Craven had a good representation at the county round of the English Schools’ Cross-Country Cup.

This is a team competition with the top four schools in each race progressing to the next round.

The Skipton grammar schools had a successful day as Ermysted’s and Skipton Girls High each won their Year nine and ten races while their junior teams were second in their respective races.

Not only did they all win but they also had low scores for their first four runners home and therefore have realistic chances of making the final in November at Sevenoaks in Kent.

The races were held at Giggleswick School, an excellent venue with a great run in across the school playing fields and a testing undulating section through farm fields.

Ermysted’s Inters (Year nine/ten) were the most impressive team with Seb Seggar-Staveley, Louis Hudson, Alex Thompson, Joe Carnelley, Arthur Peel and Charlie Wood at the front of the cavalry charge start.

English Schools’ track champion Ethan Hussey of St John Fisher proved to be too good on the day but then the Ermysted’s team strength showed through with all six members finishing in the top 13 of the 53 finishers.

Seggar Staveley was third, Louis Hudson fifth, Alex Thompson seventh and Joe Carnelley eighth for 23 points and the lowest winning total of the day.

South Craven will join Ermysted’s at Middlesbrough’s Stewart Park on November 11 for the North East of England round as they finished fourth with Sam Smith second and Jack Muir ninth leading their challenge.

Giggleswick’s Jack Hutchinson also ran well for sixth.

Skipton Girls’ Inters (Year nine/ten) were also impressive as they had three runners in the first five home.

Alice Jones suffered a rare individual defeat but was still runner-up, with Lilli Carr fourth and Ruby Firth fifth.

Their final scorer was Freya Mitchel who ran well in 17th for a team total of 28 points and another impressive victory.

Skipton Girls High School's juniors (Year seven/eight) only missed out on a second team victory by one point.

They had Emma Peel leading the way in third with Harisah Ghafoor seventh and Mia Petrucci eighth.

Their team was completed by Hannah Jackson who was 13th for a total of 31 just a point behind winners St Aidans.

The other notable Craven performance was Giggleswick’s Katie Wright who made the top ten.

Sam Headley of Upper Wharfedale was the only individual Craven athlete to win on the day, as he came home first in the junior race, which he pretty much led from gun to tape. Donnabhan Rudden led Ermysted’s Juniors as he came back in fourth with Rohan Smith ninth, Andrew Robinson 11th and Freddie Marsh 15th.

Their total of 39 easily qualified them as runners-up and showed enough promise that they could even make the final if they run well in the next round.

Unfortunately Wharfedale just missed out on qualification as they finished fifth of the nine schools.

So all four teams from the Skipton Grammar Schools qualified and with such low scores they could again make the national final with good runs at the North East of England round at Stewart Park, Middlesbrough on November 11.