Natalie Hungrecker of Phoenix won the girls' event with 69 points at the Brighton and Hove evening meeting minithon.

Thirty youngsters took part in the increasingly popular minithon with Hungrecker beating Emily Goodall (Haywards Heath, 62 points) and Emma Hopper (Worthing, 50 points) into second and third respectively.

In the boys' event Joel Balmer (Brighton & Hove) ran out the winner with 86 points to Crawley's Darren Trimble's 70 points and Brighton and Hove's Billy Marchant taking third spot with 61 points.

Youngsters had to contest a run, sprint or middle distance, a jump, high or long and a throw, shot or discus. Points are allocated, similar to decathlon/heptathlon competition.

Developed by the South of England AA and pioneered by Brighton & Hove in their August evening meeting in 1997, the Sussex County AAA have also introduced the minithon into their annual May championships.

Meeting director Chris Carter, who is also secretary of the South of England AA, said: "We need to encourage youngsters to try all the athletic events instead of coming into the sport at 11 or 12 and deciding they are a middle distance runner or a sprinter. Athletics is so varied that there is an event for everyone. Claire Smithson came into the club as a cross country runner but was encouraged to try discus throwing and she is now one of the country's top throwers. Steve Ovett was originally a high jumper and sprinter before he found his niche as one of the world's greatest ever middle distance runners."

Raod relays, which in the immediate post war years were one of the most popular aspects of the winter season, have declined in popularity in recent years as road conditions have made it increasingly dangerous.

Bexhill, Worthing, Horsham and Brighton held highly successful races in the late Forties and Fifties and both the Worthing and Brighton races, which had been started before the 1939-45 War were still popular into the Sixties.

For a few years in the Sixties the Horsham to Brighton relay, which was originally started as a challenge race between the two clubs, became the county championship but it was not long before that was also considered too dangerous.

The Brighton race, which was held around the Aquarium and took in the Madeira Drive and Marine Parade at the end of March each year, would regularly attract 70 teams from the South of England.

Climaxing each winter season would be the London to Brighton relay, a race by invitation as it was restricted to just 20 clubs, and Brighton and Hove and Horsham Blue Star were the only Sussex clubs ever to be invited to contest this event.

The county championship event has been revived in the last decade, first over the Goodwood Race track course, in Alexander Park, Hastings but more recently over the virtual traffic free road at Christ's Hospital.

Hastings Athletic Club made considerable efforts to keep road relay racing alive in Sussex, holding their race first in Alexander Park and then along the promenade. Alterations to the seafront have meant this is no longer possible and the race was discontinued a couple of years ago.

Now the Hastings club are going to try again but this time they are moving the race to Bexhill. The course has not been finalised but it will be on the seafront on September 22. There will be relays for under-15s as well as seniors and veterans.

TOMORROW the final of the Sussex under-13 league competition is being held at Withdean starting at 1.00pm with divisional winners Crawley from the West Division and Phoenix from the East Division battling for the title of Sussex League champions.

Next Saturday Worthing and District Harriers travel to Watford for the qualifying match for a place in the British League.

Worthing have had their most successful season to date and team manager Alan Easey is confident that they will not only gain a place in the British League but will also be able to hold their own in Division Four next season.

Next Saturday will also see the first day of the Sussex Combined Events Championships at Crawley.