Oswestry School hosted the third round of the North Wales Cross Country series and provided a muddy and challenging course for all runners.

Oswestry Olympians were well represented with 23 runners in the men’s team and 18 in the ladies.

The ladies’ race had a very exciting finish with Lauren Cooper of Shrewsbury AC just holding off a fine challenge from Olympian Emily Cowper-Coles.

Finishing third with a tremendous run on her debut for the Olympians was Florence Roberts.

Charlotte Hunter worked hard to also finish in the top 10 while Andrea Nowell also had a fine run on her cross country debut.

There were age category wins for Viv McConnell and Louise Woolcock while Alice Trevor-Jones, Bethan Jones, Charlotte Jones and Susie Hancock were runners up in their respective age categories.

Border Counties Advertizer: Oswestry Olympians.

Oswestry Olympians men's team.

The men provided another exciting race with Ed Woodhead of Deeside AC leading the way with Olympian Oli Blake finishing a close second.

Peter Butler ran well to finish inside the top 10 and finished second in his age category while Tony Pepper was first home in the male 70 age category and Curtis Langley also battled hard to complete the course on his cross country debut.

The following day Oli Blake competed in the Alsager 5 mile road race and finished eighth while also smashing his own club record by 41 seconds previously set back in 2009.

Border Counties Advertizer: Oswestry Olympians.

Emily Cowper-Cole.

Heading into the final race in the series at Wrexham on March 5, the ladies team lead the way in Division One and the Masters League with a good chance of securing top sport to win the league.

The men are lying in fourth place in both Division One and the Masters and will be chasing down Shropshire Shufflers for third place.