With the cathedral looking down on the field, St Albans Athletics Club and St Albans Striders produced superb runs at the Hertfordshire Cross-country Championships.

Held in Verulamium Park on Sunday, just under 60 senior athletes and a host of youngsters from the sister clubs took part in the event.

And having such depth provided a great advantage when it came to team placings, with the females of the clubs taking first and second place.

The A-team consisted of Keira Stern (fourth), Hannah Rayden (fifth), Hannah Burkhardt (eighth) and Megan Zoe Walker (10th).

The B-team were led in by Penny Habbick in 12th with Freya Weddell 14th, Lily Seach 19th and Christina Durbin one place behind in 20th.

The males of the clubs also rose to the challenge, securing gold with the winning team made up of Cameron Dockerill (fourth), Philip Evans (sixth), George Withers (10th), Chris Dennell (14th), Adam Yorwerth (15th), and Jonathan Scott (17th).

A spokeswoman said: "It was a huge team effort from Striders and AC to host the event, with almost as many volunteers setting up the course and marshalling as racing, with many managing both.

"Thanks goes out to all those involved in making the event such a great success."

Herts Advertiser: The St Albans Striders senior women's team at the county champs. Picture: JETHRO OFFEMARIAThe St Albans Striders senior women's team at the county champs. Picture: JETHRO OFFEMARIA (Image: Jethro Offemaria)

The youngsters were also in excellent form.

A total of 14 U11 girls ran over the course and they came back with individual gold, courtesy of Ella Pinder, and gold and bronze in the team event.

The boys also claimed team gold with Daniel Kennedy fourth, Mark Banaghi fifth and Henry Wragg 13th.

It was team silver and bronze for both the U13 boys and girls with Eloise Smith fourth, Amelia Drane sixth and Bella Kerry seventh, and then Isaac Gibson-Dunt second, Edward Goodwin fifth and Guy Russel-Jones seventh.

The U15 girls of Emma Treloar, Lily Kennedy and Eliza Nightingale won team bronze while individual gold and silver from Josh Hirst and Oscar Nagalingham, and a seventh-place finish for Adam Healey, was enough for team gold.

Jacob Rafferty, Lukas McIvor and Sam McNaught followed them in for bronze.

Phoebe Gill won the U17 race, with Becks Cray and Kate Kyle completing the team gold line-up, while the ladies also had a bronze medal to celebrate thanks to the efforts Yau Kan, Zoe Hilton and Katie Rodway. 

And Adam Smith (seventh), Thomas Bailey (ninth) and George Metcalfe (11th) earned the U17 men silver.

That race was run alongside the U20 and that female team also landed a gold, Antonia Jubb winning individual gold ahead of Lily Tse in second.

Sarah McGrath's fifth completed the winning squad.

The U20 men were not to be left out either and the too finished top of the podium.

Archie Marshall was first, Alex McDonald came third and Evan Turner was fifth.