THERE was double delight for Skipton Girls High School runners in the North Yorkshire Schools Cross Country Championships at sunny Whitby on Saturday.

The ever-consistent Katie Atkinson retained her under-14 girls title and Ruby Firth produced an impressive performance to win the under-12 race.

Atkinson was the only one of Craven area's four winners from the Craven championships to compete as a combination of illness and injury floored the other three.

Atkinson, runner-up in last week’s full County Championships for clubs, led the Harrogate & Craven under-14s to a comfortable victory in the team competition. Emily Jones, also of Skipton Girls High, came eighth.

Their school colleague, under-12 runner Lucy Fryers, who has also been in fine form this season, was missing due to picking up a stress fracture. In her absence, Ruby Firth grasped her opportunity to take the individual title.

Firth will be joined in the North Yorkshire team for the Inter-Counties meeting at South Shield on February 7 by Giggleswick’s Molly Bratt who was eighth. Upper Wharfedale’s Charlotte Barrett 16th, and Skipton Girl’s High School's Emily Kenneth 19th, helped Harrogate & Craven to the team victory.

The under-12 boys' race saw the late withdrawal of Ermysted’s area champion Harvey Lewis through injury after travelling to Whitby.

Fellow Ermysted’s pupil Louis Hudson benefited by coming third and led the Harrogate & Craven team to a massive victory as they had five more runners in the top 12.

Settle’s Rhys Watmough, was fourth, Giggleswick’s Jack Hutchinson sixth, then three runners from Ermysted’s Sebastian Seggar-Staveley eighth, Tom Horsley tenth and Arthur Peel 12th all made the county team.

The under-14 boys were missing Ermysted’s area champion Matthew Kenneth who had flu. This was disappointing as he had just gained full county selection.

Giggleswick’s Euan Brennan was third, Settle’s Ryan Watmough fourth and Skipton Academy’s Joe Hudson sixth. Ermysted’s were still well represented at the sharp end of the race as Ben Jackson came seventh, Tom Barrett eighth, and Sam Jackson ninth. Giggleswick's Henry Turnbull was14th to earn county selection, but Tom Humphries, who ran well for 17th, just missed out. Harrogate & Craven won the team award with eight of their runners inside the top 14.

The under-16 girls were the only Harrogate & Craven team not to shine. Lizzie Joynson, who was 22nd, was the only Craven representative but missed out on the county team.

The under-16 boys had lots of Craven representation as Ermysted’s had six runners on the day. However, only Jimmy Lund who came 15th made the county team.

The other finishers were Luke Thompson 21st, Matt Jackson 25th, Ben Archer 32nd, Alfie Spain 36th and George Maloney 37th, who along with Upper Wharfedale’s Alex Ashby 30th helped their team to victory but won’t be running for Yorkshire at South Shields on February 7.

The senior girls team won their race thanks to Giggleswick’s Charlotte Francis who was 1th and Skipton Girls High School's Elspeth Adamson 14th, who both made the county team.

The senior boys race saw the Ermysted’s duo of tenth-placed Rob Thompson and Sam Laycock 13th, make the county team. Ermysted’s Tom Fryers 17th, Oscar Clements 20th and Giggleswick’s George Renwick 21st, just missed out.

There is now the opportunity for the older three age groups to be selected for the prestigious English Schools Race on March 14 in Blackburn. his race only has teams of eight, six of whom are picked after this race and the final two positions decided after the South Shields event.

Harrogate & Craven were all conquering in the team events,winning six of the eight age group. That should have been seven as the senior boys should also have been given their race. York came out on top as the organisers only counted four runners rather than eight.