Report from the Dorset Schools Championships
King’s Park, Bournemouth was the venue for the Dorset Schools Championships. A week of rain and high winds meant that a confirmation message was required the previous day to confirm that the event was still ‘on’. Overnight the wind dropped and the rain we did see was intermittent.
Over the four age-groups more than 700 athletes took part, including the very best school-age cross-country runners in Dorset. Of those 700+, by my reckoning, there were 63 Wimborne AC athletes representing 17 schools: Allenbourn, Blandford, Bryanston, Canford, Clayesmore, Clayesmore Prep, Dumpton, Gillingham, Glenmoor, Hanford, Poole Grammar, Sherborne Girls, QE, St Michael’s, Parkstone, Port Regis, Talbot Heath. Wimborne AC’s cross-country ‘usual suspects’ were out in force, but there were also a few, especially in the younger categories, who don’t specialize in XC but will make any sports team at their school because they are good all-round athletes. Most were wearing their schools’ colours, but it was also good to see a smattering of red WAC vests too.
It was the younger age-groups where the really big numbers turned out. In the Minors the field is made up of those from school Year 6 & 7. Only those from Year 7 can progress to the South West Schools Championships where Dorset will field a team of 10. There was a fabulous run from Imogen Rawles for 4th in the Minor Girls, and Isla O’Connor also made the top 10 with Gracie Bunting 16th. I believe these three are all Year 7, it’ll be interesting to see how many make the Dorset South Wests team.
Minor girls (138 finishers)
4 – Imogen Rawles – 10:11
8 – Isla O’Connor – 10:28
16 – Gracie Bunting – 10:52
55 – Daisy Lewin-Gray – 12:04
57 – Ella Fazakerley – 12:06
76 – Elsa Courtney – 12:36
84 – Martha Dewar-Cutts – 12:49
86 – Molly Brown – 12:53
91 – Wren Collis – 12:59
There were 123 finishers in the Minor Boys race and amongst our seven, we had five of the top 12! This included a podium for Toby Butt. Of our first five, Jamie Berry is a Year 6 so can’t progress. I believe the other four are eligible for selection.
Minor boys (123 finishers)
3 – Toby Butt – 12:46
6 – Harry Butcher – 12:58
7 – Woody Van der Feltz – 13:11
8 – Ollie Green – 13:16
11 – Sam Berry – 13:25
25 – Joe Ruscoe – 14:03
43 – Alfie Fry – 14:31
The biggest numbers of all came in the Juniors races. First WACers home were twins Jack and Tom Williams. They finished just outside the top 10 (in 11th and 13th), we wait to see if either (or both) make the South Wests, almost certainly they will be reserves at least.
Junior boys (147 finishers)
11 – Jack Williams – 15:19
13 – Tom Williams – 15:34
25 – Harry Smith – 16:05
28 – Josh Fazakerley – 16:08
36 – Luke Mogridge – 16:38
50 – Harry Bunting – 16:57
51 – Toby Bemand – 16:58
55 – George Butcher – 17:06
59 – Ed Salisbury – 17:12
68 – Oscar Davis – 17:36
84 – Harry Woods – 18:24
91 – Jack Jones – 18:43
In the Junior Girls race we had three in the top 10. My view is that India West’s race to claim 8th may be her best race so far. Bravest performance of the day must surely go to Birdie Payne in 9th. Birdie had been second u15 Dorset athlete in the recent South West Inter-Counties, but the days prior to this race she spent ill at home in bed. Come the race she had declared herself fit. She was running 6th earlier on, but after a kilometer it was clear she was in all sorts of difficulty. Remarkably she kept going … and claimed a top 10 place! The following day she was back in her sickbed!! Anabel Townhill was our third top-tenner striving for a place in the Dorset team.
Junior girls (131 finishers)
8 – India West – 13:46
9 – Birdie Payne – 13:49
10 – Anabel Townhill – 13:54
27 – Amelia Chaffey – 14:37
29 – Isabella Cox – 14:39
34 – Kaci Cadman – 14:50
46 – Ruby Sargeant – 15:07
51 – Kate Simmonds – 15:35
67 – Grace Chaffey – 16:22
97 – Lucie Simmonds – 17:28
Our u15/u17 who are spread over the intermediate and senior age-groups in the schools races have had a torrid time this season with coughs, colds, etc. over the winter, and interuptions to training has thrown up some unpredictable results. Ollie Rawles (8th) chose the right day to come good. He was joined in the top 10 by his WAC team mates Tom Fuller and Tom Jackson.
Intermediate boys (69 finishers)
8 – Ollie Rawles – 20:11
9 – Tom Fuller – 20.15
10 – Tom Jackson – 20:16
17 – Joel Green – 20:50
19 – Jay Dunn – 21:21
46 – Jack Wrann – 25:39
57 – Joe Healey – 27:20
One of the strongest categories in Dorset at the moment is the Intermediate Girls, it’s also a category where WAC have got good numbers. Just how good Dorset’s Inters are is borne out by the fact that they raced over the same distance as the Senior Girls and the first five Inters recorded faster times than the winner of the Seniors race. The Inters race was won, in fine style, by WAC’s Emily Shaw who had a margin of 40 seconds over her pursuers. Behind Emily there was a keenly fought battle between the Poole AC pair of Emilie Castagna and Emily Parker and our own Marianna Sawyer for the remaining podium places. Marianna has had many fine performances in cross-country races, this was up there with her best. Six of the first 12 in this race were WAC athletes, with a further two in the top 20, it’s an anxious wait to see how many of these fine runners are selected to represent Dorset at the South Wests.
Intermediate girls (60 finishers)
1 – Emily Shaw – 14:59
3 – Marianna Sawyer – 15:45
8 – Sarah Graham – 16:53
9 – Hebe Hunter – 17:03
10 – Emily Wood – 17:07
12 – Sophie Cook – 17:21
16 – Selene Corran – 17:29
17 – Lucy Lockwood – 17:34
21 – Ella Browse – 17:56
28 – Lauren Hancock – 18:32
38 – Charlotte Wordsworth – 19:27
There was, as is always the case, markedly smaller fields for the Seniors races. All three of our Senior Girls made the top 10, with Holly Nixon on the podium in second.
Senior girls (22 finishers)
2 – Holly Nixon – 16:59
6 – Serena Blake – 18:18
8 – Martha Pawson – 18:23
Ben Martin was the first WAC runner home in the Senior Boys and he was followed home by team mate Charlie Davies (5th & 6th). Seth Lake was knocking on the door of the top 10 with Josh Jack in 13th.
Senior boys (22 finishers)
5 – Ben Martin – 26:07
6 – Charlie Davies – 26:26
11 – Seth Lake – 27:19
13 – Josh Jack – 29:13
In recent years we’ve travelled big mileage to compete in the South West Schools Championships races. This year we are at ‘home’. We return to King’s Park on Saturday 8 February. We’re looking forward to seeing how many of these names are on the Dorset team sheet for that day and have earned the right to one of those coveted green Dorset hoodies!
For the Juniors, Inters and Seniors, teams of eight are then selected to represent Dorset at the English Schools Championships which this year are set to take place in Liverpool on 14 March.
