Striders of Croydon's women have won promotion back to Surrey Women's Cross Country League Division One.

They finished third of the 35 teams in the final match at Richmond Park on Saturday, to clinch third place overall.

Serena Stracey's excellent run saw her place ninth of the 137 finishers, covering the undulating 5,800m course in 24 minutes one second.

Other striders: 21 Faye Stanners 25.19, 22 Suzy Yates 25.19, 30 Kerry Backshell 25.57, 35 Josephine Thompson 26.14.

Striders showed strength in depth by having the first B and C teams to finish.

B team: 38 Steph Upton 26.43, 40 Andrea Jefferies 26.52, 66 Susannah Oliver 29.03, 73 Linda Daniel 29.52, 75 Amalia Da Silva Lima 30.01. C team: 79 Louise Gough (30.12); 96 Karen Macenhill (31.25); 101 Karen Peake (31.44); 111 Pat Edwards (32.56); 124 Susan Haynes (34.36).

At Lloyd Park, Striders' Nicholas Batten (17:25) gained his second successive victory in the men's 2.5-mile U17 race, leading Striders to second in the final Division Two table, their best ever position.

Final table: 1 Epsom 248.5, 2 Striders of Croydon 312, 3 Dorking 335, 4 Kingston 335, 5 Dulwich 354.5.

Striders' senior men also did well to finish fourth of the nine competing clubs.

James Buchanan continued his improvement to place sixth of the 151 finishers, recording 30.47 for the five-mile course.

Justin Macenhill was eighth (31.21) and Duncan Lancashire ninth (31.27).

Other Striders: 36 Matt Morgan 33.55, 57 Simon Ambrosi 35.31, 59 Darren Piper 35.35, 62 John Foster 35.56, 67 Gerry Crispie 36.13, 68 Chris Morton 36.17, 83 Ian Campbell 36.59.