LOUISE Damen had to go head-to-head with Charlotte Moore to retain her Dorset Cross-Country Championship title at Canford School, writes Nigel Harding.

Though Moore has the higher national profile following her sixth place in the Commonwealth Games 800 metres final, Damen's steady progress had brought her a senior European Cross-Country Championship debut and team bronze medal last month.

Damen made the most of her form to seize an early advantage, moving 10 yards clear in the first third of the five kilometre course, before powering away to finish 48 seconds clear.

Moore, winner of a prestigious junior race in Bristol six weeks ago, had to settle for the under-20 crown this time.

Both the Bournemouth AC pair will be glad of the workout and focused on future ambitions, rather than reading too much into the result.

Dorset Doddler Lynda Faulkner won a battle of the veterans with Janice Palmer, of Poole Runners, for a distant third place.

Veteran international Mark Hargreaves dug deep to win the men's race, not only retaining his over-40 title, but coming back in the final straight to defeat Poole AC's Andy Blow outright.

Colin McCourt, top ranked British junior at 1,500m last year, lifted the under-20 title unopposed.

Bournemouth AC's other titles came at under-13 level through runaway Hannah Stammas and Daniel Price, who took the narrowest win of the day in a BAC clean sweep.

Matthew Clark, the surprise Inter-Counties champion of 2002, achieved his first county title over the country.

His Poole Runners club-mates Sean Hogan and Vicky Ingham dominated at under-17 level, while Dorchester's English Schools' 1,500m champion Nikki Hamblin prevented a championship whitewash by the East Dorset clubs in the under-15 girls race.

Dorset Cross-Country Championships at Canford School (medallists and selected local results), men (10km): 1 Andy Blow (PAC) 33:49, 2 Christian Clement (BAC) 34:29, 3 Shaun Dixon (BR) 34:39, 5 Martin Lewis (PR) 36:17, 7 Dave Patrick (PR) 36:58, 8 Jason Robbins (PAC) 37:15, 9 Chris Payne (BAC) 37:30, 10 Tim Harris (WAC) 39:09.

Veteran Men (10km): 1 Mark Hargreaves (BAC) 33:46, 2 Dave Higgins (BAC) 34:56, 3 Andy Clements (PAC) 35:04, 4 Jeremy Thomas (11 Sig Rgt) 36:41, 5 Lloyd Palmer (PAC) 38:20, 6 Chris Guerrier (PR) 38:49, 7 James Aylmore (PR) 40:42, 8 Alan Lewis (PR) 40:54, 9 Geoff Scott (PR) 41:19, 10 Mike Farrell (BAC) 41:29.

Men's Combined Teams: 1 Bournemouth AC 9, 2 Poole AC 20, 3 Poole Runners 34.

Under-20 men (6.8km): 1 Colin McCourt (BAC) 25:45.

Under-17 men (5km): 1 Sean Hogan (PR) 18:02, 2 Adam Cleaver (DAC) 18:41, 3 Karl Welch (BAC) 18:52, 4 Daniel Cheney (PR) 19:15, 7 Edward Benham (PAC) 19:52, 8 Robert McTaggart (BAC) 20:02, 9 Michael Gates (PAC) 20:13. Teams: 1 Poole Runners 16, 2 Bournemouth AC 26, 3 Poole AC 32.

Under-15 boys (3.5km): 1 Matthew Clark (PR) 11:48, 2 Luke Greenwood (BR) 12:13, 3 Chris Wilson (PAC) 12:20, 7 Harry Moore (BAC) 12:52, 9 Nick Phillips (PR) 13:05, 10 Tom Rushton (WAC) 13:08. Teams: 1 Bridport Runners 11, 2 Poole Runners 21, 3 Blandford Sch 50.

Under-13 boys (2.5km): 1 Daniel Price (BAC) 8:04, 2 Thomas Barry (BAC) 8:05, 3 Richard Felton (BAC) 8:17, 4 Torsten Chandler (PR) 8:20, 5 Joe Astley (PR) 8:29, 6 Greg Shrosbee (Clayesmore) 8:34, 7 Ryan Trew (PR) 8:39, 8 Harvey Jones (PR) 8:41, 9 Daniel Boyd (BAC) 8:43, 10 Elliot Fensom (BAC) 8:48. Teams: 1 Bournemouth AC 6, 2 Poole Runners 16, 3 Bournemouth AC 'B' 30.

Senior women (5km): 1 Louise Damen (BAC) 17:53, 2 Saskia Eaton (WAC) 22:13, 3 Edwina Carter (unatt) 22:25, 4 Catherine Shelley (LMS) 25:32; 5 Jemma Bates (BAC) 26:35.

Veteran women (5km): 1 Lynda Faulkner (DD) 21:02, 2 Janice Palmer (PR) 21:36, 3 Jane Barry (BAC) 22:51, 4 Carol Doe (PR) 24:50, 5 Joan Royal (DD) 25:10, 6 Heather Brain (LMS) 26:14, 7 Miriam Gray (PR) 29:18.

Under-20 women (5km): 1 Charlotte Moore (B'mth) 18:41, 2 Anneka Smith (WSPH) 25:44. Women's Combined Teams: 1 Bournemouth AC 10, 2 Poole Runners 21.

Under-17 women (3.5km): 1 Vicky Ingham (PR) 14:36, 2 Nicola Selby (PR) 14:56, 3 Pippa Alford (DAC) 15:04, 7 Lizzie Broadhouse (PR) 16:08, 7 Jessica Bailey (PR) 16:15. Team: Poole Runners 10.

Under-15 girls (3km): 1 Nikki Hamblin (DAC) 10:50, 2 Natalie Real (BAC) 11:09, 3 Amanda Bailey (Shaftesbury Barnet) 11:29, 5 Laura Dixon (WAC) 11:45, 7 Katie Hooper (PR) 12:15, 8 Lauren Webb (PR) 12:18. Teams: 1 Dorchester AC 11, 2 Poole Runners 27, 3 St Anthony's Sch, Leweston 39.

Under-13 girls (2.5km): 1 Hannah Stammas (BAC) 8:42, 2 Charlotte Ingham (PR) 8:59, 3 Becky Neal (PAC) 9:07, 4 Sophie Card (Baden Powell Sch) 9:09, 7 Harriet Hughes (PAC) 9:28, 9 E Partridge (PR) 9:35, 10 Sarah Elliott (PAC) 9:42. Teams: 1 Poole AC 20, 2 Poole Runners 22, 3 St Anthony's Sch, Leweston 35.

Key to Clubs: BAC = Bournemouth AC, BR = Bridport Runners, DAC = Dorchester AC, DD = Dorset Doddlers, LMS = Lytchett Manor Striders, PAC = Poole AC, PR = Poole Runners, WAC = Wimborne AC, WSPH = Weymouth St. Paul's Harriers.