Grant Ramsay from Stevenage finished in the top four after the weekend s UK Cross-Country Challenge Final in Nottingham. This incorporated the inter-counties match and he came back in a time of 46:49 over the 12k distance. It meant an overall position of

Grant Ramsay from Stevenage finished in the top four after the weekend's UK Cross-Country Challenge Final in Nottingham.

This incorporated the inter-counties match and he came back in a time of 46:49 over the 12k distance. It meant an overall position of fourth in the seniors men's competition.

The five-match series saw 250 athletes take part. The overall winner was Ben Mareau from Oxford University.

Stevenage and North Herts athletes were heavily involved in the UK Inter-Counties Cross-Country Championships in Nottingham on Saturday.

Eleven members were representing Hertfordshire over a tough and muddy course.

Positions in the first 100 are extremely good as the competitors in these races are the cream of their counties.

Highest athlete in 28th place in a field of 286 finishers was under-13 girl Hannah Dewhurst (15:37).

Next highest placed was Sara Bailey, just moving into the senior women's ranks. She was 35th out of 269 finishers in 32:32.

Lauren Cunningham, not yet fully fit, finished 232rd.

A surprise in the under-15 girls' race was that Natasha Little in 54th place beat her twin Victoria (72nd) for a change, although only 17 seconds separated them (17:41 to 17:58).

The field of 283 finishers had Chloe Vernon-Hamilton, also recovering from a spell of injury, in 143rd place in 18:47.

Next highest placed was the consistent Jo Mansell in 66th place out of 259 in the under-17 women's event (22:08).

The under-13 boys' race saw Matthew Leach in 75th place (14:34) out of 190 finishers.

Becky Newstead was 97th in 31:28 and Tilly Scheuber 127th in 35:40 of the 130 women in the under-20 race.

Under-20 man Marcus McKechnie finished in 115th place in a field of 172 finishers with 31:34.

Two North Herts Road Runners also represented Hertfordshire.

Neil Miller was 92nd to help the Herts senior men's team come ninth overall.

Astrid McKeown finished 64th in an extremely competitive women's race. She started well and got even better as the race went on and charged through the field on the final lap.

She was fourth counter in the Herts ladies' team which finished seventh overall.

Clifton schoolboy Ryan Parker, who was running for Bedfordshire, was also involved in the under-17 men's race.