Twenty-eight pupils from Hunter Hall School in Penrith attended the annual Northern Invitational Cross Country Championship hosted by Sedbergh (Casterton) Preparatory School in October and lifted the trophy for “best performance in recent years.”
The annual Northern Invitational always provides a significant test for any young runner and this year proved no different. With between 60 and 132 runners in each race the level of competition was of the highest calibre and the rutted conditions were always going to be a huge challenge. It was a successful day for the pupils as they came home with four individual medals (including two first place champions) and the coveted team award.
The U9 girls’ team finished 4th out of 7 schools with a team total of 138 points and saw Minnie Rowley taking the first place medal, as she overtook the lead runner with only 300m to go.
The U9 boys’ team were crowned first place champions with a team total of 87 points, 11 points clear of their nearest rivals. This race also saw Casey Briscoe taking the first place champion medal.
The U11 girls’ team finished 5th out of the 11 competing schools and the final race of the day saw our U11 boys’ team finish 14th out of the 18 schools.
The day resulted four medals, including two individual first place champions and a team prize: the best performance in recent years. The shield arrived in school earlier this week, which the children finally took great delight in lifting in celebration.
Mr Andrew Hetherington, Head of Boys’ Games, said: “We are so proud of our runners this year; it was an amazing achievement and one that is worthy of great praise, especially when you consider the size and calibre of the schools they were competing against.
“This was not the afternoon’s only success. The other successes may not make the headlines or fill the trophy cabinet, however, the development of active lifestyles; opportunities to develop resilience and events that provide a sense of achievement are arguably even more important.”
