CHIPPENHAM youngster Megan Wright has reached the halfway stage of the Gloucestershire Cross Country League in pole position, writes KEVIN FAHEY.

The 14-year-old Chippenham Harrier followed up her win in the opening race last month with second place at Charlton Park, Malmesbury, on Saturday.

Wright, who is a student at Hardenhuish School, was well beaten but it took one of Britain’s best at this age group to finish ahead of her as Yate’s Dalis Jones is the reigning National Prep Schools’ champion and was also runner-up in the England National Championships last winter.

In the same race Chippenham’s Molly Dunstone was 15th. Coincidentally her younger sister Erica was also 15th in the U13s age group.

It was the same story for Semmington’s Will Stockey, who was pushed back into second after winning the opening match but that still leave shim in a good position in the under 20 men’s age group.

Making his season’s debut in that ace Hilperton’s John Howorth finished third.

In the U17 men’s race Chippenham’s Rohan Archer finished 10th with clubmates James Wright (12th) and Ellery Cole (14th) just behind to give them fourth place in the team event, just five points off a podium place.

In the senior women’s race Chippenham-based Eilidh Bell, who was making her debut in the event, helped her new club Team Bath to win the team competition as she finished sixth overall.

Chippenham Harriers’ leading runner was Cordula Hurcum in 18th with Emma Hines (23rd) and Karen Hacker (29th) also making the top 30 of the 184 finishers to give the Harriers sixth in the team event, just seven points off fourth place.

There was better news in the veterans’ team competition as the same trio combined to win team gold by just five points from Stroud AC.

In the senior men’s race Paul Gardiner was the top Chippenham runner in 28th with Chris Maxwel also making the top 50 of the 202 finishers in 48th.

In the U11 girls’ race Amelia Chalk of St Mary’s RTC fared well to finish 11th with Chippenham’s Izzy Richards just behind in 15th and Molly Richards 34th.