The two tribes of Dartford battled for team honours in the opening Kent Fitness Cross-Country League race at Knole Park, Sevenoaks on Sunday, writes Alan Newman.

This league requires a combined team of 10 athletes including men, women and master age groups. Elite athletes are banned, so the successful clubs are those with a good balance of abilities.

Defending champions Dartford Harriers had the stronger men’s squad but Dartford Road Runners emerged as league leaders after their women’s scores were included.

Chris Wyles (New Eltham) raced to victory by 77 seconds, but the 2012 and 2013 individual champion did not score points as he is an elite athlete.

This left Noel Sutton (M40 Thanet) to reprise his 2013 victory in 32min57sec. Craig Sharp (M40) and Daniel Pyne then started the scoring for Dartford Harriers, closely followed by Colin Tricker (Paddock Wood) and Dartford Road Runners’ Andy Fletcher, Nigel Ling and Terry Reeves.

Former double champion Clayton Barrett (Larkfield) was next home and 18-year-old Alex Cameron (Dartford Harriers) completed the top 10.

The women’s category was also led by an elite non-scoring athlete as Maria Heslop (W45 Paddock Wood) stopped the clock at precisely 38 minutes. This left Claire Day to claim her first league victory, 16 seconds in arrears of her team-mate but almost two minutes clear of Lara Hawkins (W40 Dartford Road Runners) and Stephanie Hearn (Medway and Maidstone).

Barbara Wenman (W55 Canterbury Harriers) was an exceptional leader of the higher age groups in seventh as Nicola Susans (Larkfield), Sarah Shepherd (Paddock Wood) and Ann Fuller (W45 Dartford Road Runners) filled the top 10 places.