GARGRAVE’S Katie Atkinson came close but not quite close enough to another title-winning accolade when she finished runner-up in the Under-13 Girls event at the Yorkshire Cross-Country Championships which were staged last Saturday at Lightwater Valley.

From a field of 70 competitors “Skatie Katie” was soon up among the leaders on a twisty-twiny undulating course and then, together with eventual winner Lucie Hall of Halifax, the duo broke clear amid the final surge for home.

However, it was the Halifax runner who better negotiated a tricky chicane just before the finishing straight and that proved to be decisive in the final analysis.

A silver medal-winning performance was nonetheless another fine accomplishment and the Gargrave lass also achieved the satisfaction of winning a place in the Yorkshire team for the forthcoming United Kingdom Inter-Counties Championships in Birmingham, also leading her Keighley and Craven AC to the Yorkshire team title. Indeed that team title success was very much an all-Craven affair due also particularly to the similarly fine efforts of the Farnhill duo, Lilli Carr who finished fifth and Lucy Fryers, running much of the way with only one shoe, who finished eighth. These two also thus winning places in the eight-strong Yorkshire team and for which first reserve after finishing ninth will be Lothersdale’s Emily Jones, a member of Wharfedale Harriers albeit perfecting much of her training in Skipton.

There was a distinct local flavour too among Keighley and Craven’s other team-medals winning achievement, bronze behind City of Sheffield and City of York, in the Under-15 Boys event.

Ermysted’s Jimmy Lund, 11th and thus also on the Yorkshire reserve quarter, led the red, green and white charge with Joe Hudson 13th, Tom Barrett 21st, Rhyan Watmough 22nd and Sam Jackson 25th, all resident either in or nearby Skipton, ensured that podium finish.

Hudson’s younger brother Louis, likewise with another year at hand in the age-group, also impressed to make the Yorkshire reserve quarter as he finished 11th in the Under-13 Boys event.

Among the seniors Lee Athersmith, hitherto Skipton AC then Bingley Harriers and shortly on the move again, this time to Leeds City, in 32nd position, led Wharfedale Harriers into fourth place behind Leeds City, Hallamshire and Leeds City B in the Senior Men’s event.