Katie Rowe sprints to victory in Saturday’s under-13 girls’ race at the McCain UK Cross Challenge Final. (0932776)

KATIE ROWE dramatically won the under-13 girls title at the McCain UK Cross Challenge Final incorporating the Inter Counties held at Birmingham’s Cofton Park with a superb run to claim victory with a dramatic late burst of speed.

Sussex’s Grace Cook led with a sizeable gap to the chasing pack for nearly three quarters of the 3km race, but a surge from Rowe with a third of the race remaining took her past Essex’s Georgia Tuckfield and onto Cook’s shoulder.

Following Rowe’s initiative Tuckfield responded and passed the fading Cook, taking Rowe away with her as they climbed the final hill. With the course making a U-turn with 150m remaining, Rowe unleashed a powerful surge and opened a gap that she held to the finish to land the title in 11-19.

Finlay Wright made his Hampshire representative debut in the under-13 boys event and the Grammar School student from Alderney ran a superbly balanced race to finish 17th just 20 seconds behind the winner.

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