The Skipton Girls High School junior team’s impressive early-season form continued in the North York- shire round of the English Schools’ Cross-Country Cup.

Their team of year 7 runners had the lowest winning total of 27 points at Escrick, York on Monday.

Their triumph followed victories at Bingley, Cliffe Castle and most impressively at Kendal to become National Fell Champions. The team is being led by Katie Atkinson who has claimed all four individual race victories.

Katie ran away from the rest early on at Escrick and never looked troubled. She was ably supported by Ruby Schofield sixth, Eleanor Root eighth, Angelina Bairstow 12th and Emily Jones 13th. The inters team (Y9&10) also qualified for the North East of England round at Guisborough next month thanks to finishing second team on the day.

They nearly had another race winner as Tilly Melechi vied for victory Unfortunately she couldn’t hold on over the second lap but still finished 30 seconds clear of the third-placed runner. Her team were fantastic as Georgia Flaxman 10th, Lizzie Joynson 11th, Hannah Thom 15th and Ellie Coones 25th all finished highly to secure the runners-up spot.

It proved to be a successful day for Skipton’s high schools as Ermysted’s also had two teams qualify for the North East of England finals.

Ermysted’s boys inters are an exceptional team who came fourth in the national final two years ago when they were last at the top of their age group. They came first at Escrick while the juniors came third in their race to progress to the next stage of the competition.

The juniors were the first team away with Sam Jack- son, Will Thompson and Tom Barrett leading the way towards the front of the cavalry charge start, with Ben Jackson, Jonny Thompson and Joel Phillip not far behind. As the runners spread out Jackson and Thompson stayed in the top 10, while Phillip and Thompson pulled through into the top 20. Their team total of 53 points secured their third-place finish.

Ben Jackson slipped back on the second lap to finish 23rd with a disappointed Tom Barrett in 30th still in the top half of the runners. Guest runners, Niall Rat- cliffe, Jack Whitaker, Max Carling and Sam Thom came well up the 60-strong field.

Juniors (Y7/8): Sam Jackson 8th, Will Thompson 9th, Joel Phillip 16th, Jonny Thompson 20th, 3rd Team 53 points Non counters: Ben Jackson 23rd, Tom Barrett 30th, Niall Ratcliffe 35th, Jack Whitaker 38th, Max Carling 45th, Sam Thom 48th. As ever James Lund gave his all in the inters race and despite being a year younger than most of his rivals he was mixing it at the front.

The inters ran for three laps but actually they were grouped closer together at the end.

Matt Thompson took full advantage as he reeled in Lund to finish fifth.

Lund was sixth, Luke Thompson seventh and Ala- stair Harvey tenth.

Their score of just 28 points indicates that they have a great chance of returning to the National Final this year at Southend. Ermysted’s non-scorers and guests were led home by George Maloney 12th, Matt- hew Jackson 15th, Ben Archer 17th, Charlie Lowrie 30th, Ben Speak 35th and Harry Schofield 37th in a field of over 60 runners.