Warren-based star of the track Paige Campbell continued her stellar season by claiming her second cross country title in the space of three months while Dubbo's Ella Penman also returned home with a gold medal after starring in the junior ranks.

More than 800 competitors were in action at a warm Wollongong for the distance running carnival and it was Campbell won the main event in what was the 66th NSW open women's cross country championships.

The Penman sisters also competed with Ella winning the women's 15 years 4km race while Mia finished 20th in the 14 years 3km event.

Campbell's win followed on from her short course title won in July and she met many of the same competitors she beat that day again on Saturday.

Bankstown's Marnie Ponton, a winner of the NSW title 12 years ago and someone who competed at the World Cross Country event last year, was one of those alongside Australia's fastest ever junior half-miler, hometown hope Keely Small.

Campbell was able to move clear of the leading pack towards the end of the first lap but, somewhat surprising, it was 800m specialist Small who who went with her.

It would take until the later stages of the race before Ponton passed Small, who hung on well to still claim the bronze.

But it was all about Campbell out in front and she went on to win by 36 seconds in a time of 35:44.

"It was pretty brutal," Campbell said of the heat.

"It felt pretty easy for the first two laps with the shady section. Out the back it was hot even as we had a tail wind, but it was not 'hot hot'."

While Campbell went into the event as the one to beat and has been in top form this year, she received an extra boost just prior to her race.

Campbell, who also compete for Sydney University, saw her teammate James Nipperess claim victory in the men's race at Wollongong.

"I was very inspired by Nipper then," she added.

A steeplechase representative at the 2019 world championships, Campbell will now switches her focus towards the track as she seeks qualification for the Tokyo Olympics.

"That was my first track run since the Sydney Track Classic ... it was a good opener," she added.