“WE’RE sometimes victims of our own success,” said Shaun McGrath, reflecting on Vale Royal Athletics Club’s showing during the Northern Cross Country Championships on Saturday.

Last year they won three team titles, while Great Britain international Elliot Bowker got his hands on an individual gold medal.

This time around, at a sodden Pontefract, the club’s haul was three silver gongs.

McGrath said: “I can list a load of clubs who’d bite off your hand to do so well.

“We’re immensely happy with how it went.”

Tessa McCormick, who has represented England at an international cross country meeting, was second in the junior women’s race behind Bronwen Owen.

The Scarborough athlete’s winning margin, 19 seconds, was one of the biggest of the day in west Yorkshire.

McCormick, never before a medallist at this event, held off Molly Betmead (Blackpool Wyre & Fylde) to classify as runner-up.

Clubmate Amelia Pettitt was fourth, while a top 40 finish for Emma-Louise Pyatt clinched for Vale Royal a silver medal in the team standings too.

McGrath said: “It’s a tremendous achievement considering we had a couple of runners – Katie Gerrard and Kate Moulds – unavailable to run.

“Amelia has only recently recovered from an injury, so was over the moon to finish as high as she did rather than be upset at missing out on a medal.”

Jacob Brown led an under 17s boys’ quartet that took team silver in their age class, placing inside the top 10.

Josh Betteley, Jon Owen and Jon Chatten helped Vale Royal to second spot behind City of York.

McGrath said: “Jacob set his sights on a top 10 at best, so was delighted.

“The others did their bit to get a deserved silver medal.”

Matthew Sheen was eighth overall in the junior men’s race.

Caitlin Dimmick, in the under 15s girls’ category, and under 15s boys’ duo Arun Dight and Harry Dexter celebrated a top 30 placing in their age classes.

Oliver Waring and Alex Doyle followed Dight and Dexter across the line to secure fifth for Vale Royal in the collective classification.

Among the senior women, Kate Titlow was first counter in 25th place.

Most of a seven-strong under 13s boys’ contingent tasted competition at regional level for the first time.

McGrath said: “It’s something we consider to be important.

“For them, we weren’t looking at times or placings, but to let them experience what an event on this scale is like.

“They were thrown in at the deep end, quite literally considering how muddy the course was in parts.

“It would have been easy to start sinking, but they all got round safely.”

The club turns its attention now to next month’s English National Cross Country Championships at Parliament Hill, in London.

Results

Northern Cross Country Championships

Pontefract Racecourse, Saturday – Senior men (Vale Royal AC members only) (12km): 59. Stuart Doyle 41:48; 233. Rob Olliver 47:23; 263. Steve Caldwell 48:02; 441. Tony Archer 53:22; 583. Simon Bridge 59:04; 589. Geoff Fawkes 59:31; 661. Colin Rathbone 1:06.25. Teams: 39. Vale Royal AC 2168pts.

Senior women (8km): 25. Kate Titlow 31:51; 92. Laura Bestow 35:33; 229. Debbie Moreton 42:37; 320. Carole Williams 49:44. Teams: 22. Vale Royal AC 666pts.

Junior men (8km): 8. Matthew Sheen 27:19; 38. Daniel Morrison 29:40.

Junior women (5.6km): 2. Tessa McCormick 19:24; 4. Amelia Pettitt 19:50; 36. Emma-Louise Pyatt 22:34; 41. Clara Pettitt 23:05. Teams: 2. Vale Royal AC 42pts.

Under 17s boys (6.2km): 10. Jacob Brown 20:08; 15. Josh Betteley 20:20; 21. Jonathan Owen 20:30; 51. Jonathan Chatten 21:36. Teams: 2. Vale Royal AC 97pts.

Under 17s girls (5km): 45. Chloe Broad 19:45; 65. Cara Gibbons 20:41; 74. Chloe Dooley 21:18.

Under 15s boys (4km): 23. Arun Dight 14:35; 27. Harry Dexter 14:41; 54. Oliver Waring 15:06; 62. Alex Doyle 15:16; 68. Robert Weir 15:23; 153. Curtis Rodway 17:22. Teams: 5. Vale Royal AC 166pts.

Under 15s girls (4km): 22. Caitlin Dimmick 16:33; 42. Georgina Denham 17:05; 69. Esme Bridge 17:45; 132. Georgina Moreton 20:00; 144. Phillippa Miles 21:11. Teams: 9. Vale Royal AC 265pts.

Under 13s boys (3.1km): 40. Edward Pettitt 11:42; 86. William McKay 12:20; 110. Aaron Doyle 12:37; 115. Charlie Fawkes 12:44; 118. Alfie Dexter 12:46; 138. Lewis Stanley 13:06; 167. Edward Smiles 13:47. Teams: 12. Vale Royal AC 351pts.

Under 13s girls (3.1km): 96. Cerys Pilliner 13:21; 156. Chloe Dooley 14:19.