Hunts AC are celebrating their biggest-ever haul of medals at the Cambridgeshire Cross Country-Championships.

The Hunts Post: The M60 medallists from Hunts AC are, from the left, Richard Holland, Shane Hunt and Derek Darnell. Picture: WAYNE DUBOSEThe M60 medallists from Hunts AC are, from the left, Richard Holland, Shane Hunt and Derek Darnell. Picture: WAYNE DUBOSE (Image: Archant)

The local club collected 21 accolades at the annual event staged at Priory Park, in St Neots, last Sunday.

They struck gold at both ends of the age spectrum with Thomas Richards triumphing in the Under 11 Boys race and Jim Stocker taking victory in the M70 bracket.

Richards' fine 6.30 display over 1.9km also helped to earn team glory in his age category with George Harrison and Nathaniel Clifford running well in support. A second Hunts AC team of William Scarboro, George Connell and Joe Barry won bronze in that section.

Hunts AC also won team gold in the Under 11 Girls category thanks to Cara Still (who took individual bronze in 8.22), Martha Lewey and Ruby O'Dell.

The Hunts Post: Hunts AC man Jim Stocker celebrates his success in the M70 age bracket at the Cambridgeshire Cross-Country Championships. Picture: WAYNE DUBOSEHunts AC man Jim Stocker celebrates his success in the M70 age bracket at the Cambridgeshire Cross-Country Championships. Picture: WAYNE DUBOSE (Image: Archant)

There were individual and team honours in the Under 13 Girls section as well. Eliza Mardon (11.18) collected silver and Isla Fullock-Holmes (11.29) bagged bronze in the 2.9km test with Evie Flockhart, in fifth in 11.46, joining that duo for team gold.

The efforts of Lola Fletcher, Alexandra Braid and Matilda Halford, who finished 10th, 11th and 12th respectively, secured team bronze for the club too.

Howard Croft (fourth, 18.01), Jacob Preston (sixth, 18.28) and Joseph Reindel (seventh, 18.29) earned team silver at Under 15 Boys level while Olivia Mead (sxith, 21.41), Ella Robinson (ninth, 23.15) and Beatrice Pauley (11th, 23.55) were team runners-up in the Under 17 Girls event - both of those races held over 4.8km. Dylan Tomaselli took individual bronze in the Under 17 Men's race of 5.8km.

Hunts AC also bagged silver for Senior Men over 10km thanks to Simon Mead (16th, 39.05), Martin Amos (18th, 39.12), Ty Farrer (20th, 39.14), Tom Oliver (21st, 39.30), Darren Matthews (27th, 39.57) and Rod McKee (32nd, 40.35). The performances of Mead, Farrer and Matthews also earned silver in the Veteran Men's team standings.

Hunts AC completed a clean sweep of the individual medals in the M60 section with Derek Darnell beating home runner-up Richard Holland and third-placed Shane Hunt.

Mead won bronze in the M40 bracket with Rod McKee taking M50 silver and Pauline Stocker claiming W55 silver.

A total of 15 medals was Hunts AC's previous best tally at this event back in 2018 although they only managed eight last year.

Riverside Runners took silver in the women's team event over 5.8km thanks to the exploits of Jo O'Regan (21.44), Jess Williams (23.00) and Emma Price (23.27) who all finished in the top 10.

The St Neots club just missed out on a medal in the men's standings when finishing fourth. Michael Taylor (11th, 37.05), Matt Nicholson (14th, 37.31), James Shiner (30th, 40.14), Rodrigo Santos (31st, 42.35), Adam Harris (37th, 43.02) and Scott Barker (38th, 43.03) were their scoring runners.