Following on from an excellent Inter House Cross Country competition, the Bishop Luffa teams for the annual West Sussex West Championships were selected. In total 8 age groups are hotly contested at this event; Year 7 Girls, Year 7 Boys, Junior Girls (Years 8 &9), Junior Boys (Years 8 & 9), Intermediate Girls (Year 10 & 11), Intermediate Boys (YEARS 10 &11), Senior Girls (Years 12 & 13) and finally Senior Boys (Years 12 & 13). Cross country is a great team sport with each of the runners understanding that their individual placing count towards a total team score. Last minute drop outs in the Senior Teams left the team management frustrated as these were both teams that had been targeted as potential winners. Nether the less in the other age groups hopes remained high of a good set of results.


The day started with a rather traumatic journey to the event where a car travelling in front of the school minibus was hit by a falling tree. The Year 7 girls were forced to complete their journey across Oaklands Park on foot, whilst Mrs Harris came to the rescue of the remainder of the Bishop Luffa team and shuttled them speedily up to the venue. Undeterred by the change in plan, the Year 7 girls duel warmed up knowing that Chichester High School for Girls (CHSG) would be a major threat in their race due to the number of club athletes who regularly compete for Chichester Athletics club. Sure enough as the race unfolded two distinctive groups formed, with the Bishop Luffa Girls packing well to head up the 2nd group. Strong vocal support from Mr Barnes, Miss Hall and the rest of the Bishop Luffa teams inspired the girls to finish strongly. In Cross Country team results are calculated by adding together a set number of runners finishing positions (In this case 3). The team with the lowest score wins. In the event of the scores being tied, the best placed 3rd scorer decides the race result. The team management knew that the final placing would be close despite CHSG having athletes finishing in 2nd and 3rd. Amazingly, the fantastic packing of the Bishop Luffa girls saw the team scores tied at 20 points all. An administrative error by the race organisers saw the prize wrongly awarded to CHSG. Once it was pointed out that Bishop Luffa’s 3rd place scorer had finished 9th, whilst CHSG had finished 15th the organisers were forced to admit the error. Sportingly, the team management agreed to share the title with the Girls High School as it was not the fault of any f the runners present.


The Year 7 Boys were next up. In what proved to be the race of the day Ed Gerwat ran away from the field t take 1st place. Once again a well briefed tam knew that they needed to finish close together. The fact that all 10 of our runners finished in the top 15 meant that Bishop Luffa secured 1st, 2nd and 3rd placing in the team race against the likes of Chichester High School for Boys (CHSB), Bognor Regis Community College (BRCC), Felpham and St Philip Howard. Without a doubt the most dominant team display of the day.


In the Junior Girls event the Year 8 & 9 girls combined. A great 2nd place by Emma Maynard, 3rd by Holly Van Driel and 4th by Ellie Delanie Stone (All year 8) led the girls to victory. The B team finished 4th and the C team finished in 6th position.


Next up were the Junior Boys who were determined not to let the side down and follow up the success of the other teams. Like the teams before them the boys knew the importance of packing well and getting as many runners between the other teams 3rd place finishers as possible. Once again the Year 8’s led the way with George Dempster finishing in 4th place. Incredibly, when the race result was announced Bishop Luffa had won their 4th race in a row. The A team finishing 1st, ahead of Felpham, the B team 3rd a full 30 points clear of 4th place CHSB.


The next race saw the Intermediate and Senior Girls run. Jess McKenzie (Yr 12) showed the rest of the field the way home with a dominant display, in 2nd place was Katie Johnson (Yr 12). The team management were rueing the fact that no-one else from the sixth form was prepared to even jog round and secure a 5th team title. The Intermediate girls were also missing a number of their best runners. However, good packing helped the girls to a highly creditable 2nd place just 3 points behind the winners CHSG.


The Senior and Intermediate boys concluded the day’s racing. Last minute injuries to some of our Year 11 boys left the team depleted. A great battle with CHSB and Felpham ensued with the boys being narrowly beaten into 3rd by a quick finishing Felpham team. Only 2 boys contested the senior boy’s race, again one short of a team! Lewis Adams finished 1st with Josh Ward Penny finishing with a highly creditable time in 2nd position.


All of the runners present were an absolute credit to the school and a dominant display on the day will send out a strong message to the rest of the West Sussex West District. Particular thanks to Miss Hall and Mr Barnes who did an excellent job of briefing, motivating and warming up the teams on the day. The top 16 runners in the Junior, Intermediate and Senior age groups are likely to be selected to represent the West Sussex West District at the County Championships in January. Meanwhile, the Year 7 & 8’s have their own County Championships in February. Bishop Luffa also intends to participate en-mass at the 2010 Corporate Challenge which begins in February. Cross country club runs on Tuesday lunchtimes from 12.55 - 1.20pm (All welcome).


Mr T Brown


Team Leader PE

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