Ashley Roberts found the gruelling course to her liking yesterday when she was the lone athlete to set a record during the High School Cross Country Championships at Hog Bay Park, Sandys.

The Warwick Academy student brushed aside challenges from 18 other athletes to win the girl's Over-15 division title in a time of 25:31 minutes, smashing the previous record by 30 seconds. The previous holder was former school friend Shanay Scott.

Shardae Whitter of Cedarbridge was second in 26:01, while Mandy Oliver of Saltus was third in 27:57.

The number of competitors was down this year with Berkeley not involved and Cedarbridge only entering a few runners. This left schools like Warwick Academy and Saltus with no real challenges in the various age divisions.

Honours in the female Under-15s went to Jenny Palmer. The Christian Academy student's triumph was even more convincing as her winning time of 17:48 placed her well ahead of second place Deneka Borden of Warwick Academy who had a time of 21:42. A close third was Shari Scott of Warwick Academy in 21:55.

In the boy's division, Husayn Brown of Saltus captured honours in the Under-15s but he had to brush off a spirited Coyatito Smith of Cedarbridge.

The determined Brown edged his rival to the finish line, finishing the two-and-a-quarter mile course in 14:53 with Smith in 14:54.

Logan Alexander of Saltus was a distant third in 16:12.

In the boy's Over-15 division Mark Morrison beat the field to the end, the Saltus student winning his race in a time of 19:26. Two other Saltus students followed him home to take second and third, Chris Conway turning in a time of 21:10 and Henry Talbot 21:24.

The competition was a team event with the top five finishers of each event counting. That gave Warwick Academy three titles and Saltus the remaining one in the boy's Over-15s.