Kenya's Edith Masai held off Ethiopa's Worknesh Kidane to win the View From Great North Cross Country run in Newcastle today with Ireland's Anne Keenan-Buckley and Maria McCambridge claiming fourth and fifth places respectively.
The experienced Masai produced the faster finish against her younger Ethiopan challenger in second to win the 6.8km race in a time of 23minutes 38seconds. Belgium's Fatiha Baouf came in third at the snow-laden north east of England venue.
The two Irish representatives ran commendable races in difficult conditions but were unable to respond when the leading duo kicked for home in the latter stages. Nonetheless, the result is still a boost for the Irish Women's team - led by Sonia O'Sullivan - ahead of the World Cross Country Championships which take place Lausanne in Switzerland in March.
The race was deprived of the current best long distance runner in the world when England's Paula Radcliffe was forced to pull out on Thursday with a bacterial infection. Earlier in the week Ethiopians Deratu Tulu and Gete Wami opted not to take their place in the starting line-up because of lack of form and injury.