English Schools Cross Country Cup Final – Newquay

There were 29 Chiltern Harriers running for their schools at Newquay Tretherras School, Cornwall on Saturday in the ESAA Schools Cross Country Cup Final. Bleak weather and a muddy course made for challenging conditions.
 
There were 27 schools in each age group – three each from nine regions around England - and the highlights were a win by the Dr Challoner’s Grammar Intermediate Boys team, and individual second place for Archie Pinder of Chesham Grammar in the same age group.

Junior Girls
The DCHS team featured three Chiltern runners and the team were led in by Evelyn Wildman in 48th. Lydia Cross was third DCHS scorer in 100th and Keya Kara fourth scorer in 117th. The team was 21st from 27.
 
Junior Boys
Just one CHAC runner in this one - Zach Cleary was third Aylesbury Grammar School scorer in 47th place. The AGS team was sixth.
 
Intermediate Girls
There were three DCHS girls in this plus three from Wycombe High. The DCHS girls were Lesedi Nkoane (12th), Frankie Baxter (16th) and Rebecca Lawson (115th) and the Wycombe trio were Sofia Lomas (75th), Jo Snelling (81st) and Ffion Harman (91st). The DCHS team was 14th, Wycombe High 22nd.
 
Intermediate Boys
After a win in this competition as a junior team two years ago, there were hopes that the team, which was almost identical, could get amongst the medals again. And so it proved thanks to committed runs from Daniel Munn  (7th), Alex Hughes (10th), Max Baxter (24th), Isaac Jessop-Tranter (37th) and Ethan McCall (47th). The scoring foursome recorded 78 points, ahead of Eastwood Academy on 90 and St Albans Schools on 116. A great, and rare,  achievement by the lads to win two titles.
 
Having a superb run in the Inter Boys race was Archie Pinder from Chesham Grammar who was individually second. Also running for the Chesham team that finished fourth were Euan Pinder (25th) and Callum Powell (80th).
 
Senior Girls
A DCHS sextet entirely composed of Chiltern athletes battled hard but had to be content with fourth. Maddie Hughes was 8th, Holly Henderson 19th, Abbie Henderson 22nd, Olivia Edwards 44th, Alice Brown 59th, and Hannah Ashby 69th.
 
Senior Boys
DCGS’s fortunes took a turn for the worse when Thomas Redmond had to pull out with an ankle sprain. The remaining foursome was 16th – Oakley Denson (37th), Finn O’Brien (50th), Luke Martin (78th) and Ben Martin (88th). Tom Emery was competing for Harrow Schools and was their second scorer in 48th.