Essex Schools CC Champs, Basildon
Seventeen Woodford Green youngsters were on view representing various districts across Essex on a very blustery but fine day.
The objective here was to make the top 16 in order to represent Essex in the South East Of England Inter Counties on 4th Feb, or to make the first 6 across the line and thus gain selection for Essex at the All England Schools, with a further 2 spots on offer after the Inter Counties.
The first race was the junior Girls Under 15s over 3.6k. In a field of 70, Alicia McArdell went with the leading bunch of 4 as they broke away from the rest. Despite her brave efforts, Alicia was pulled back over the second half of the course and was unlucky to lose 6th spot on the run and instead finished 7th. Isobel Levine ran well for 8th, and young Rosie Poole had an outstanding run against her older counterparts to place 9th. These 3 will scrap for the remaining two places on offer to go to the All England Schools on the 4th Feb. Young Eddie Preece also had a great run for 18th, and Jodi Ratcliff was 19th.
In the Junior Boys race over 4.6K, Canaan Soloman found himself up against George Elliot, the reigning Under 15 boys Essex Champion, and Lawrence Willmore, another very good Under 15. Canaan ran intelligently and stuck to his task in excellent style to place 2nd, and thus qualify for the All England Schools just 4 seconds adrift of Elliott, but 100 yards up on Willmore. Harry Sloman, one of our newer members, placed 41st.
In the Inter Girls race, over the same distance, Amelia Barrett, who is having an excellent season, tracked Georgia Tuckfield throughout the whole race to place an excellent 4th as a 1st year Inter Girl. Amelia thus qualified for both the Inter Counties and the All England. Jessica Burgess, also a bottom year Inter Girl, ran above herself for a great 9th place, thus securing her first Essex Schools vest in the Inter Counties. It was really nice to see two of our great club girls, Lucy Hayes 31st and Isobel Moss 32nd, who both ran well in tough conditions.
In the Inter Boys race over 5.6K we had just one athlete on view but Perry Rowan, a first year Inter Boy, acquitted himself very well to place an excellent 5th and thus qualify for both the All England Schools and the Inter Counties.
In the Senior Girls race held over 4.6K, Lauren McGregor was pleased to come through her race unscathed in 5th, thus also qualifying for both the All England and the Inter Counties. Holly Bedeau was unlucky to place 17th in the same race, missing out on selection for Essex by one place - but she is 1st reserve.
In the senior boys race over 6.4K, James Stockings, a first year senior, placed 6th and thus secured selection for both the All England and the Inter Counties. Liam Blaikie was 14th, which gave him selection for the Inter Counties. Lorcan Murphy placed 18th.
So Canaan, Perry, Amelia, James and Lauren are automatically selected to go to the English Schools and will be joined by two from Alicia, Isabel and Rosie providing they can reproduce their form in two weeks' time. These will be joined in the Inter Counties in two weeks time by Jessica and Liam, and possibly Holly.