SAM Whitehead celebrated a third-place finish in the senior men’s race during the concluding round of this season’s North Staffordshire Cross Country League on Saturday.

Vale Royal Athletics Club teammate Stuart Doyle was not far behind in seventh at a wet and windy Uttoxeter Racecourse.

He takes third overall in the senior men's standings, second among the over 40s.

For the senior women Helen Smith was 13th overall, first in the over 45s category.

Holly Weedall continued her fine run of form to win the under 11s girls’ race ahead of clubmate Grace Roberts, the duo claiming second and third respectively in the final series standings.

As a team, together with Scarlett Stapleton, they were second on the day.

Patrick Griffith was runner-up in the under 11s boys’ class on Saturday, while Alex Doyle classified third in the under 15s boys’ race.

Fourth position was the reward for Sophie Smith (under 17s girls) and Will Ashfield (under 13s boys).

Results

North Staffordshire Cross Country League

Round Four, Uttoxeter Racecourse

Senior men (10km): 3. Sam Whitehead 31.33; 7. Stuart Doyle (M40) 32.26; 44. James Ainsworth (M40) 36.26; 65. Chris Jones 37.23; 76. Tom Armstrong 37.50; 94. Matt Sweeting (M40) 38.34; 146. Mark Pilliner (M45) 40.47; 206. John Clarke (M60) 44.40. Teams: 4. Vale Royal AC 289pts.

Senior women (5km): 13. Helen Smith (W45) 21.47; 100. Sarah Gibbs (W35) 26.39; 170. Carole Williams (W60) 31.29.

Under 17s girls (4.5km): 4. Sophie Smith 17.12.

Under 15s boys (4.5km): 3. Alex Doyle 14.54; 21. Sam Washington 17.05; 34. Aaron Doyle 18.32. Teams: 5. Vale Royal AC 58pts.

Under 15s girls (3.5km): 8. Holly Smith 15.22; 11. Lucy Smith 15.52.

Under 13s boys (3.5km): 4. Will Ashfield 14.24; 23. Wilf Dight 15.32; 27. Charlie Humphreys 16.13; 32. Nathan Stapleton 16.36; 41. James Griffith 17.19. Teams: 5. Vale Royal AC 48pts.

Under 13s girls (2km): 11. Faye Conboy 8.38; 24. Isobel Walker 9.23; 33. Ella Sweeting 10.03. Teams: 7. Vale Royal AC 58pts.

Under 11s boys (2km): 2. Patrick Griffith 7.55; 10. Dylan Carney 8.15; 16. Flynn Loftus 8.34; 17. Will Clark 8.34; 18. Ivan Karpusheff 8.41; 33. Ben Thorne 9.36; 37. Thomas Roberts 10.11. Teams: 4. Vale Royal AC 28pts.

Under 11s girls (2km): 1. Holly Weedall 5.50; 2. Grace Roberts 5.58; 14. Scarlett Stapleton 6.37; 26. Tarlia Higginbotham 7.12; 32. Eloise Babbington 7.22; 33. Thea Smith 7.26; 35. Anna Preston 7.30; 39. Tilly Gibbs 7.36. Teams: 2. Vale Royal AC 17pts.