HAWORTH GP Jo Buckley, of Bingley Harriers, finished a fine 33rd place in Saturday's Northern Cross-Country Championships at Pontefract racecourse.

Her former club-mate Emma Clayton was a close second to Elle Vernon of Stockport in the senior women’srace.

Lucy Needham (76th, Wharfedale) and Sally Malir (94th, Ilkley) also made the top hundred of the 342 ladies.

Wharfedale were placed sixth in the team event behind winners Rotherham, with Bingley in 16th.

Alistair Brownlee had to concede first place to Stockport’s Andrew Davies in the men's senior race. The gap was six seconds, as Brownlee finished in 37min 50sec, on a day when a stiff wind and clawing mud made getting into your stride difficult.

Rob Hope from Pudsey & Bramley managed 36th, just ahead of Tom Adams (Ilkley).

Ben Marriott was second Bingley Harrier after Brownlee in 73rd, while Craig Shearer (Keighley & Craven, 109th) was well placed in a field of 697 finishers.

Among the junior races, Emile Cairess (Bingley Harriers) finished an excellent second in the under-17s.

Padgin’s team-mate, Eleanor Jones was sixth in the girls’ under-15s, with Bingley’s Victoria Merrick in 16th.

In the women’s under-20s, Hannah Brown (Skyrac) was fifth, with Keighley’s Zara Knappy 17th.

Keighley & Craven were prominent also in the under-13s, with Lilli Carr 9th and Katie Atkinson 13th.