BROMSGROVE’S Sanders Park was the venue for this year’s Hereford & Worcester Schools’ Cross Country Championship on Saturday when Redditch pupils enjoyed considerable success.
The event, which had moved from its previous venue in Hereford, sees pupils who have qualified through school and then district competitions take on the best in the Herefordshire and Worcestershire areas.
In addition to the county competition, athletes were also racing to be selected to represent Hereford & Worcester at the English Schools’ Cross Country Championships which takes place in March in Norwich.
The new venue was one to savour for Alvechurch Middle School pupil Lily Saxon who won the junior girls’ race, with Jodie Ruane from Royal Grammar School Worcester and Lottie Roberts from Prince Henry’s School in Evesham finishing second and third.
The Redditch squad tasted victory when Walkwood Middle School’s Josh Robins took the junior boys’ title ahead of second placed Harry Cox from The Downs, Malvern, and Daniel Bufton, from St Mary’s Lugwardine, Hereford.
The intermediate girls’ race saw Casarena Ferreira from Prince Henry’s, Evesham, race to victory and she was followed by runner-up Ellen Bowen from St Augustine’s, Redditch, and third placed Holly Love from The Chase, Malvern.
Chris McLeod from Woodrush High in Wythall, representing Redditch, won the intermediate boys’ race in which Joe Hamilton from Trinity High, Redditch, was second and George Beardmore from Royal Grammar Worcester third.
The final race of the day was that of the senior boys and girls and Conor Smith from Waseley Hills High School in Rubery secured a convincing win in the boys’ event, followed by second placed Gareth Richardson from RSA Academy Arrow Vale, Redditch, and third placed Luc Allberry from Prince Henry’s of Evesham.
First and second respectively places in the girls’ race went to Abigail Saker and Isabel James, both from Bromsgrove School, whilst third in was Chloe Wheeler of John Kyrle High School, Ross-on-Wye.
The top six finishers in each category qualify automatically for the English Schools’ Cross Country Championships, whilst the seventh and eighth places are awarded through selection by the Hereford & Worcester Schools’ Athletics Association.
A district team competition also formed part of the event and the top two teams are listed as part of the results below (juniors years 8 and 9, intermediates years 10 and 11, seniors years 12 and 13).
Results: Junior girls – 1st Lily Saxon, Alvechurch Middle (Bromsgrove & Droitwich); 2nd Jodie Ruane, Royal Grammar (Worcester City); 3rd Lottie Roberts, Prince Henry’s, Evesham (South Worcestershire); 4th Ellie Pardy, St Bede’s Middle (Redditch); 5th Libby Hawkeswell, Bewdley High (Wyre Forest); 6th Susannah Hoare, Prince Henry’s, Evesham (South Worcestershire).
District team results: 1st Worcester City; 2nd Bromsgrove & Droitwich.
Junior boys – 1st Josh Robins, Walkwood Middle (Redditch); 2nd Harry Cox, The Downs (Malvern); 3rd Daniel Bufton, St Mary’s, Lugwardine (Hereford); 4th Jesse Burgess, Bewdley High (Wyre Forest); 5th James Vaughan, Blessed Edward Oldcorne (Worcester City); 6th James Rolinson, Winterfold House, Kidderminster (Wyre Forest).
District team results: 1st Worcester City; 2nd Malvern.
Intermediate girls – 1st Casarena Ferreira, Prince Henry’s, Evesham (South Worcestershire); 2nd Ellen Bowen, St Augustine’s (Redditch); 3rd Holly Love, The Chase (Malvern); 4th Anna Nicod, St Augustine’s (Redditch); 5th Orla Walker, Bromsgrove School (Bromsgrove & Droitwich); 6th Chelsea Wright, North Bromsgrove (Bromsgrove & Droitwich).
District team results: 1st Redditch; 2nd Bromsgrove & Droitwich.
Intermediate boys – 1st Chris McLeod, Woodrush High, Wythall (Redditch); 2nd Joe Hamilton, Trinity High (Redditch); 3rd George Beardmore, Royal Grammar (Worcester City); 4th Jake Cavens, Christopher Whitehead (Worcester City); 5th Tom Deykin, Trinity High (Redditch); 6th James Dale, Nunnery Wood (Worcester City).
District team results: 1st Redditch; 2nd Worcester City.
Senior girls – 1st Abigail Saker, Bromsgrove School (Bromsgrove & Droitwich); 2nd Isabel James, Bromsgrove School (Bromsgrove & Droitwich); 3rd Chloe Wheeler, John Kyrle, Ross-on-Wye (Hereford); 4th Alice Evans, King’s School (Worcester City); 5th Caitlin Law, Hereford Cathedral (Hereford); 6th Annika Schulz, Malvern College (Malvern).
District team results: 1st Bromsgrove & Droitwich; 2nd Malvern.
Senior boys – 1st Conor Smith, Waseley Hills (Bromsgrove & Droitwich); 2nd Gareth Richardson, RSA Academy Arrow Vale (Redditch); 3rd Luc Allberry, Prince Henry’s, Evesham (South Worcestershire); 4th Owen Cowden, Hereford Cathedral (Hereford); 5th Patrick Mackie, St Augustine’s (Redditch); 6th William Jones, Prince Henry’s, Evesham (South Worcestershire).
District team results: 1st Bromsgrove & Droitwich; 2nd South Worcestershire.