The washing machines of Wearside will have been in overdrive once again after the Inter-Country Schools cross-country event in Preston Park, Stockton last Saturday. Incessant rain turned the course into a mudbath, parts of which made last weekend's Northern Championships in Blackburn look like a bowling green! A hardy group of younger Harriers were undeterred, however, and ploughed through the quagmire once again, however this time in the palatinate vest of Durham County rather than the royal blue of Sunderland.

Connor Prior showed strongly in the opening race of the day, finishing 7th in the Year 7 Boys event, followed into the by now ankle-deep mud by Evie Compson, who ran well for 27th amongst Year 7 Girls.

In the Junior Girls race Grace Mackie placed 39th and Lydia Stoker 66th, whilst in the Boys equivalent Nathan Bland and Robert Dunlop placed 46th and 52nd respectively. Grace and Nathan have been selected as reserves for the Durham County team to contest the ESAA Championships at Wollaton Park, Nottingham on March 5th.

Sarah Knight's 18th place finish in the Intermediate Girls race sealed her county selection for the Championships, with Eve Quinn 61st. Sean Mackie, who finished 33rd at Preston Park earned selection for the Intermediate Boys team.

Also on the bus to Nottingham will be Seniors Mark Smith, Jonny Howe, Chris Bell and Jessica Fox. Mark clung on for 8th in the longest race of the day, the Senior Boys, while Jonny and Chris toughed it out for 19th and 26th places respectively.

Jess understandably found the going tough having had just a week to recover following her heroics at the Northern Championships, but nevertheless she dug in on a demanding course to place 10th in the Senior Girls race.

There was some keen competition between teams from Durham, Cleveland, North Yorkshire, Northumberland and Cumbria, but no doubt parents are already beginning to look longingly towards the somewhat cleaner road and track seasons ahead!