Hundreds of youngsters from across Sussex turned out to compete in the annual Schools Cross Country Championships earlier this week.
The weather was kind and conditions under foot not too harsh for the event which took place at Waterhall in Brighton.
Around 866 finished the six different races with some fine battles for the top spots, with the first 4 in each race automatically qualifying for the English Schools Cross Country Champs in Liverpool in March.
First up were the junior boys (school years 8 and 9) where George Urben (Heathfield) took gold followed by Ardingly’s Harry Chapman and Samuel Gill (Patcham) in 3rd.
Cardinal Newman’s Corey Walker scooped the coveted 4th position.
In the junior girls race, Ella Bartholomew (Priory) was victorious followed by Lana Povey (Ratton), Stella Gambie (Dorothy Stringer) and Amelia Skelton (Ark Alexandra Academy).
Fin Lumber Fry and George Armstrong Smith had enjoyed a great battle for gold at the Sussex AA Cross Country Champs the week before with George coming out on top.
This time the Eastbourne Rovers team mates were on different sides with Fin winning the inter boys’ race for Ratton School and George 2nd for Cavendish.
Taylor Thom Watts (Brighton College) had an impressive run for first year in the age group in 3rd and last year’s junior boy winner, Byron Roberts (Gildredge House) was 4th.
No one could stop Isabella Buchanan (Buckswood School) taking the inter girls’ title as she cruised across the line.
Brighton College’s Florence Goodwin was 2nd followed by Elodie Hill in 3rd and Isabella Lendrum in 4th.
Starting at the same time but completing different distances, the senior boys and girls contests are the last of the day.
In the girls, Daisy Connor (Bexhill 6th Form College) had a fine run to clearly take the gold with Bishop Luffa’s Molly Smithers 2nd, Freda Pearce (Seaford Head) 3rd and Ava James (BHASVIC) 4th.
The senior boys cover 6K having to cover the “dreaded” hill twice. This didn’t hinder Eastbourne College’s Lucas Gorrill who stormed ahead from the very start and just kept going crossing the line way ahead of Finlay Goodman in 2nd.
It was a battle for bronze with Freddie Matthews (BHASVIC) sprinting past Thomas Petherick (Seaford Head) on the final straight.
The top 20 qualify to compete in the South East Schools Inter County Cross Country Championships, in Chelmsford on January 31.
If you placed in the top 20 and would like to compete at Chelmsford you will need to complete a form to do so. Click HERE for more information.
Team Results are yet to be published.