LES BEAUCAMPS’ Sam Hall and Blanchelande’s Nicole Petit broke the Grammar-Colleges domination of the annual senior schools’ cross-country at Foote’s Lane. But neither had it all their way on a day when Grammar won two of the team trophies at stake and Ladies’ College and Elizabeth College one apiece.
The race of the day involved Petit who nicked the senior girls’ title by a whisker from her GIAAC endurance training colleague, Megan Stewart.
The two had forged ahead from the start and opened a good lead on Grammar’s Helen Sinclair.
They were together at the end of the first of two circuits and were still virtually shoulder to shoulder coming around the final turn and into the 80m straight.
Both sprinted hard and it was not until the final few strides that the girl in the red of Blanchelande stole ahead by a head.
It was the second time in the space of 15 minutes that a Stewart had finished runner-up.
Earlier, younger sister Frankie had finished a distant second to her Ladies’ College teammate, Kristina Neves, who continues to demonstrate she is not only a talented swimmer.
Hannah Lesbirel completed a 1-2-3 for Helen Watts’ talented team.
The junior boys’ race saw the maroon and grey of Grammar dominate individually and team wise.
David Campbell lived up to his hot favourite’s tag, but George Mason stayed close over the first lap and being still in Year 7 showed what a promising talent he too is.
St Sampson’s Matthew Skipper ran a fine race to place third.
The Grammar also took the senior girls’ team crown with some good packing behind lead runner Sinclair who was the only one from the school to make the top five.
Sprint specialist Caroline Kyle played her part in the team win by finishing in the top 10, one place ahead of colleague and table tennis sensation Alice Loveridge.
The senior boys’ event was the only one of the four to be contested over three circuits and after the opening lap Elizabeth College’s swim specialist Josh Lewis led from Hall and Marcus Heaume of St Sampson’s.
By the bell Hall was up with Lewis and over the closing lap pulled well clear to take the title for the secondary school.
Hall said he had always felt in control.
‘I let him go. I remember in Year 7 he did that and I hauled him in.
‘I ran my own race really and I pushed only it on the last lap to make sure.’
Race organiser Charlie Cottam is a coach to many of the leading athletes on show and was pleased with what he saw.
‘The overall standard was very high, with GIAAC runners to the fore in most races.
‘But there is still talent out there which the club could do well to tap. The island could do very well at county level with all these runners representing it.’
Article posted on 12th October, 2007 - 12.00am
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