Photo via Athletics Weekly

Rankin leads the way as cross country season kicks off in the North East

The cross country calendar officially got underway in the North East with the Harrier League fixture held in Thornley, featuring standout performances across multiple age categories. Steve Rankin set the pace by logging the quickest net time of 31 minutes and 46 seconds to claim victory from the M pack.

Meanwhile, Alex Sneddon led the women's division by crossing the finish line in 27 minutes and 1, though Kate Storey ultimately recorded a faster overall time of 26:38 after starting from the M pack. In the youth events, George Hunter secured the under-18 boys win, while Jacob Hopper and Martha Carr also triumphed in their respective divisions.

Separate action took place further afield at the Yorkshire Veterans Championships in Penistone, where Matt Bolland-Cage triumphed in the men's 35-plus 10km race with a time of 36:21.

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