LAURA Condron continued her winter cross-country season by being selected to represent the South of England team in an international match in Düsseldorf in Germany.

The COLCHESTER AND TENDRING ATLETIC CLUB member’s recent victories in the English Cross-Country League and the Essex Schools Championship earned her a call-up to represent the South of England in this annual international event.

A total of 60 athletes, representing the national teams of Germany, Ireland, Holland and Switzerland, lined up for the start of the 5.1 kilometre race in the picturesque setting of Neukirchen on the outskirts of Düsseldorf.

The undulating, muddy course plus the addition of man-made hills and 50 hay bales made for a tough and challenging race, with Condron lining up with five other girls from across the South East region in a mixed under-20 and under-23 age group race.

Condron started well and made steady progress through the field.

The course was very challenging and unlike UK cross country courses, with the hay bales adding a different dimension and making it a stern and challenging test, however, she progressed through the field as the race unfolded over the first two laps.

On the final lap, she held her position and crossed the line in an extremely creditable 17th position for her age group.

The cross-country season is now entering its final phase and Condron can take a huge amount of confidence from this international race into the forthcoming national events.

Next up for Condron and a number of CATS athletes are the English National Championships at London’s Parliament Hill, the UK Inter Counties at Nottingham and the English Schools in Loughborough.

Six members of Colchester and Tendring Athletic Club braved the cold weather and competed in the Great Bentley Half-Marathon road race which incorporated the Essex County Championships.

Andy Wray was first home for the Black Vests.

In a field of more than 730 finishers, Wray ran a hard race pacing himself well round the flat rural course and was pleased with his time of one hour 25 minutes seven seconds, finishing in 54th place.

Next to show for the CATs was Kevin Frost, who crossed the line in 1h 30m 48s, with Robert Hobson not far behind in a time of 1h 31m 2s.

Roger Alexander finished in 1h 40m 29s.

Super Veteran Diane Wooller was a little disappointed with her time of 1h 45m 46s, but took the bronze medal in Essex County Championship ove-55s category.

Tara Frost crossed the line in 2h 11m 25s.