HANNAH Hobbs opened her cross country season with a confidence-boosting third place in the latest Gwent League fixture at Pembury Country Park, Llanelli.
The Westbury Harrier, who has just moved out of the junior ranks, faced strong opposition from the Swansea Harriers’ pair of Sian Edwards and Alice Benyon-Thomas and while the race broke up in the closing stages she did enough to hold onto third.
Chasing her hard in fourth place was Bristol & West’s leading runner Natalie Griffiths, who now tops the league rankings after the first two matches.
Behind Griffiths two of her team-mates, IzzyTalbot-Price, who ran a very shrewd tactical race and came through strongly and Catie O’Donoghue, also made the top ten in ninth and tenth respectively.
With Amy Partridge 15th and Ellen Harrison 18th Bristol & West finished second in the team event behind host club Swansea Harriers.
Avon Valley Runners, boasting England masters international Jackie Rockliffe and Bethan Francis in the top ten, were third team and Westbury fifth with Katie Hughes also making the top 20 in 16th.