Mike Skinner continued his preparations for the Great Britain trials for the European Championships in Liverpool in two weeks time with a 7th place in the McCain UK Cross Challenge in Gateshead. The Blackheath & Bromley athlete was involved in a very tight finish with just five seconds covering 3rd to 7th places.

Significantly these five places were filled by the first five Britons in the field which will make the Trials race a keenly contested affair with only the first three guaranteed a place in the British team. The remaining three will be selected on current form.

Given that he was beaten by some of his rivals for a place in the team, Skinner was slightly disappointed with his position, but he has the ability and experience to make the team and will be fine tuning his training over the coming days in preparation for the Trials.

Closer to home the latest round of the Kent Womens and Young Athletes League took place at Knole Park with some breakthrough performances across the age groups.

The Senior Womens race was a disappointment as the Club could not complete a team. However, individually the quality was there with Jennie Butler returning from injury to finish in 3rd place and Elaine Murty in 5th. Elaine is now 4th overall for the season.

Hannah Garcia was the only representative in the Under 20s age group finishing in 2nd place and she is second overall for the season.

There was a large turnout in the younger age groups with more girls competing than anyone could remember. Eight toed the line in the under 17 womens race with Jen Hamer the first to finish in 3rd place. She is now in first place overall for the season followed in second by Danielle Critchley who was 5th at Knole Park. With Krystal Galley in 9th the team were second on the day to Tonbridge and there was good back up with Amy DeMatos 12th, Chelsea Crouser 15th, Danielle Webb 18th, Mel Kane 19th and Clare Parkin 20th.

In the U17 Men, Hector Kurtyanek ran a blinder to improve his finish by 3 places from Mote Park to place 4th. Stephen Cavey and Ross Braden brought the team home in third place. Jonathan Halls continued to complete all of the Kent League races.

Amber Reed had an eventful afternoon. She won her first ever Kent League race as she finished first in the under 15 girls race. Her win was not without incident, however, as 600 metres to go her shoe came loose and she completed the last 300 metres with one shoe. She now heads the League for the season with just one race to go.

With Jessica Jones 11th and Lauren Heria 17th the team were second and there was strength in depth with Hope Stenning 18th, Ella Self 20th, Rachel Robinson 21st, Kayleigh Leonard 24th and promising debutant Amelia Gibbons in 30th.

The U15 boys team showed strength with the ever improving Will Mercer and Sam Jackson running in the deteriorating weather conditions to finish 8th and 9th. Adam Willis finished 14th for his first U15 scoring place. The team finished in 3rd place. Greg Proctor ran well in the muddy conditions to complete the course in 19th place.

The Under 13 girls race produced perhaps the surprise result of the day. Dina Asher Smith was one of the fastest sprinters in the country this Summer breaking all the Club records in the process but she showed that cross country is for everyone as she won her first cross country race for the Club. The lead four runners had broken clear of the field with 400 metres left before Dina hit the front with 250 metres to go to win by two seconds. “Never again!” said the Newstead Woods schoolgirl.

Behind her Georgina Kennedy finished in third place and with Sonia Woolhouse in 13th they were second team albeit on the same number of points as winners Tonbridge, the placings being decided on the Clubs’ highest positioned third scorer.

Again there was good depth to the squad with Louise Davison 19th, Izzy Jackson 23rd, Janae Galley 24th despite having just recovered from tonsillitis, new talent Anna Massey 26th, and Holly Fletcher 27th.

Five U13 boys ran. The best finisher was the ever improving Will Ruiz who finished in 9th place. Alex Punnett wasn't far behind in 14th and Richard Webb completed the scoring team in 20th position. The team finished in 4th place. Tom Desborough completed the course along with debutant Oliver Sims to complete the team.