charlotte Livingston and Imogen Rose getting one and Aubrey Murray, Casey Wyatt and Evan Robson of the U13 boys getting the other.
Oliver Rose was a double medallist for the U11 boys, holding off the opposition in a fast finish to claim bronze which was also the colour of the team medal won with James Cook and Matthew Creak.
Individual bronze was also the prize for Emse Searle in the U13 girls' race although she and team-mates Jane and Lauren Griffin narrowly missed out on a team medal, finishing in fourth.
In other races Will Toffa, George Fyfield and Harrison Lund made up the U15 boys' team that came sixth and Hazel Spitzer (fourth overall) and Ellie Morris made great debuts in the U11 girls races.
Among the fine runs for North Herts Road Runners was a fifth place for the senior men behind champions St Albans Striders, James Fox the first of them to finish and a hugely creditable fourth place, one spot ahead of Tom Webb with Stewart Overton in 18th.
Matt Sayers, Mike Bannister and John Auld were their other scorers.
Matthew Ronayne competed in the U20 men's race with the 17-year-old coming home in seventh, good enough for selection to the inter-county competition later in the year.
Eight of the Fairlands Valley Spartans men's team: John Harris, Martin Wood, Stuart Archer, Paul Hewett, Jonathan Jones, Tom Sauka, Andy Jay and Mark Williams. (Image: Vicky Archer/FVS)
A top-10 position for the in-form Jonathan Parr led home the Fairlands Valley Spartans' efforts.
The club had 15 in total running with Parr coming eighth, part of the men's team that finished 13th.
Paul Hewett, Stuart Archer, John Harris, Mark Williams and Martin Wood were the other scorers.
Nicola Andersson was the fastest FVS female, placing 53rd.
Fairlands Valley Spartans women's team: Nikki Nation, Cathy Craig, Linda Nolan, Nicola Andersson and Sharon Crowley. (Image: Vicky Archer/FVS)
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