English Schools Fell Championships success for Jack Sanderson

Giggleswick were rewarded for their efforts with an individual national champion in new signing Jack Sanderson. Ermysted’s also had an excellent day as they won the Y7 and Y10/11 boys’ team titles and were third team in the other two age groups.

There were four races with boys and girls running together but then counted as two different races after they had finished.

Ermysted's winning year seven team line up. Stephen Speak (Image: Stephen Speak)

The Y7 were first away and set off at a fair lick across a flat field but were soon spread out in the pastureland.

Ermysted’s Seth Box led Craven’s challenge as he came back in fourth place with team-mates Isaac Reeday sixth, Dexter Woodward 16th and Noah Schepisi 17th. Their team total of 26 points for the positions of their first three runners was just good enough to win a national title.

They just pipped Queen Katherine School and Settle who were third team with Ben Brummitt ninth, Ewan Angus 10th and Carl Sanderson 15th.

Other craven runners making the top 10 were Giggleswick’s Archie Cole fifth and South Craven’s Jacob O’Sullivan eighth.

The Y7 Girls saw Upper Wharfedale’s Georgia Twist come home sixth and Giggleswick’s Camilla Hart seventh, leading her team to second overall with Celia Gatheral 22nd and Lois Brough 23rd.

Ermysted's winning team at the Y10/11 age groups lines up. Stephen Speak (Image: Stephen Speak)

The Y8&9 team were next and Ermysted’s were without last year’s individual champion George Marsh, who was picked along with school-mate Will Oakden to run for Yorkshire in the mini marathon for Yorkshire.

Will Pease showed that it was certainly one that got away as he ran a blinder to come fifth despite being at the lower end of the age group. Ermysted’s still managed to finish third team as Daniel Hood 42nd and Lucas Smith 50th were well inside the top half of the runners.

The girls saw Skipton Girls’ Izzy Wright finish fifth and South Craven’s Holly Fitch just outside the top 10 in 11th.

The Y10/11 race saw Sanderson withstand the pressure and live up to the form book to give Craven their only individual title. He left the rest well behind and had a comfortable run in to the finish funnel for the biggest cheer of the day and a popular win. Lachlan Wills, from Ermysted’s, was third back to the field but lost out on an individual medal in the sprint finish. He did get some consolation as he led his team to an emphatic victory as Tom Hooper came back 12th and Sam Bentham 13th. In the girls’ race, South Craven’s Olivia Aldham was Craven’s only other individual medallist as she claimed silver.

The seniors ran the best part of four miles with over 800ft of climb so it was no mean feat to get around the course let alone race it. Dougie Segger-Staveley was eighth, with team-mates Oscar Smyth 16th and Will Hopwell 32nd it meant once again Ermysted’s claimed a podium place as third team.