IT'S an unyielding principle of cross-country running that surfaces should be as varied and, well, yielding, as possible. Rarely has that ethos been better exemplified than in the Renfrewshire county champion-ships on Saturday.

The challenge of water-logged ground and a swollen stream was intensified courtesy of the Renfrewshire Hunt, which cantered along part of the route some 25-strong but minus hounds, churning it to a quagmire shortly before the hardy harriers took off.

This year it was hares, but no hounds. In the past the dogs have been known to join in, adding to the runners' obstacles.

Steady rain persisted through-out, and a burn which stronger competitors can normally hurdle took five or six strides, wading almost knee-deep, to negotiate. The men's winner, Stevie Connachan, took it at a run, but the freezing waters slowed many to a walk, provoking the wry observation that they were merely attempting to prolong the pleasure of the event!

Even worse was the puddle into which a field was steadily draining at its lowest corner. The trail ran through dark waters of unpredictable depth and footing. Shona Hughes, who landed the women's title for the third time, confirmed that she was fully thigh deep while traversing this hazard.

The ambulance standing by seemed mercifully redundant, but Inverclyde stalwart Gerry Gafney joked that it could have gainfully employed removing participants to be sectioned.

Conachan, from Inverclyde, flourished amid this healthy insanity. He took the title for the third time since 1999 in only his third race this season. ''I've not competed much for more than a year,'' said Connachan, who won by almost two minutes.

Led by international veteran Steve McLoone in third, Greenock Glenpark took the six-man team honours, while Bellahouston Road Runners, were second ahead of Kilbarchan, winning men's team medals in the event for the first time.

Hughes collected her third title with a spirited finish after Bellahouston Road Runner Deborah Fern had drawn along-side in the later stages. Hughes held her off by five seconds with veteran road-runner Erica Christie taking third in what she said was her first cross-country race since leaving school some 30 years ago.

Among the younger athletes who impressed were Cara Sloss, who won the women's under-17 event, and her Kilbarchan clubmate Derek Hawkins. The British 3000m No.1 won the boys' under-15 race by more than a minute.

Billy Richardson led Irvine to a runaway team victory in the Ayrshire championships at Craigie Park, while Mark Rudzinski, of Clydesdale had 85 seconds to spare as he led his club to the Dumbartonshire title at Posties Park. Hamilton's Robert Gilroy was two minutes clear as he won the Lanarkshire men's title at Drumpellier Park where the Hollinshead brothers won the under-13 and under-11 titles respectively for Larkhall.

Veteran former internationalist Ross Arbuckle added to his prolific haul of North District titles at Elgin with a successful defence which helped Keith and District to team victory.

lHaving shocked the world mountain-running team gold medallist, Angela Mudge, with victory in the opening race of the East League this season, Liz McColgan demonstrated yesterday that the result was no fluke.

The 39-year-old former world 10,000m champion took the women's race at Beveridge Park, Kirkcaldy by more than a minute. Mudge was absent, but McColgan's victims this time included Great Britain inter-nationalist Hayley Parkinson-Ovens, who has won the Scottish 1500m title three times in the past six seasons. Last year in Manchester, she reached the Commonwealth 1500m final, and this year featured in the match against the USA, running the fastest 800m of her life.

lKathy Butler, the Edinburgh-born woman who represents Britain in the European championships at Holyrood a week on Sunday, was fifth, and first European, among a strong African field yesterday in the Dunkirk international.

The Scot, who spent three months on crutches last year with her career in jeopardy, was just 13 seconds behind the Ethiopian winner, Burka Gelete. Charlotte Dale overcame a calf problem to finish fifteenth and should now be fit enough to defend her junior title in Edinburgh.

Details, Digest, Page 7