Cross Country Report

The final Junior Mendip Cross Country fixture took place on Tuesday 13th March at Tor Leisure in Glastonbury and St Paul's again had a strong team competing.

A small team consisting of Amy Gibbons, Charlotte Durham and Elina Drew took part in the first race of Lower School Girls. Forty girls competed with Charlotte securing 20th, Amy 21st and Elina 35th - well done girls! Sixteen schools from across the Mendip area entered a Lower School Girls Team and despite our small team St Paul's Lower School Girls still managed a very respectable 6th place overall in the league. I hope especially to encourage more Lower School girls to take part in Cross Country next year and would like to build a larger team to match the numbers of the Lower School Boy's team!!

The Lower School Boys Race of eighty-one competitors saw Morgan Withers win 2nd place again, with Jonathon Durbin close behind in 15th, followed by Finley Clarke 33rd, Charlie Jupp 34th, Matthew Durbin 49th, Rowan West 54th, Ricky Turner 57th, Joshua Cook 59th, Oliver Howell 65th, Alistair Smith 66th and Morgan Purchase 69th. This excellent eleven strong team gained vital points for the St Paul's Lower School Boys Team who came 5th in the league overall out of 17 teams - fantastic boys! I hope that you all are eager to compete next year too!

Next the Upper School Girl's Race of forty-six brought Vera again in 2nd, Abigail Gibbons 10th, Elisabete Assis 13th and Naomi Marable 17th. The Upper School Girl's Team just missed the medals to come 4th place overall in the league out of thirteen teams. Well done to you all a small but elite team! Also a special well done to Elisabete who has recently put in extra effort to greatly improve her performance in the last two races - all for a couple of extra Jaffa Cakes! I will be sad to see the departure of Vera, Naomi and Elisabete but I'm looking forward to Abigail leading the Upper School Girl's Cross Country Team next year and hoping again to build a larger girl's team. Come on girls - it's fun - really it is - it must be Naomi has turned up to every cross country competition since year 3!

Last but by no means least the Upper School Boy's Team turned out in force once again. Leading the team was Curtis Stevens who managed an amazing 3rd place with a broken arm! Also in a good position were Year 5 boys Harry Jupp 19th and Lewis Clarke 21st. Next in were Tyrone Bulger 43rd, Jamie Bowles 45th, Ian Key 50th and Sam Burr 52nd. Once again the St Paul?s Upper School Boy's Team missed the medals by one position and came 4th place. However this was still excellent considering 19 teams took part. A special well done goes to Ian Key this time once more another person who has turned up to every cross country competition since year 3! Such dedication is what earns St Paul's points.

At the end points were totted up from all five races in the league and prizes sorted for the awards ceremony.
Morgan Withers successfully scooped the shield for 2nd place overall (Lower School Boys) with two wins, two second places and a third place. This meant Morgan missed 1st place overall by just one point - no one else in the league was so close!
Vera Assis also won a shield for 2nd place overall with one first and four second places - only three points behind the 1st overall winner. Naomi Marable managed 7th place overall and Abigail Gibbons 8th overall in the Upper School Girls Races.
In addition Curtis Stevens came in 5th place overall in the league for Upper School Boys and along with Morgan, Vera, Naomi and Abby was selected for the Mendip Team in the Inter-Area XC Match on Tuesday 27th March at Montecute near Yeovil.
Saving the best for last - St Paul's is now the proud owner of a shield for the BEST large school team. Earning all those points made us No1 for Cross Country - WOW! I'm impressed!

K Watts.