The club's two youngest runners in the annual Ellis Trophy 5.5-mile cross country race in Richmond Park on Saturday led the Hercules Wimbledon contingent over the finishing line.

Making a rare appearance in a senior cross country event, 17-year-old Liam White ran strongly to finish fifth out of more than 100 runners in 30 minutes, 53 seconds, with fellow teenager Ed Saywell 12th in 32:25.

Their strong runs augur well for next month's Surrey cross country championships, where they will be aiming to clinch places in the county teams to compete in the UK Inter-Counties Championships at Cofton Park, Birmingham.

Next Hercules Wimbledon finisher in Richmond Park was Stuart Fraser, who was the top over-40 veteran in taking 18th place in 33:09, with Rory McMahon, back from running in the Marabana half-marathon in the Cuban capital, Havana, 23rd in 33:41.

With Jamie Helmer 29th in 34:19, Matthew Sharp 35th in 35:14, Stuart Bond 42nd and second veteran over-40 42nd in 36:03, Frank Wood 51st and third over 45 in 36:37, Peter Giles 61st and first veteran over 65 in 38:05 and Dave Betts 68th and first veteran over 60 in 38:49, Hercules Wimbledon finished strong runners-up in the 10-to-score team event.

Other Hercules Wimbledon finishers were Craig Howard, making his first appearance for the club, 88th in 43:01, Marilena De Luca, 90th in 43:39 and Fred Green, third over-60 finisher, who was 92nd in 44:3.

Teenanger Michaela Knespl led the Hercules Wimbledon team home in the women's Dysart Cup 4.12-mile race. She was seventh in 28:05 with over-50 veteran Mel Jones 28th in 32:27, 14-year-old Maire Gilmartin, the youngest runner in the event, 30th in 33:00, Rowena Hornshaw 34th in 34:41 and over-45 veteran Fenella Willis 35th in 35:08.

Mike Halman was the first Hercules Wimbledon finisher in the Marabana half-marathon in Cuba, taking 22nd place out of mroe than 1,000 runners in 1:16:37, with Rory McMahon 79th in 88:04, Sean Crummy 108th in 1:31:07 and over 60 veteran Maurice Sharp 197th in 1:39:27.

Hercules Wimbledon's Neil Aitken headed home a 130-strong field to win the Richmond Park parkrun on Saturday in 17:43.

It was his third win in four appearances in the event. Another Hercules Wimbledon runner in Stephen McDuell was 21st in 20:28.

Over-50 veteran Martin O'Halloran posted a personal best time in finishing eighth out of more than 50 runners in the Roundshaw Downs parkrun in 20:12.

It took 16 seconds off his previous best time set in finishing 10th in the event in November.

Stuart Fraser, who later in the day was first veteran in the Ellis cross country trophy race in Richmond Park, warmed up by finishing third in the Wimbledon Common parkrun in 17:37, just six seconds behind the winner.

Andrew Davies was 10th in 21:39, Mark Bohan 28th in 21:53 and Charles Lawrie 40th in 22:41.

Teenager Becky Stone was 52nd and second woman in 23:23 with over-40 veteran Patrick Stone 61st in 24:04.

Hercules Wimbledon's cross country runners will be in action in Richmond Park for the second successive weekend on Saturday.

The club's senior women's team which are chasing promotion in the Surrey Ladies League will be in action first with their race over 8.1km starting at noon.

It will be followed by a race at 1pm for U15 and U17 runners over 4.57km and one at 1.30pm for U13 runners over 3.28km.

Because of the shorter days, the Sweatshop Surrey cross country league races are taking place half-an-hour earlier than usual.

The young athletes race over 2.84 miles starts at 2pm with the seniors over 5.65 miles due off at 2.30pm.

The races start and finish near the Pembroke Lodge car park.