Hunts AC made a flawless start to the new Frostbite League season.

The local club, which boasted a record turnout of 91 runners, claimed senior and junior team successes in the opening round of the cross-country series at Priory Park, in St Neots.

Hunts AC are defending champions in the senior section and captain Ty Farrer was the first of the 56-strong contingent to finish, in ninth place. He spearheaded a fine team effort with all seven of their scoring male runners coming home inside the top 31 in a field of 444.

Tom Walker took 10th, Ian Gallagher was 12th, Nick Osborn came in 14th, Andy Stowe finished 15th, Simon Margot took 30th spot and Ed McNeil was 31st.

Rachel Sweatt was the star female performer. She was the second lady to finish and 43rd overall – just one place outside Carol Hargreaves’ club best of 42nd in a Frostbite race.

Polly Smith followed in Sweatt as third woman (89th overall) while veteran Caroline King rounded out their scoring trio in 168th place.

Farrer said: “We’ve certainly got our title defence off to an excellent start. I was delighted with the huge number of green and gold tops on show with even our non-scoring runners taking points from the other teams.”

The Hunts AC juniors were just as impressive as they bid to go one better after being pipped to the title last winter.

Shannon Flockhart led the way with third place and received fine support from Charlie Evans (14th), Seb Darnell (17th), Angus Lawrence (22nd) and Ciaran Burke (23rd).

The next round is at Nene Park, in Peterborough, on November 6.

Farrer took the overall and veteran’s men’s titles in the Hunts AC 10,000 Club Championship.

His time of 35:11.5 was a big personal best which puts him 22nd in the national M40 rankings.

Gallagher took second spot to win the Senior Men’s prize, with Walker in third.

Sweatt won the women’s title in 39:16.8 – the first-ever sub 40-minute time for the distance from a Hunts AC lady. King took the veteran women’s prize.