ENGLISH SCHOOLS’ CROSS COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIPS

ARDINGLY, WEST SUSSEX

SATURDAY 15th MARCH 2025

The Championships took place in West Sussex this year at the South of England Showground in Ardingly. The course was very firm and lumpy with some steep descents and climbs in places. The weather was reasonably cool with occasional sunshine and cold winds at times.

The Junior Girls team finished 13^th overall with 648 pts. Millie Jordan 22^nd (9:53) led the team home, closely followed by Ellie Blackhurst 26^th (9:57). Ava Winstanley finished 130^th (10:34), then Elsie McKeever 143^rd (10:38), Alice Carr 160^th (10:43) and Lauren Silcox 167^th (10:44). Completing the team were Kitty Crossland 239^th (11:08) and Millie Wright 292^nd (11:27).

The Senior Boys finished in 16^th place overall with 692pt. First home and finishing strongly was Matthew Clark with a top 10 finish (18:15, 9^th place). Next home was Myles Fraser 56^th (18:57), then Oliver Gill 99^th (19:23), Jack Eccles 142^nd (19:45), Ben Stratton 185^th (20:12) and Harrison Stokes 201^st (20:25). Completing the team were Marcus Thomasson 233^rd (20:47) and Daniel Smith 275^th (21:26).

The Intermediate Boys finished in 18^th place overall with 722 pts. First home was Francis Vidler in 70^th (15:46), closely followed by Luke Kane 83^rd (15:51), Henry Ward 99^th (15:56) and Jack Wood 114^th (16:03), then Sam Aspey 149^th (16:15) and Tom Jepson 207^th (16:36). Completing the team were Max Winstanley 214^th (16:37) and Joshua Smith 308^th (17:24).

The Junior Boys finished in 18^th place with 766 pts. First finisher for Lancashire was Jack Mawdsley, completing the course in 9:05 and 47^th place. Next home was Albert Yates 74^th (9:15) and Jack Turner 147^th (9:33), Jack Baranowski 151^st (9:34), Jack Calderbank 166^th (9:38) and Harry Hopkinson 181^st (9:40). Completing the team were Archie Belfield 220^th (9:47) and Freddy Cheyne 249^th (9:52).

The Intermediate Girls finished 18^th overall in the team competition with 809 pts. First counter for Lancashire was Kristy Leitch 45^th (13:34), followed by Isabel Goodman 54^th (13:42), then Aimee Harling 123^rd (14:19), Tilly Duffy 157^th (14:32), Ruby Cleaver 201^st (14:52) and Molly Taylor 229^th (15:05). Completing the team were Jemima Bradburn 264^th (15:26) and Lyra Krige 276^th (15:37).

The Senior Girls finished 29^th overall with 967 points. Alicia Thompson was first counter in 47^th (15:01) followed by Zara Darkin 68^th (15:16). Next home was Charlotte Wilkinson 138^th (15:56), then Holly Moffatt 224^th (16:51), Annie Dickinson 244^th (17:12) and Charlotte Robertshaw 246^th (17:14).

Our thanks go to the team stewards, athletes and parents who helped in any way to make this a most enjoyable English Schools’ Cross-Country Championships.

Steve Mort and Charlotte White

Team Managers