SHELDON School’s Gemma Shepherd raced to victory in the combined U20/17 women’s race at the Tri-Counties Cross Country Championships at the University of Bath on Sunday, writes KEVIN FAHEY.

Shepherd has made a quiet start to the winter but the 17-year-old, who is coached by Adrian Clover at Team Bath AC, is clearly in decent shape as she emphatically beat Somerset’s top junior Emily Smith for an impressive victory.

The meeting saw runners from Avon, Somerset & Wiltshire compete at the event and matching Shepherd’s overall victory was Hilperton’s Robert Howorth in the boys’ U15 race.

Melksham Oak School student Will Stockley, who lives in Semington, looked impressive as he finished third overall in the combined U20/17 men’s race but was only beaten by one other U17 runner. He was easily the best in Wiltshire and even finished ahead of his county U20 champion.

Trowbridge-based runner Caitlin Wosika lifted the U15 girls’ title while Corsham’s Kirsty Stanley was crowned U20 women’s champion.

In only her second race of the year following injury problems, 21-year-old Warminster runner Imogen Wolsey claimed a morale-boosting victory in the senior women’s race.

The Avon Valley Runners team of Jaqueline Rockliffe, Jennifer Ford, Fiona Price and Kiersty Barnett claimed the Wiltshire team title for the fifth time and also took Tri-County bronze behind Bristol & West and Westbury Harriers and ahead of Team Bath and Chippenham Harriers.

The 2013 U11s champion Eleanor Webster of Stonar School, Atworth, did well to win silver, having stepped up into the U13s and there were also silvers for Hayden Bailey of Westbury and Corsham’s Jade Littechild.

Bronze medals were won by Cameron Perkins, John Howorth and Elen Lindsay, with Melksham’s Ciara Newcastle finishing second overall and first Wiltshire runner home in the girls’ U11 race.

The senior men’s race saw Avon Valley Runners’ defending champion Michael Towler finish third but, along with Rich Ayling, Mike Rose, David Brigstocke, Dominic Beddis and Pete Slade, help Avon Valley to defend their Wiltshire team title and take Tri-County silver behind Team Bath.

Marlborough & District Juniors (MADJA) were also represented and their best result came from Lola Gibbon, who was fourth in the U11s novice race while Max Hughes was sixth in the U13 boys.

The race will be used to determine selection for the Wiltshire team to compete at the South West Inter-Counties Championships at Bicton College, near Exeter, on January 4.

COUNTY HONOURS BOARD

Golds (6): Will Stockley, U17 men, Semington; Robert Howorth, U15 boys, Hilperton; Imogen Wolsey, senior women, Warminster; Kirsty Stanley, U20 women, Corsham; Gemma Shepherd, U17 women, Yatesbury; Caitlin Wosika, U15 girls, Trowbridge.

Silvers (3): Hayden Bailey, U15 boys, Westbury; Jade Littechild, U15 girls, Corsham; Eleanor Webster, U13 girls, Melksham.

Bronzes (3): Cameron Perkins, U17 men, Chppenham; John Howorth, U15 boys, Hilperton; Elen Lindsay, U15 girls, Sheldon School.

Full Wiltshire results: gazetteandherald.co.uk/sport