WILTSHIRE’S hopes of success at the 2016 South West Schools’ Cross Country Championships floundered in the mud of Pittville Park, Cheltenham, writes KEVIN FAHEY.

The county’s young athletes returned home empty-handed from the event with leading contenders Will Stockley and Rory Howorth both failing to finish in the quagmire.

“That was horrible,” groaned a shivering Melksham Oak School student Stockley, who was plastered virtually from head to foot in mud after falling heavily.

“I slipped over when I was running okay and lost around eight to ten places. I just couldn’t get going again so decided to stop.”

St Augustines' pupil Howorth, 13, was lying second in the junior boys’ race when he felt a pain in his groin and, in light of recent problems with his hip, decided to step off the course.

Hayden Bailey is more at home on the track so it was no surprise that the 15-year-old Matravers School student struggled on the gluepot surface.

“I went flying at one stage and really struggled in the conditions which were shocking,” he said.

Shepherd was determined to mark her final appearance in the event with a big performance after the 18-year-old Sheldon School student from Yatesbury has swept through the district and county qualifying events with ease.

But the conditions didn’t help her fluid top-of-the ground style and suited the out-and-out cross country runners like senior girls champion Poppy Tank and runner-up Tess Masselink as she finished fifth.

In the inter boys’ race county champion Freddie Webb of the John of Gaunt School finished 45th while school colleague Caitlin Wosika improved upon her 20th last year by three places.

South West Schools’ Cross Country Championships, Pittville Park, Cheltenham – senior boys: 1 William Battershill (D) 23:17; 2 Luke Prior (S) 23:31; 3 Jack Turner (G) 24:07.

Teams: 1 Somerset 32; 2 Devon 76; 3 Gloucestershire 111; 4 Avon 190; 5 Wiltshire 199 (16 Elliot Lassiter, 27 Cameron Perkins, 36 Jacob Bacon, 37 Aidan Daniel, 40 Dan Shepherd, 43 Sam Rockett); 6 Dorset 206.

Inter boys: 1 Aidan Kent (C ) 17:06; 2 Hugh Sadler (A) 17:17; 3 Tom Bourne (Do) 17:38.

Teams: 1 Dorset 78; 2 Cornwall 94; 3 Avon 104; 4 Gloucestershire 105; 5 Devon 140; 6 Somerset 203; 7 Wiltshire 213 (17 Hayden Bailey, 28 Otto Copping, 36 Henry Dixon, 41 Dan Davies, 45 Freddie Webb, 46 Jack Bennett).

Junior boys: 1 Harris Mier (C ) 14:33; 2 Rory Nicholson (S) 15:15; 3 Abdi Hassan (A) 15:27.

Teams: 1 Devon 70; 2 Avon 77; 3 Cornwall 120; 4 Gloucestershire 130; 5 Somerset 133; 6 Wiltshire 243 (23 Daniel Poynting, 33 Jordan Murray, 39 Max Sockett, 43 William Morris, 52 Robert Croager, 53 Kye Teague); 7 Dorset 247.

Minor boys: 1 Rufus Thomas (A) 11:34; 2 Arthur Pease (G) 11:38; 3 Tor Swann (D) 11:46.

Teams: 1 Devon 70; 2 Gloucestershire 88; 3 Somerset 114; 4 Dorset 148; 5 Avon 158; 6 Wiltshire 204 (13 Robert Jones, 18 Oliver Philips, 36 James Hulme, 43 Will Andrews, 45 Harry Woods, 49 Lewis Leftwich); 7 Cornwall 228.

Senior girls: 1 Poppy Tank (D) 16:03; 2 Tess Masselink (C ) 16:17; 3 Serena O’Connor (Do) 16:35.

Teams: 1 Dorset 68; 2 Devon 83; 3 Avon 128; 4 Gloucestershire 133; 5 Somerset 145; 6 Wiltshire 243 (5 Gemma Shepherd, 40 Africa Wyles Saracibar, 46 Hannah Thomas, 49 Izzy Dickson, 51 Emma Pike, 52 Kiera Reavill).

Inter girls: 1 Grace Copeland (Do) 16:26; 2 Hannah Hobbs (A) 16:34; 3 Sian Temple (C ) 16:36.

Teams: 1 Avon 73; 2 Somerset 94; 3 Cornwall 123; 4 Dorset 27; 5 Gloucestershire 160; 6 Devon 166; 7 Wiltshire 232 (17 Caitlin Wosika, 30 Jade Littlechild, 40 Caroline Brenchley, 46 Chloe Hayward, 48 Katie Strange, 51 Lucy Fitzpatrick).

Junior girls: 1 Amelia Wills (S) 15:33; 2 Ellie Hobbs (A) 16:05; 3 Madeleine Johnson (Do) 16:10.

Teams: 1 Gloucestershire 71; 2 Dorset 80; 3 Avon 102; 4 Devon 117; 5 Somerset 178; 6 Wiltshire 178 (9 Abigail Burn, 31 Sophie Smith, 34 India Ibbotson, 35 Katie Robinson, 38 Louise Webb, 44 Megan Poole); 7 Cornwall 253.

Minor girls: 1 Poppy Clark (G) 8:45; 2 Megan Hamilton-Strong (D) 9:04; 3 Kate Howard (A) 9:08.

Teams: 1 Dorset 65; 2 Devon 90; 3 Somerset 157; 4 Wiltshire 159 (10 Olivia Roderick, 14 Rose Warren, 20 Imogen Tanner, 36 Anna Pane, 38 Ala Tonkin, 41 Orli Cranston); 5 Avon 168; 6 Gloucestershire 170; 7 Cornwall 174.