CRAVEN had excellent representation at the County round of the English Schools’ Cross-Country Cup, held at Queen Margaret’s School at Escrick near York, with Ermysted’s, South Craven and Skipton Girls all having success.

These races are a team competition and it is the team that progresses to the next round if they finish in the top four schools for each race.

Ermysted’s had a really impressive day, as they won one event and were runners-up in the other boys’ race, while South Craven qualified with both of their girls’ teams.

Skipton Girls’ junior team also made the North East of England Semi-Final on November 9 at Middlesbrough’s Stewart Park.

Queen Margaret’s was an excellent venue, with a run across their school playing fields to start and finish each race, but with an undulating section through their landscaped grounds in the middle.

Ermysted’s Juniors (Year 7/8) were impressive victors in the first boys’ race as Sam Bentham led their challenge.

Sam set off with the leaders but had to settle for third. However, he was backed up in tremendous style by the Y7 trio who recently won the English Schools’ Fell Championships.

Tom Hooper was seventh, Ewen Wilkinson ninth and Joe Greening 13th for a low total of just 32 points for aggregate of their finish positions.

With non-scorers Laclan Wills 14th and Finlay Petrucci 26th of the 68 finishers, the team do have real strength in depth.

The Ermysted’s Intermediate team also had hopes of qualification but surprised everyone by just how well they ran.

Last month they had been well beaten by a good St. Aidan’s team but here they made them work hard for a victory.

On the first of three laps, Ermysted’s had runners in fourth, fifth and sixth and another just outside the top ten.

Donnabhan Rudden was leading the charge and pushed on through lap two to temporarily gain third before settling for a tremendous fourth place.

Dougie Segger-Staveley was next as he secured fifth and Freddie Marsh ran on well for 11th place.

Second in the team standings with 37 points was secured by Andrew Robinson in 17th but Andrew was up with Donnabhan on the first lap and some decent training could improve their team’s chances massively in next month’s semi-final.

Non-scorers Oscar Smyth (18th) and Aryaan Ghafoor (24th) were both well placed.

South Craven were unlucky not to join them when they came in as fifth team, with Tom Smurthwaite eighth, Owen Thompson 16th, Addison Willis 22nd and Josh Pearson 25th.

South Craven had more success in the girls’ races, as both teams qualified and they also had the individual runner-up in each race.

The Intermediates were led home by Tui Brooks in second and she was well supported by Catrin Fergusson (fifth), Scarlet Metcalfe (seventh) and Helena Roberts (17th) for second team.

A great total of 31 points and a good chance of making the national final.

There was a surprise when Skipton Girls didn’t make the next round though.

They were unlucky to miss out by just four points as Emma Peel was 11th, Harisah Ghafoor 16th, Mia Petrucci 21st and Hannah Jackson 24th.

Giggleswick were the next team, coming sixth out of 11, with decent runs from Madeleine Evans, Lily Whewell, Hanah Gaynor and Emily Hutchinson.

South Craven’s younger girls team was also challenging at the head of the race, as Olivia Aldham and Layla Kirkley were with the leaders.

They eventually secured second and fourth place respectively, with Alice O’Sullivan 13th and Mollie Smith 50th.

Their total of 69 points gave them fourth team but Skipton Girls just beat them with a total of 63, as Lucile Pickles in third led their challenge.

Megan Wilkinson (10th), Emily Anderson (16th) and Chloe Boothman (34th) completed their team but non-scorers Jessica Fox (35th) and Ava Onoszko (38th) were not too far behind.