Schools CC League 30/09/2010
Last week saw the first of the Schools Cross Country League matches organised by WGEL. The event, which is now in its 17th year, was well attended with around twenty-two schools sending teams over the six age groups for which the races are run. The event is held over four weeks with points counting for both team and individual events. Prizes are awarded for winners in both team and individual categories. The first league match was held on the flat, grassland course at Ashton Playing Fields to give youngsters a gentle introduction to the league matches. The following three weeks will be held over the club's course at Claybury Park, which will be a little more demanding.
The Primary Girls (school years 5/6) race saw last year's individual champion start the campaign to hold on to her title. Isabella Hoy, of Nightingales School, led the way round the course of approx. one mile in 6m 00sec, winning by thirty-six seconds from Katie Petyt of St. John’s Primary School, Buckhurst Hill. N. Callagher of Buckhurst Hill Community School was third. The team event in the first race was won by St. John’s Primary with Coopersale Hall not far behind. However, there are still three races to go in the team event. Last year's team winners, Woodford Green Prep, were unable to finish a team.
In the Primary Boys race, Ethan Miller from Staples Road won in 5m 53sec, 3 seconds ahead of Joe Clark of Buckhurst Hill Community School. Joe Rowson from Theydon Bois School was third. This was the first time that Theydon Bois has entered the league and they were also the team winner, with their four scorers in the first thirty of over 100 finishers.
In the Senior Girls race (school year 9-10) of one and a half miles, Anna Clarke from West Hatch won by seven seconds from Jess Lambert (Roding Valley). Georgia Maltese from Forest School was third in the age group. Forest School are currently leading the team event. The year 7-8 race, run jointly with years 9/10, was won by Katie Inch from Forest School. Isabel Levine of Caterham School was second with Serena Espeute from Davenant School third. Roding Valley won the team event in the year 7/8 category, with the Forest “A” team not far behind in second place.
The Senior Boys race (years 9-10), run over the same course, was won by George Hoy of Wanstead High in 9m 22sec, with Jim Fodder, also of Wanstead High, in second place. Matthew Boyce, from Roding Valley School, was third. The team event was won by Wanstead High, who got their four scorers into the first seven finishers. Roding Valley, the current team champions, are second and it looks like a tight finish for the team event. The year 7/8 race was won by Daniel Rowden from Davenant School. Jack Maher from Canon Palmer was second with Aran Hayday from Davenant School in third place. Roding Valley are leading the team event in this age group, with Davenant a close second.
The next three league matches are at Claybury Park starting at 4:30PM on Thursday afternoon. The event is well supported by schools, with many parents attending. Club officers and helpers are staging the event, so if you want to watch the races (with no pacemakers) run over a tough undulating cross country course, come along and see some of our potential Olympians of the future.