WITTON Park staged it's second major cross country fixture in a week when the Blackburn venue played host to the Lancashire Schools Championships.

The thousands of pairs of feet which had ploughed through the mud during last week's Northern Championships and the subsequent rain had left the course very heavy, and a tough challenge for all the competitors.

The intermediate girls race was an intriguing contest between Laura Finucane, of St Hilda's School, Burnley, and Katie Ingram, from St Michael's, Chorley.

Laura's great asset is her speed -- she is the Lancashire Champion at 800m -- whereas Katie is one of the strongest runners in her age group, having won the English Fell Championship for the past two years.

Both girls won gold at the Lancashire Cross Country Championships last month, Laura as an under 15 and Katie at under 17 level.

Predictably Laura set the early pace, but by the notorious 'saucer ' Katie was 20m clear, and the climb was meat and drink to the fell specialist. By the finish the gap was 24 seconds.

Katie said: "I was comfortable when I got in front, but I was worried when Laura set off so quickly."

Blackburn's Rachel Holt ran strongly throughout for fourth, Victoria Snape was fifth, and last year's junior champion Anne Smith was sixth for Pendle.

Katie and Victoria picked up team bronze medals for Chorley. The town had a good day with a second gold medal going to Laura Livesey, who won the junior race. Emma Gregory was sixth for Burnley and Rossendale won team bronze.

In the youngest age group for the year 7's, the tiny Danielle Walker skipped through the clinging mud to log another victory.

With the boys and girls running together in this race, she showed most of the boys a clean pair of heels.

Burnley recorded a one-two here with Amy Leeming, like Danielle a pupil of Habergham High School, taking second spot and helping Burnley to team silver.

Carly Thompson, of Blackburn, was third with Pendle's Leigh-Anne Whalley fifth. Unfortunate Gemma Nuttall lost fourth place when she stopped thinking she had finished. By the time she realised her mistake the Rossendale girl had dropped to 12th. At least it won't cost her a place in the English Championships -- the Year 7's are too young to go.

Lancaster's Helen Booth was the only girl's winner from outside East Lancashire as her town took six of the top seven places in the senior race. Credit then to Blackburn's Karen Brooks from Westholme who finished second. The Blackburn team was also second.

The senior boys of Blackburn missed team gold when they could only field three runners. Liam Barton was second, Michael Hammer was a lone third, and with Lee Cook sixth a fourth counter even finishing last would have given them the title.

Jimmy Maitland was fifth for Hyndburn and Pendle took team silver.

Steven Maden had a brave run as he tried to keep pace with Alan Stewart of West Lancs in the intermediate race.

Pendle's Chris Hart was runner-up in the intermediate race, while fourth placed Nathan Lawton won team bronze for Chorley as Hyndburn took the silver.

Hyndburn's Callum Fitzpatrick finished second in the Year 7 race with Burnley pair Philip Hayton and James Gorken, both from St Theodore's, finishing third and sixth. James Kevan of Chorley won the bronze in the junior boys race as he held off the challenge of Hyndburn's Andy Charlesworth.

Eight athletes in each event will be chosen to run for the county in the English Schools Championships, with the first five home earning automatic selection.

Selector John Davey explained: "We take this result as our main indicator of form and it is only in exceptional circumstances that we would not select the first eight finishers."

The championship takes place at Hylands Park, Chelmsford, on Saturday, March 10, and the team will be announced in about a week. KEY: B-Burnley, BB-Blackburn, C-Chorley, H-Hyndburn, P-Pendle, R-Rossendale

Year 7 Boys: 1 Adam McKell (Wyre) 9:47, 2 Callum Fitzpatrick (H) 10:00, 3 Philip Hayton (B) 10:08, 6 James Gorken (B) 10:16, 9 Steven Dickenson (P) 10:23, 10 Ramiro Meeks (R) 10:24, 12 Gary Priestley (C) 10:35, Team: 1 Lancaster

Year 7 Girls: 1 Danielle Walker (B) 10:25, 2 Amy Leeming (B) 10:55, 3 Carly Thompson (BB) 11:00, 5 Leigh-Anne Whalley (P) 11:07, 9 Katie Jones (C) 11:34, 12 Gemma Nuttall (R) 11:43, 13 Stacey Haigh (H) 11:44, 15 Grace Biddle (R) 11:55, 18 Thea Smith (H) 12:15, 20 Kate Nuttall (B)12:19, Team: 1 Lancaster, 2 Burnley ( Walker, Cleeming, Nuttall , 41 Laura Riley 13:31, 53 Jade Williams 14:17)

Junior Boys: 1 Richard Newton (Blackpool) 20:00, 3 James Kevan (C) 20:36, 4 Andy Charlesworth (H) 20:48, 6 Marc Hartley (B) 21:09, 10 Matt Wood (BB) 21:50, 11 Daniel McLean (BB) 21:53, 13 Kevin Smith (P) 22:10, 15 Stephen Claxon (R) 22:14, 16 Saul Hardman (R) 22:18, 19 Aiden Heyworth (B) 22:40, 20 Daniel Bush (H) 22:45, Team: 1 West Lancs

Junior Girls: 1 Laura Livesey (C) 12:43, 6 Emma Gregory (B) 13:42, 9 Clare Kane (BB) 13:49, 14 Alexis Walker (B) 13:56, 15 Dominique Morton (BB) 13:58, 17 Rachel Curran 13:59, 18 Anna Brooks (BB) 14:01, 19 Justine Anderton 14:09, 20 Nicola Ingram (C) 14:10, Team: 1 Lancaster, 3 Rossendale (Curran, Anderton, 22 Nicola Leishman 14:19, 24 Nadia Wood 14:28, 42 Lucy Noon 15:15)

Intermediate Boys: 1 Alan Stewart (West Lancs) 21:13, 2 Chris Hart (P) 21:28, 3 Steven Maden (R) 21:51, 4 Nathan Lawton (C) 22:48, 9 Lee Leishman (R) 23:12, 10 James Linley (H) 23:24, 11 James Moss (B) 23:25, 13 H Arakawa (H) 23:40, 14 Ben Taylor (C) 23:43, 16 Jonathon Hartley (C) 23:50, 17 Tom Cornthwaite 23:55, 19 Mark Hillam 24:05, 20 Colin Humphreys 24:07, Team: 1 West Lancs, 2 Hyndburn (Linley, Arakawa, Cornthwaite, Hillam, Humphreys), 3 Chorley (Lawton, B Taylor, Hartley, 25 Ben Stubbs 24:17, 32 Adam Taylor 24:40)

Intermediate Girls: 1 Katie Ingram (C) 14:22, 2 Laura Finucane (B) 14:46, 4 Rachel Holt (BB) 14:57, 5 Victoria Snape (C) 15:03, 6 Anne Smith (P) 15:05, 13 Naomi Biddle (R) 16:25, 16 Claire Mullen (H) 16:52, 20 Hayley Aldridge (H) 17:28, Team: 1 South Ribble, 3 Chorley (Ingram, Snape, 25 Claire Holmes 17:47, 35 Kerry Gillespie 18:26, 40 Kerrie Trafford 18:43)

Senior Boys: 1 Anthony Ford (Blackpool) 23:40, 2 Liam Barton (BB) 23:59, 3 Michael Hammer (BB) 24:36, 5 Jimmy Maitland (H) 25:56, 6 Lee Cook (BB) 26:10, 8 S Snaith (Pendle) 26:56, 10 T Bennett (P) 28:30, 11 K Bridge (P) 28:33, 16 R Roberts (P) 30:55, Team: 1 Lancaster, 2 Pendle (Snaith, Bennett, Bridge, Roberts)

Senior Girls: 1 Helen Booth (Lancaster) 23:48, 2 Karen Brooks (BB) 24:34, 11 Hayley Bullen (BB) 28:47, 12 Alison Beesley (BB) 31:40, 13 V Bramley (P) 32:20, 14 Catherine Atherton 33:01, 15 R Bennett (P) 33:22, 16 C Bramley (P) 34:27, Team: 1 Lancaster, 2 Blackburn (Brooks, Bullen, Beesley, Atherton) Louise Dickinson - photo

WARMING UP: Star sprinter Louise Dickinson Sprinter Lousie fastest for her age in country LOUISE Dickinson has just become the fastest under 15 sprinter in the country.

At the second Midland Counties Indoor Meeting at Birmingham the 14-year-old Park High School AC athlete ran the 200m in 25.64 seconds -- the fastest indoor time in England this season.

That also rates her second in Britain, while her 60m best, set in the same meeting, places her fourth in GB.

Coach Michael Hindle, a retired teacher at Park High School in Colne, met Louise through her mum Kim who he had taught. When Louise joined the athletic club the training was geared to middle distance running so it was a shock when she won the Lancashire Sprint Triathlon.

Since then her training has become more specific and the improvement has been rapid, culminating in her County Championships in both 100m and 200m last May. Michael can still hardly believe her progress but credits training partner Jennifer Tunstill for her contribution. Round Up

Rising star PENDLE'S new star Getu Assefa won the Habergham 8M at Burnley by a convincing margin of a minute and a half from Andy Parker, of Tipton. Clayton Harriers packed five in the top ten with Roger Brewster, recently elevated to the M45's, taking third and the veteran title. Other Harriers in the prizes were Graham Robert, who won the M55's, 2nd M60 Ted Orrell and 3rd M40 Paul Brannon. There were also 3rd places for Blackburn Harrier George Woodburn and Accrington Road Runners Terry Robinson and Brian Scully. Experience key ON the hilly Habergham course experience was the key in the ladies race. Over 40's Kath Drake, from Spenborough, and Sue Becconsall, of Todmorden, took the first two places. Clayton Harriers Lindsay Hudson (third) and Dany Robson (fifth) sandwiched F35 winner Debbie Gowans. For Debbie's Club, Accrington RR, it was a championship race and the ladies enjoyed more success with Val Robinson winning the F55 section and Alison Hope taking 3rd F50. Jennifer Adams was the winning F50 for Red Rose, while Clayton Harriers' Anna Kelly and Christine Leathley won second places. Rebecca fourth REBECCA White was fourth in the AAA's Indoor Championship triple jump at Birmingham. She jumped 12:39m, while in the 60m and 200m she was eliminated in the heats. Competing against the seniors, 19-year-old Lee McCash posted 8:34.06 in the 3000m, but failed to progress to the final. Elsewhere, Kerry Smithson was third lady in the Alsager 5M leading her club to team victory. All three local athletes now run for Sale Harriers. THERE are still six places available on Accrington Road Runners' trip to the London Marathon, and non-members can now apply. Return coach to London taking in registration, and one night's accommodation is included. Contact Harry Haseley 01254-235957. The club will be holding it's annual presentation night on Saturday, February 24. at Church Cricket Club. Start is 8pm. Never again "I HAVE no intention of doing this again" said Chorley Harrier Lisa Unsworth after finishing eighth lady in her second Tough Guy Challenge. On what must have been the coldest day of the year there were 4000 entrants. They had to run across boggy fields, rivers and the foothills of Wolverhampton before tackling an assault course of the highest order. Harriers Terry Walton and Ian Grace also completed the course. DAMIAN Rawcliffe continued his unbeaten cross country season when he was first under 12 in the Penistone Hill Fell Race. The 11-year-old Hyndburn athlete was only three seconds behind the under 14 winner in a time of 5:56. What 's On THE Reebok Cross Country Challenge Meeting at Nottingham on Saturday incorporates both the Inter Counties and the World Championship Trials.

Rossendale's biggest sporting event, the Rossendale Way Relay is on Sunday. For teams of 12 it covers a 45 mile circular route starting and finishing at Marl Pits Sports Centre, Newchurch Road, Rawtenstall. A relay race run in pairs, it covers a variety of terrain. Starts is 8:30am.

The Colne 11M on Sunday is organised by Trawden AC. It starts and finishes at Colne Sports Centre. The run takes in Laneshawbridge, Wycollar, Trawden and Winewell over road, path and field. Start is 11am.

The Sam Appeal Fun Runs are six mile and two mile road runs. Both start from the Anderton Arms Pub, Longsands Lane, Fulwood, a mile from junction 31A of the M6. The 2 miler is at 10am on Sunday, with the 6 miler an hour later. Please note that these events are fun runs.

There is also a school's orienteering event at Witton Park on Sunday from 10.30a m-12.30pm. It is a white to light green course (for up to 3.3km). The organiser is Tom Gray on 0161 766 5666.

Race Calendar

Sat 10th Reebok Cross Challenge - Nottingham Cross Country

Sun 11th Rossendale Way Relay 45M - Rawtenstall Fell

Sun 11th Sam Appeal Fun Runs 6M or 2M - Preston Road

Sun 11th Colne 11M Multi Terrain/Road

Sun 11th Schools Orienteering event - Witton Park White to Light green course

Sat 17th Mid Lancs League - Blackpool Cross Country

Sat 17th Wadsworth Trog 20M/4000' - Hebden Bridge Fell

Sat 17th Parbold Hill Race Multi Terrain

Sun 18th Liversage 1/2 Mar Road

Sun 18th Arnold &Nora Bagnall 4.3M - Rochdale Road

Sun 18th Winter Hill 11M/2750' - Rivington Barn Fell

Sat 24th Nationals - Durham Cross Country

Sun 25th Radcliffe 12M Trail

Sun 25th Lostock 6M Road

Sun 25th Colour Coded Event - Tockholes Orienteering

Sat 3rd Noon Stone-Todmorden 9M/2300' (S Penn GP2) Fell

Sat 3rd Bleasdale Circle 5M/1250' Fell

Sun 4th Hyndburn 10K Multi Terrain

Sun 4th Lancs Fire Service 10M - St Annes Road

Sun 4th Muddy Bottoms 9M/17M - Bamber Bridge off Road, walk or run

Sat 10th English Schools Championship - Chelmsford Cross Country

Sun 11th Gt North West 1/2 Marathon - Leyland Road

Sun 11th Roddlesworth Roller - Abbey Village 5M Multi Terrain

Sun 11th Pam Haworth 4.3M - Rochdale Multi Terrain