Match report by Des Webb:

Team Southampton had a number of runners competing for Hampshire at the English schools cross country championships at the weekend in Leeds at the picturesque Temple Newsam Park

Top performer for the club on the undulating course on a windy day was Rebecca Gough in the Senior girls race where she competed strongly to take an excellent 8th place out of a field of around 300 runners. Gough who has had an excellent cross country season with top 5 finishes in the Nationals, southerns and Uk intercounties found this a test as she was the younger age group in the race but performed very well and helped the Hampshire and Vectis team to win the team event in the age group and indeed the overall girls title. Club teammate Hayley Pointer, who is also trained along with Gough, by coach Penny Forse also ran extremely well to take 36th place in the field.

In the Intermediate girls race Louise Webb from St Annes Catholic School in Southampton put in a strong showing to finish in a creditable 15th place slightly down from her top 10 place finish last year but a fine run after a tricky injury hit cross country season. Webb's efforts over the 3.8km hilly course helped the Hampshire intermediate girls to a bronze position out of the 44 counties represented from all across England. Mhairi-Clair Stewart also found conditions tough in the biting wind but came in 158th in the Junior girls race.

In the boys races Hampshire again performed well and Team Southampton's runners helped particularly in the Junior boys where Louis Gates had a great race to pick off several runners on the last lap of the race and take 24th place. Simon Nimmin started off extremely well and hung on to take a very credit worthy 39th place finish, again in a race with well over 300 runners consisting of the top 8 performers from each county. Jamie Knapp also ran very bravely in the Intermediate boys race although was affected by illness on the day so had to settle for a top half finish in 154th place'.

Please Note:
These results are based on information sent to me. Any problems with names / times / positions then e-mail teamsouthampton@hotmail.com