Schools Cross Country League 2011 ends successfully

Last week saw the completion of the schools cross country league organised by the club for local schools in the Epping Forest and Redbridge districts.  The event is held over four weeks with points counting for both team and individual events in a league format. Prizes are awarded for winners in both team and individual categories. The first race was held at Ashton Playing Fields over a flat grassland course, but the remainder of the races were held on the tough undulating course at Claybury Park, on part of the course used for our home cross country fixtures. The event, which is now in its 18th year, had schools entered from the Borough of Redbridge and Epping Forest. Four races are run each week covering the six age groups.

The competition, as usual, was very keen especially in the Primary School groups with many schools featuring more than the minimum of four runners required to complete a team.

In the Primary Girls (School Years 5/6) Emily Pohl of Coopersale Hall was a clear winner as she won all four of the league races. She was closely followed by her team member, Flora Brown who finished second. A close third was Annali Olivelle from Forest School. The team event was keenly contested, with only 15 points (over four races) separating first and second. Coopersale Hall won the team event with Forest School second and Theydon Bois Primary in third place.

In the Primary Boys (Schools Years 5/6) the individual winner was Ryley Scott from St. Aubyn’s school on 9 points. Having won the last two league races he was a clear winner. Second and third place was very close and separated by one point with Jack Bartlam of St. John’s Buckhurst hill second and Joe Rowson of Theydon Bois school in third place. The team event was won by Theydon Bois School with 155 points, Woodford Green Prep in second place and Bancroft’s in third place. Last year’s winners, Staples Road, were a very close fourth place.

Last year’s Primary Girls school winner, Isabella Hoy (Wanstead High), continued with her winning performances in the Secondary Girls event (School Year 7/8). Isabella won all four of her league races. Nancy Callagher from Roding Valley was second and with Katie Inch from Forest School finishing a close third. The team event was won by Forest school with Woodford County High “A” team in second place and their “B” team in third place.

In the Senior Girls (School Year 9/10) Isabel Levine (Caterham School) won the individual title having won all four of her races in the age group. Close behind in second place was Anna Clarke from West Hatch and Amy Kibblewhite from Roding Valley. The team event was won by Roding Valley, the first of many in the senior schools events. Woodford County High were second.

George Day from Highams Park School won the individual title for Secondary Boys (School Year 7/8) having won three of his four races. Running as an individual, with no team support, George continued to turn up for all the league matches with the help of his father. Curtis Jones of Roding Valley was a very creditable second with Jack Bedell (Roding Valley) in third place. The team event was won by Roding Valley, retaining their trophy. They had a great turnout of runners every week during the league races, usually completing three teams and with their “B” team in second place. Canon Palmer also turned out many runners during the course of the four weeks and was a very creditable third. They also completed a “B” team in the league rankings.

The Senior Boys race (School Year 9/10) was won by Cody Smart, of Roding Valley School. Zack Hurst from Wanstead High was second and Ross Makin from Roding Valley was third. Roding Valley School regained the team trophy this year with Palmer Catholic School second.

The Club wish to thank all the schools for their support and participation and also for the supporters who turned out each week to give a great atmosphere at the event. We look forward to an even bigger event next year. Look at our club web site for the full results and also for details nearer the time for next year’s event.

Woodford Green AC offers training and coaching facilities to all schools. For the under 10 we have “Woodford Wasps” who meet on Saturday morning at Ashton Playing fields. For the senior schools, training and coaching is offered on Tuesday and Thursday evenings starting at 6:00 pm. Come to the club house and meet the coaches beforehand or introduce yourself to our Young Members secretary, Graham Foy. We look forward to seeing you.