Nestle Rowntree runner David MacQuarrie has retained his Yorkshire Under-15 Cross Country Championship title.

The Sherburn School, near Selby, star clocked 16 minutes 49 seconds - over a minute quicker than his nearest rival on a muddy course at Bodington Hall, Leeds University.

MacQuarrie is a member of the English Schools squad and his success in the county championships was quickly followed by the Nestl Under-17 girls team of Nina Griffith, Susanna Dale and Aimee Collett, who won silver behind Bingley Harriers.

Millthorpe School pupil Griffith, who finished eighth, also gained selection to the county team.

Other notable individual Nestl performances came from Philip Graves, who was 15th in the Under-13 boys event and Lauren Mason, 17th in the girls race in the same age group. They both helped their respective teams to sixth overall.

Dawn Gibbs was 19th in the senior women's event over six kilometres.

Knavesmire Harriers' men's team produced their best-ever performance in the championships to finish in a club-best seventh place overall.

Bingley took the gold medals as each runner in their six-man team finished in the top 13 places with an excellent tally of 50. Leeds City's score of 108 earned them silver.

There were only 36 points between third and seventh place, with Keighley and Craven AC's total of 239 just enough to take the bronze medals from Holmfirth (241), Hallamshire Harriers (244) and City of Sheffield AC (273).

Knavesmire Harriers then came in with a score of 275, Jon Pavis leading the team home as the 17th fastest runner in the event, clocking 43mins 58secs.

Andy Capel (26th), Andy Bissell (35th) and Dave Chippett (47th) soon followed in excellent times, despite having finished second, sixth and seventh, respectively, in the Great Ayton Captain Cook's Fell Race only a few days previously.

Neil Strange (56th) and Andy Smith (94th) completed the scoring team, while the other runners in the York-based club's team were Andy Neale (117th), Barry Atkinson (122nd), Mick McGrath (129th) and Garry Huggan (148th).

If key members of Knavesmire's squad were not ruled out due to illness or injury then the club could well have won the bronze medals.

The race was won by Otley AC's Ian Fisher in 40-43, helping his club to finish eighth overall.

Bingley Harriers also took golds in the senior women's race, with Charlotte Sanderson leading them home in first place with a time of 26-49. Harrogate Harriers took silver with Holmfirth finishing third.

Knavesmire's women found the competition tough, finishing 13th overall with Fiona Strange (45th) leading the team home. Chris Shouksmith (51st) and Mandy Clarke (54th) were their only other runners in a field of 86.

Harrier Andy Capel was second in only his second fell race - the Captain Cook fell race on New Year's Day

The race itself was part of Mandale Harriers winter series. Other Knavesmire positions were Andy Bissell 6th, Dave Cippett 7th, Barry Atkinson 27th (veteran 40), Gary Huggan 77th.

Updated: 11:51 Wednesday, January 10, 2001