A LARGE turnout marked the first round of Warrington Athletics Club’s Schools Cross Country League on Saturday.

More than 350 pupils from schools across Warrington contested the various races in different age groups at Walton Hall Gardens.

Molly Wormold won the primary schools girls’ race, which had 154 runners, for Old Hall in a time of 5mins 25secs. Amelia Smithers, of St Monica’s, was second home in 5mins 31secs, with Lucy Davies in third place for St Peters, who lead after the first round.

Will Hanson led the field of 112 primary boys home in 6mins 50secs, helping St Wilfred’s to first place on the leaderboard going into the second round, which takes place on Saturday, November 5.

Bridgewater High School lead the way for the minor girls category after Maisie Bell’s spirited third place, with Isobel Houghton and Helena Gill all registering in the first 10 places.

Orla Gregory came home in first place for Cardinal Newman in a time of 7mins 13secs, 12 seconds ahead of Lymm’s Eva Ferris.

Euan McNab helped Helsby take top spot after round one in the minor boys, coming home in 10mins 9secs, with Jack Pemberton and Harvey Hebden both finishing in the top six. Lymm’s Reece Connell was second and Great Sankey’s Joe Murphy third.

In the junior/intermediate girls, Lucy Baxter and Isabelle Trevithick crossed the line first and second to help Bridgewater High top the leaderboard, with Rebecca Nixon coming in third for King’s Leadership Academy.

For the boys, Lymm’s Elliott Bottomley led the field of 20 home in 10mins 52secs, two seconds ahead of Helsby’s Robert Salmon, who in turn pipped Great Sankey’s Joseph Weston by just one second.

Meanwhile, Warrington Athletics Club gave a strong performance in the Manchester Area Cross Country League at Wythenshawe Park.

In the under 15s boys, Jordan Jones and Joe Buckley came in second and third respectively to help the team score 18 points, with Isaaq Ataullah finishing a respectable 13th and Joe Roberts 21st.

Jack Stubbins clocked 22mins 2secs to win the under 17s men’s race for Warrington, pipping teammate Sam Rostron by six seconds. Luke Gamble was fourth and Daniel Fox 15th to help the team score eight points.

In the senior men’s race, Nick Jones was the second over 40s runner home and 12th overall, with Jack Green 48th.

Steve Burtham was ninth in the over 55s category in 43mins 10secs, finishing in 189th place overall.