Shaftesbury Barnet Harriers’ athletes began 2013 in impressive form as they helped the club to their most successful performance at the Hertfordshire Cross Country Championships in recent years.

The event, held at Haileybury School in Broxboune, saw competitors across several age groups tackle the testing woodland course.

The stand-out performance for the Under-11 boys, who claimed the team title in their age category, was Gerry O’Brien as he finished first to be crowned county champion.

The Under-13 boys also secured first and Jamie Harper (13.15) led the team home with a second-place finish, with Tom Fulton (13.20) in third. Elliot Dee (13.28), Nathan Fernandes (13.29), Jeremy Dempsey (13.30), Adam Shiret (13.47) and Henry Fulton (15.36) also completed the Haileybury course to help the side take overall victory.

While the Under-15 boys were unable to take top spot in their competition, there was a strong display from Jamie Dee.

He led the team home and took first place by a 49-second margin. Nathan Davies finished shortly behind his team-mate in sixth.

Not to be undone by his brother, Liam Dee produced an impressive display to be crowned county champion in the Under-17 men’s event.

He completed the course in a time of 21.46 to secure top spot, with Mark Pearce narrowly behind in second in 21.58.

It was a strong overall performance from the team, with Rory Mudd (22.32) in fourth and Sam Griffiths (23.17) in sixth.

James Sothcott finished in 12th and Ashley Altman took 14th to help the side claim overall victory in their category.

Eleanor Hunt (25.29) eased to a 33-second win in the Under-17 women’s competition to be crowned county champion and Natalie Connor took the silver medal after crossing the line in 26.02.

In the Under-20 women’s event, Shaftesbury Barnet athletes produced several strong performances to claim all three podium positions. There was a first-place finish for Lizzie Bird as she claimed a time of 24.34, while Sophie Connor (25.00) came home in second.

The top three was rounded off by Victoria Walker (25.12), while Harriet Clifford was fifth as she crossed the line in 27.36.

Izzy Thompson was the final Barnet athlete to finish as her competitive time of 29.29 was enough to take ninth position and help Harriers to an overall first-place finish.

Elsewhere, Rachel Felton was in action at the Gloucestershire Championships and and won the senior women’s event by 40 seconds, while Glen Watts claimed the Cambridgeshire championships senior men’s title.