Senior House XC

With a new 2km course around senior field, the arrival of one or two very talented senior girls and a full staff team, Senior House Cross-Country had a 'new-look' for 2009.

The traditional format of each House's A and B teams' combined times deciding overall placing remained however, which left everyone guessing right to the last as to who would claim the top spots.

In the end it was School House, expertly marshalled by Housemaster Karen Norris, who claimed victory once again. Their A Team was led home by the fast-finishing Sam Little who recorded the 3rd fastest time of the day.

Their winning margin was cut short this year though to just 1 minute 10 seconds as Westgate closed rapidly in the latter stages, helped by Michael Allan-Dan's blistering 3rd leg and Max Davidson's surprisingly quick anchor leg for the B team. With almost all of their team comprising of Y11 and Y12 athletes, they could well be in line to break the SH dominance and to lift the trophy next year. Eastgate were very close behind in 3rd with 12 consistently good legs with The Lodge a minute behind them in 4th and SG, second only to SH in the A race but lacking strength in depth in the Bs, in 5th overall.

Overall team victory however went to the (non-scoring) staff team of David Derham, Andrew Plaistowe, Adam Pettitt, Richard Miller, Gareth Creagh, Simon Brunskill, James Stenning, Dan Brandt, Gareth Hanson, Sam Williams, Luke Pearce and David Rey. Gareth Hanson had the honour of bringing the A team home in first whilst David Rey anchored the B Team. There were no chinks in the armour of the well-oiled staff machine who were victors by just over 2 minutes from SH.

The fastest boys' leg of the day was recorded by the fired-up Michael Allan-Dan, with Little, Harry Hatchwell (SG) and Asher Brooks (MG) close behind. Florence Bryant (NG) recored the fastest female leg and in doing so broke into the top 20 times of all 156 runners - an outstanding achievement and one which she will hope to improve on further next year. Susan Bush (NG) and Lucey Casey (GH) also recorded very respectable times, ahead of a good number of their male counterparts. GDC

Final Result:

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