Not snow easy - but starlets put on a show
WHILE Northumberland’s Schools’ Championships were held in perfect conditions, the Durham equivalent went ahead on a snow-bound course at Barnard Castle School.
It had been touch and go whether the event would go ahead and though it meant the courses set out were tougher than usual some excellent racing took place in the picturesque surroundings.
Opening the programme were the minor girls contesting a course over 2.4 kilometres.
It was Gateshead’s Freya Clarkson who came home by just two seconds from Durham Central’s Jessica Peart with Ara Local, also of Durham Central, in third place.
The minor boys’ race was also over a distance of 2.4 kilometres.
It was a success for South West Durham’s Daniel Richardson with Dylan Wilson (Darlington) and Angus Milne (Gateshead) ending up Athletics writer in second and third spots respectively.
The senior girls faced a contest over four kilometres and it was Darlington’s Lucy-Erin Hunter who led throughout to triumph by more than two minutes from Wearside’s Sarah Knight.
West Wearside’s Eve Quinn completed the one-two-three.
The senior boys contested three circuits covering a distance of seven kilometres - victory going to Durham Central’s Cameron Allen, who broke away on the final lap to win by 19 seconds.
Darlington’s Max Harris finished runner-up with Gateshead’s Jack Brown in third.
The junior girls’ race was over a distance of 3.1 kilometres and it was Durham Central’s Emily Chong who held the upper hand to prevail by 16 seconds from Amy Leonard (West Wearside) - Jess Graham (South West Durham) a further 10 seconds adrift in third spot.
West Wearside followers were celebrating at the finish of the junior boys’ four-kilometre contest, victory going to David Race and team-mate Chris Perkins crossing the line in second place.
Darlington’s Adam Russell completed the medal awards.
The intermediate girls’ race was also over four kilometres and it was a success for South West Durham’s India Pentland, who was followed home by Catherine Roberts (Darlington) and West Wearside’s Lydia James.
The intermediate boys’ 5.7-kilometre event brought the curtain down on the day and it was a gun-totape victory for West Wearside’s Henry Johnson.
He had 36 seconds in hand at the finish over Sam Gibson (Durham Central), South West Durham’s Cameron Thomas in third place.