Ben, Emily the Sussex champs

Warren did not need to run seriously as he had assured himself of the title over the previous three races this season, but Goodall had only finished two of the races so needed to complete the course in the top three places.

Warren had one eye on tomorrow's Inter-County Championships in Nottingham and jogged round the course to finish in 49th place.

Goodall, who is also competing at Nottingham tomorrow, was not pressed as she finished nearly a minute clear of Lucy Baker from Hastings, clocking 20min 13sec for the 5km course and filling eighth place overall.

Natasha Collins, back in competition following an ankle injury that ruled her out of the County Schools Championships, was relieved to complete the course in fifth place in 23.02, five seconds and a place ahead of her Lewes clubmate Belinda Norris.

The Lewes team took second place behind Crawley in the final league placings.

Hailsham's Gill Wheeler had another fine run in the senior women's 5km race, taking third place in 19.24 behind Brighton & Hove's Julia Downes, who clocked 19.00 and also won the league title, and under-20 runner Hannah Brooks. The run gave Wheeler the silver medal in the league placings.

Fellow Hailsham Harrier Charlotte Saunders turned in her best cross-country run of the season to finish a splendid fifth in 19.51, a place ahead of clubmate Samantha Alvarez, who clocked 20.02, with Julia Toby finishing 19th in 21.49. The Hailsham quartet took second team spot.

Peacehaven's Chris Naylor filled ninth place in 20.39, the second veteran to finish, while Laura Burton from Uckfield, who runs for Brighton & Hove, had her best run of the season to finish 11th in 20.59, just outsprinting Seaford's Liz Lumber, who clocked 21.01.

In the under-15 girls 4km race Jessica Lewis from Lewes had her best league run of the season to finish in sixth place in 17.36, just over a minute down on race winner Niamh McCaoilte from Crawley.

The under-13 girls 3km race brought a brilliant run from Hailsham's Melissa Ruffel, who was third, clocking 12.50 behind race winner Stacey Clusker from Hastings (12.34).

In the under-17 boys 5km race Lewes's Matt Basford was squeezed into third place in 17.43 behind Hastings winner David Cooper (17.15), and this run earned him second league placing.

Ashley Williams from Lewes again succumbed to Lewis Hards in the under-15 boys 4.5km event, with the Phoenix runner clocking 16.23sec to Williams's 16.39sec, placings that were repeated in the final league result.

Lewes teammates Josh Burgess and Matt Suter had a fine battle for sixth place, with Burgess just edging out his clubmate in clocking 17.14 to Suter's 17.17.

James Hawkes filled 20th spot for the Lewes team in 20.35 as the team won the league title well clear of Phoenix.

In the under-13 boys 3km race, in which the Lewes squad finished in third league position, it was Aaron Capon from Hailsham who led the local challenge as he filled fifth place in 11.57. Ben Burgess and Adam Wilkinson from Lewes were eighth and ninth respectively in 12.02 and 12.11.

Jago Leckie from Hailsham was tenth in 12.15, Patrick Hough from Uckfield, who runs for Phoenix, placed 12th in 12.33 and Sam Bennett clocked 12.48 in 13th place.

Many local runners will line up for Sussex in tomorrow's Inter-Counties Cross-Country Championships.

Ben Warren will head up the senior team along with Peacehaven's Tom Naylor, who has made few cross-country appearances this season.

Other local athletes scheduled to compete are: Under-20: Chris Johnson and Dan Stepney (Sussex Downs), Scott Harris and Todd Leckie (Hailsham) and Rob Mullett (Lewes). Under-17: Matt Basford (Lewes). Under-15: Ashley Williams, Matt Suter and Josh Burgess (Lewes). Under-13: Ben Burgess (Lewes) and Aaron Capon (Hailsham). Women's Under-17: Emily Goodall (Sussex Downs), Natasha Collins, Becky Hawkes and Georgina Rennie (Lewes).