Ermysted's battler Lund is pipped in sprint finish (From Craven Herald)

Ermysted's battler Lund is pipped in sprint finish

10:47am Thursday 26th January 2012 in Athletics

The finals of the North Yorkshire Schools Cross-Country Championships were staged last Saturday amid howling winds and rain at Whitby.

County team places were up for grabs in all age-groups and for the juniors (years 8 and 9), intermediates (years 10 and 11) and seniors, there was also the opportunity to progress to the English Schools finals.

The best local performer was Ermysted’s James Lund who ran a terrific race to lead the year 7 boys contest right into the home straight before being outsprinted by Rich- mond’s Josh Allen as they neared the line.

Lund’s Ermysted’s team-mate Charlie Lowrey was third.

In the junior girls race Samantha Baker-Jones of Giggleswick was fifth.

Craven College’s Sam Haggar ran well to finish fifth in the senior boys event.

Having made it into the top six, Haggar earned automatic selection for the English Schools event in Somerset.

Two more slots are available from the annual Five Counties fixture at Kirkby Stephen on February 4 involving North Yorkshire, Cumbria, Cleveland, Northumberland, and Durham.

This fixture will also embrace year 7 athletes. The top 14 from last Saturday’s event making the team.

Other Craven athletes to win selection for the Kirkby Stephen event were, Holly Matthewman of Skipton Girls’ High who finished 14th in the intermediate girls.

Adam Sayedi of Ermysted’s clinched his county spot after coming 12th in the intermediate boys In the senior boys race, the Giggleswick duo of Alex Thompson and Oliver Holmes plus Ermysted’s Will Nottidge, were picked after finishing 10th, 12th and 13th.

The Ermysted’s trio of Robert Thompson – 16th in the junior boys – Sam Westcott and Tom Kennedy, (15th and 16th respectively in the senior boys), achieved reserve places.

Their battling efforts will entitle them to compete in the Kirkby Stephen event as guest competitors.