PATRICK Davoren is the Sussex Cross Country champion, but he had a late scare after taking a wrong turn with the finish in sight.

The Phoenix runner had to scramble back on the course to regain the title he won in 1998 by 20 yards, after seeing off the challenges of second-placed Kevin Holland (Crawley) and Stephen Rees-Jones (Brighton and Hove), who finished third.

Davoren said: "I felt quite good but it might be my last cross country race of the season. It depends how I feel tomorrow. My training is geared for the track season and cross country racing is part of my training."

Flu and injuries decimated the field at Bexhill Down as the three leading teams in the senior men's 7.5-mile race, Brighton and Hove, Crawley and Phoenix, lost several leading runners.

Reigning champion Nigel Gates and Stuart Moran knew they would miss out, but the non arrival of Phoenix's Leigh Beard and Geoff Hill, the inform Paul Stacey (Brighton and Hove) and Crawley's Gavin Thompson deprived the event of what promised to be a wide open race.

The absence of so many leading runners put the team championship in the melting pot and Brighton and Hove, despite losing four of their potential scoring six, had he greater depth .

They held on to their team title, scoring 45 points to Crawley's 57 points and third-placed Phoneix's 127 points, their closest team victory for many years.

Rees-Jones, last year's bronze medalist, who has been running well at Sheffield University, made the early pace with a group of ten runners.

But by halfway he had broken away with Holland, last year's runner-up and Davoren.

Rees-Jones dropped off the pace and the final circuit saw Davoren move a few yards clear.

Holland said "I'm very happy with my run. I had a cold over Christmas and I was not sure sure whether I would also be missing but it went well. It is quite a tough course and I am determined be fully fit to lead the Sussex team home in the Inter-counties next month."

Disappointed

Third-placed Rees-Jones was disappointed. He said: "I've been running very well and really felt I could have been there at the finish. But I, like many, had a cold at Christmas and soon after halfway I had a bout of asthma and dropped back. I'm relieved I managed to hold on to third place."

Three times Sussex champion Stephen Harris, who returned to racing in October after three years fighting injuries finished in fourth.

Crawley's junior international Joel Kidger, who with the absent Gavin Thompson, placed seventh.

Julia Cornford (Brighton and Hove) won the women's four-mile race by 50 metres.

This event also had some also big absentees, notably race favourite Lynn Williams (Arena 80).

After Sarah Coope, from Eastbourne, and Julia Downes had taken turns to lead through the first half of the race veteran Cornford Hove) took control. Coope, also a veteran, just managing to hold off Downes for the silver medal.

As in the men's team race the Arena 80 Club, who lost two of their leading runners had the greater depth of talent completing their scoring four in the first eight finishers to win the team race from Hastings and Chichester.

RESULTS CHECK - PAGE 31

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