THERE can have been few families in the county who have enjoyed as much success in the Wiltshire Schools’ Cross Country Championships as the Howorths of Hilperton, writes KEVIN FAHEY.

Rory Howorth’s gold on his debut in the junior boys’ race at Grittleton House School was the seventh by the three brothers, who are all pupils at St Augustine’s Catholic College, in four championships.

Twins John and Robert, aged 13, have won six medals in two years as the pair finished first and second in the 2012 minor boys’ age group and 2013 and 2014 junior age groups.

They didn’t feature on the podium in the inter boys’ age group this year, having been struggling with illness recently.

On the day, the race was marred by a marshalling error that split the field and left the organisers with a headache in determining the final outcome.

There were no such problems for 12-year-old Rory, who can now add the country schools’ crown to the South West club’s title he won at the start of the year.

“Rory ran so well and was on a real high after winning, especially as he felt so strong and comfortable,” said proud mum Caroline.

Unfortunately, the gloss was taken off Rory’s win by a recurrence of a niggling hip injury, which flared up when attempting a place kick in a rugby match the following day.

His mum added: “Rory collapsed on the ground and had to come off immediately, and we are now looking to get him some physio and try and find out what is the problem as he has suffered this before,”

“Hopefully he can recover quickly. There are lots of big races coming up.”

Behind Howorth, Hayden Bailey, of John of Gaunt School and St Laurence School’s Jake Nickerson completed a strong podium.

Sheldon School’s Gemma Shepherd also loves running at Grittleton House and in three appearances has never lost there.

In 2011 and 2012, she won the junior girls’ title and, while she missed the next two championships, Shepherd, who lives at Yatesbury, returned to lift the senior girls’ crown.

For good measure, she also raced in the Cardiff Cross Challenge the following day, finishing fourth in a good quality field.

“It has been a good start to the year for me and I will be looking to step things up now for the major championships coming up,” said Shepherd.

The accolade for the biggest winner of the day went to Malmesbury’s Zoe Wassell, 15, who won the inter girls’ race by a staggering 1min 15secs from Caitlin Wosika, of John of Gaunt.

“I was really pleased with my run on Saturday,” said Wassell.

Notwithstanding the problems in the inter boys’ race, 15-year-old Will Stockley was a worthy winner.

It was his second gold in four championships for the Melksham Oak School pupil, and he will have high hopes of doing well at the South West Schools’ Cross Country Championships at the same venue next month.

Behind him was Cameron Perkins, of Hardenhuish School, in second and John of Gaunt’s Freddie Webb in third.

John and Robert Howorth came fifth and ninth respectively.

Hardenhuish’s David Bunce was third in the senior boys’ race behind the Swindon pair of Callum Bampton and Ciaran Cooper, and there was also a bronze for Dauntsey’s James Pickford in the minor boys’ event.

Other local medals included a silver for 14-year-old Corsham School’s Jade Littlechild in the junior girls, with Lucy Fitzpatrick, of St Mary’s Calne, third.

Also from St Mary’s, Susie Hirst was runner-up in the minor girls’ race, with Hardenhuish’s India Ibbotson third.

Based on each district’s A team, North Wiltshire emerged the top team scoring 36 points, well ahead of Salisbury.

After the late decision to postpone the event from the previous weekend due to the forecast of high winds, organiser Tim Whiting was delighted with the outcome.

“It was a glorious day and every year, the event seems to improve and I believe this time it went to a new level,” said Whiting.

“This year, for the first time, the Markland Clinic was offering free massages for runners, which was very popular.

“The marshals from the Ridgeway and Sheldon schools were brilliant and Grittleton House proved to be a stunning course.”

Overall teams: 1 North Wiltshire 36; 2 Salisbury 21; 3 Kennet 14; 4 West Wiltshire 14; 5 Swindon 11.

Senior boys: 1 Callum Bampton (R) 23:57: 2 Ciaran Cooper (SNC) 25:32; 3 David Bunce (H) 26:36; 4 Ethan Jones (S) 26:38; 5 Jay Painter (S) 26:57; 6 Sam Rockett (SL) 27:14; 7 Jacob Payne (CS) 27:16; 8 Joseph Morrison (DE) 28:48; 9 Robert Mitchell (D) 28:49; 10 George Clarely (S) 29:06.

Inter boys: 1 Will Stockley (MO) ; 2 Cameron Perkins (H); 3 Freddie Webb (JG); 4 Josh Shuter (SJC); 5 John Howorth (SA); 6 Jaymee Domoney (SJC); 7 Henry Dixon (SA); 8 Elliott Lassiter (D); 9 Robert Howorth (SA); 10 Jacob Bacon CS).

Junior boys: 1 Rory Howorth (SA) 15:03; 2 Hayden Bailey (JG) 15:20; 3 Jake Nickerson  (SL) 15:28; 4 Finley Lloyd-Gilmore (SS) 15:36; 5 Jonah Veakins (SA) 15:45; 6 Ethan Pierce (A) 15:45; 7 Robert Croager (BW) 15:47; 8 Otto Copping (CS) 15:56; 9 Daniel Poynting (BW) 16:00; 10 Thomas Musselwhite (SJC) 16:13.

Minor boys: 1Anthony Lynn (WC) 10:16; 2 Sam Butt (TS) 10:20; 3 James Pickford (D) 10:25; 4 Patrick Mochan (LPA) 10:31; 5 Josh Sawford (BF) 10:36; 6 Miles Littlechild (CS) 10:36; 7 Fergal Brophy (H) 10:37; 8 Nathan Burn (BW) 10:39; 9 Fin Shorland (H) 10:40; 10 Ed Opie (S) 10:47.

Senior girls: 1 Gemma Shepherd (S) 16:23; 2 Miranda King (M) 17:43; 3 Ellen Lindsay (S) 17:48; 4 Jasmine Thayer (SWG) 17:48; 5 Kirsty Stanley (S) 18:11; 6 Emily Neve (D) 18:18; 7 Issy Dickson  (SWG) 19:24; 8 Hannah Land (ST) 20:43; 9 Liberty Nicholls (ST) 22:03; 10 Phillipa Sumner (G) 22:20.

Inter girls: 1 Zoe Wassell (M) 15:38; 2 Cailtin Wosika (JG) 16:53; 3 Saskia Debenham (G) 17:10; 4 Jade Day (MA) 17:33; 5 Yasmin Watling (SM) 17:43; 6 Lucy Buffham (H) 18:07; 7 Chloe Crippen (NH) 18:35; 8 Kirsty Roberts (M) 18:58; 9 Emma Pike (SWG) 19:02; 10 Ariana Watling (SM) 19:15.

Junior girls: 1 Abigail Burn (SWG) 12:37; 2 Jade Littlechild (CS) 13:10; 3 Lucy Fitzpatrick (SM) 13:32; 4 Karla Jackson (SJ) 13:40; 5 Coco Smythe (G) 13:41; 6 Caroline Brenchley (SM) 13:50; 7 Louise Webb (SWG) 13:51; 8 Scarlett Rockett (SL) 13:57; 9 Becky Service (SE) 14:00; 10 Ella Malik (SM) 14:04.

Minor girls: 1 Sophie Smith (SJ) 10:50; 2 Susie Hirst (SM) 10:56; 3 India Ibbotson (H) 11:10; 4 Beth Mayer (SJ) 11:19; 5 Cerys Jones (S) 11:35; 6 Emilee Berry (SWG) 11:50; 7 Isabella Goulding (SWG) 11:50; 8 Megan Poole (I) 11:54; 9 Lily Jackson (SJ) 11:59; 10 Lucy Matthews (SWG) 12:01.

Key: A=Abbeyfield; BF=Bradon Forest; BW=Bishop Wordsworth Grammer; CS=Corsham School; D=Dauntsey’s; DE=Devizes; H=Hardenhuish; G=Godolphin; I=Isambard Community School; JG=John of Gaunt; LPA=Lydiard Park Academy; M=Malmesbury; MA=Matravers; MO=Melksham Oak; NH=Nova Hreod; R=Ridgeway; S=Sheldon; SA=St Augustines Catholic College; SE=St Edmund’s CoE Girls; SJ=St John’s; SJC=St Joseph’s Catholic School;  SL=St Laurence;  SM=St Mary’s Calne; SNC=Swindon New College; SS=Stonehenge School; ST=Stonar; SWG=South Wilts Grammar; TS=Trafalgar School; WC=Wyvern College.