RACHAEL Thompson and Billy Burns were England's first counters in the World Mountain Running Trophy at Wellington in New Zealand, but despite some strong performances there were no medals for England this time.

However, one of our local clubs did field a medallist when Clayton-le-Moors Harrier Anna Pichrtova took third place in the senior women's race.

The Czech Olympian spent some time in the Ribble Valley earlier this year training in the Pendle area.

During her stay she received treatment from Clitheroe chartered physiotherapist Denise Park, and the pair were re-united in New Zealand where Denise was on duty as the England team's physio.

According to Denise, Anna was a little disappointed with third after having finished second last year, yet happy with the place on a course not at all suited to the genuine mountain runners, and incidentally not to the English.

Denise explained: "The course wasn't technically hard enough. It wasn't a tough mountain course - our runners are used to rough terrain, but this was a run through the city of Wellington on tarmac, up through the park of Mount Victoria, with a lap around the lookout point at the summit on tarmac and back down to the city centre.

"The downhill sections were very short, so just as our good descenders were getting up any speed, they had to brake hard for a hairpin bend. Perfect to stop our runners using the downhill to their advantage."

Junior Craig Doyle quoted in the Wellington Post was more succinct. "Back home, we've got proper mountains," he said.

England got closest to the medals in the senior women's race where Mary Wilkinson took an excellent fourth, forty seconds behind Pichrtova, while the team missed bronze on countback after a tie with New Zealand and the Czech Republic.

The Czechs won the medal after their third and final counter finished ahead of her rivals. England were fourth while Northern Ireland were 15th. Their first counter in 51st was Tricia Sloan, the Salford Harrier from Slaidburn.

Rachael Thompson, the former Westholme schoolgirl finished seventh in the Junior Girl's Race as the team made England's third fourth place of the day. Rachael was the only survivor from the team that won the silver in Alaska two years ago, but there was to be no repeat with the second counter Dionne Allen from Leigh placing 12th.

While the junior men and senior women ran two laps totalling 9.1km, and the junior girls did just one of 4.7km, the senior men had to cover three laps totalling 13.5km.

Billy Burns, the Salford Harrier from Lostock, was 16th senior, five seconds and two places ahead of England number two Lloyd Taggart.

The Hope brothers, Rob and Danny, were 43rd and 87th and were the two non-counters in the England team of six. Maybe predictably the team finished fourth!

l Anna Pichrtova flew direct from New Zealand to Malaysia to take part in the Mount Kinabalu International.

Billed as the world's toughest mountain race, it is an event at which, until recently, the England Team took part.

It climbs to the 4095-metre peak of Borneo's highest mountain and back down again, a total distance of 21km.

It's regarded as too tough for World Trophy Standards, but it wasn't too tough for Pichrtova who won the women's race.