A YEAR after a testy row which threatened the decade long agreement between BLE and the NACA, the two athletic governing bodies combined yesterday to put together the most successful international cross country meeting held in the Republic of Ireland for six years at Dutileer, Co Louth.

The NACA's initiative in promoting last year's Ras na hEireann as an international event was marred by accusations that BLE had done little to facilitate the clearance of foreign athletes and had acted in an obstructive manner.

In the months that followed, a state of near feud was becalmed by the suggestion that the 1997 Ras should incorporate two key winter fixtures from the BLE calendar, the Celtic International and the Westathletic cross country.

The result was a well run, well promoted, and well attended meeting which featured a contest that would not have been out of place in a World Cross Challenge Series. The fact that an Irishman ran the race of his life to take the lead on the final lap of the 10,000 metre senior men's international event generated a tremendous atmosphere, though Noel Berkeley's huge effort was eventually eclipsed in a close sprint finish by Kenya's James Kariuki.

It was an extraordinary race of surges and breaks. Berkeley was prominent early on, only to give way when inter counties champion Seamus Power hit the front after 2,000 metres. But all he managed to do was draw Kariuki out of the pack. Just after half way, the loping Clareman suffered a stitch and fell quickly out of contention.

That left Kariuki in front with three athletes, Berkeley, Tom McGrath of Mullingar and Canada's Chris Weber around 30 metres adrift. The sparring for places between the two Irishmen in particular gradually drew them closer to Kariuki until, at the start of the final lap, Berkeley went in lone pursuit.

The many miles the 32 year old Dundrum man has put in since switching to the marathon a year and a half ago has instilled an extra degree of strength these days into Berkeley's naturally bouncy stride, and on an uphill section of no more than 200 metres in length, he reeled in Kariuki to take the lead.

But the 24 year old Kenyan, who was second in the World Cross Challenge series last year, dug in behind and when they ran through a mucky patch 200 metres from the finish, Kariuki edged in front and he sprinted for his life to hold out for a two second victory.

Afterwards Berkeley again insisted that he had no intention of running in the world cross country championships, preferring to focus instead on a marathon in April.

"I'm delighted with my run here but it doesn't change anything. I'll run in the Nationals in Cork for my club, but really I don't have any interest in going to the worlds," he said.

The women's race over 6,000 metres, a much more low key event, was won with ease by another Kenyan, Esther Kiplagat from Stefanijia Statkuvviene of Lithuania with Ann Terek of Lisburn AC third.

. Britain's Kelly Holmes returned to competitive action yesterday after an injury dogged Olympic season to win a road race at Hastings, Sussex.