HUNTINGDONSHIRE Athletics Club have been crowned Frostbite Champions for the first time in 13 seasons.

Having never finished higher than third – and without even a race win to their name before this season – the club took the title in style at Hinchingbrooke Park on Sunday, defeating nearest challengers Nene Valley Harriers by seven points. Hunts AC vice-chairman Wayne Dubose said: “We were safe in the knowledge that a third-place finish on the day would suffice for the title.”

There were 46 club runners present, and in the male race John Uff, Lee Brooks, Luke Scott, Steve Church, Simon Hime, Ian Day, and Alex Smith all came in the top 21 of 300 runners.

But it was the club’s three women scorers who made all the difference to the final team score with Eleanor Smith, Kelly Crawford and Rebecca Pedley finishing higher than in any of their previous races.

Smith managed 86th in the combined men’s-women’s race, 23 places better than her previous best, while Crawford improved her best by 13 places, and Pedley five. These three improvements equated to 41 points, more than sufficient to contribute to the team win.

The junior team had a record turnout of 46 and on the day finished runners-up to Nene Valley – in the final standings, too.

Seniors – 9 John Uff, 14 Lee Brooks, 15 Luke Scott, 16 Steve Church, 18 Simon Hime, 19 Ian Day, 21 Alex Smith, 22 Simon Margot, 26 Martin Rowe, 30 Shane Hunt, 33 Fraser Deeprose, 37 Sean Barker, 45 Richard Holland, 46 Wayne Gimblett, 47 Andy Richardson, 64 Ian Marshall, 69 Terry Davies, 73 Gair Matthews, 86 Eleanor Smith, 88 Derek Darnell, 90 Stuart Purbrick, 107 Duncan Blake, 115 Kelly Crawford, 127 Rebecca Pedley, 158 Alan Burgin, 159 Christina Marshall, 162 Siobhan Skinner, 163 Caroline Saunders, 166 Gary Moran, 167 Louis Budworth, 183 Maggie Mulholland, 194 Karen Cameron, 195 Peter German, 209 Annabel McKenzie, 219 Pauline Green, 222 Eloise Webb, 223 Hanno Fischer, 226 Rob Tinkler, 232 Pauline Stocker, 245 Tara Dundon, 258 Jayne Springham, 276 Hilary McConville, 287 Di Gannon, 294 Sarah Peatman, 318 Peter Whitehead, 322 Sarah Smith; Teams (Top 5): 1 Hunts AC 440 points, 2 Nene Valley Harriers 447, 3 Werrington 772, 4 Ramsey Runners 845, 5 Cambridge & Coleridge 994.

Juniors – 5 Joey Croft 9.51, 17 Ella Blake 10.20, 20 Ryan Boden 10.29, 23 Francesca Worrall 10.37, 24 Polly Smith 10.41, 36 Ollie Pocklington 11.12, 39 Amelia Darnell 11:21, 42 Robert Carter 11.23, 43 Scott Roberts 11.28, 44 Harvey Bullin 11.28, 46 CC Hime 11.32, 49 Connor Lyden 11.34, 50 Oliver Clinton 11.37, 51 Charlie Evans 11.38, 63 Lucy Waller 12.04, 71 Seb Darnell 12.10, 77 Ellen Bullin 12.23, 82 Jake Balaam 12.41, 85 James Kelly 12.48, 93 Harriet Johnson 12.58, 96 Emily Purbrick 13.09, 98 Orla McKee 13.11, 100 Charlotte Pearce 13.14, 103 Daisy Crawley-Queen 13.19, 105 Eleanor Phipps 13.21, 110 Chloe Wilson 13.26, 111 Caitlyn Procter 13.28, 112 Jayella Potts 13.33, 115 Adam Taylor 13.38, 119 Toby Simpson 13.44, 120 Dawson Wooldridge 13.46, 123 Isabella Tibbs 13.54, 127 Aleta Fraylich 14.15, 133 Nathan Hilton 14.29, 135 Toby Gray 14.38, 137 Amelia Willis 14.46, 139 George Hamilton-Smith 14.52, 141 Megan Wilson 14.54, 148 Barnaby Smith 15.07, 154 Amber Starling 15.51, 159 Julian Priest 16.19, 160 Lilah Wooldridge 16.26, 164 Leah Grice 17.22, 170 Charlotte Field 18.34, 171 Mia Fairbrother-Burton 19.11; Teams (Top 5): 1 Nene Valley Harriers 52 points, 2 Hunts AC 89, 3 Ramsey Runners 110, 4 Bourne 148, 5 Werrington 179.