Suffolk wins for Sullivan, Vinton and Green at Anglian Schools Champs

Ruby Vinton, following her victory in the junior girls' race at the Anglian Schools Chamionships. Picture: ALISTAIR DICK (Image: Archant)

Suffolk Schools enjoyed a successful day at the annual Anglian Schools Cross Country Championships, claiming three individual victories from the eight races at Abington Park, Northampton, on Saturday.

Lewis Sullivan, Ruby Vinton and Maia Green all triumphed in their age groups, conquering the cold conditions and a testing course, which featured some tough ascents and a little mud.

Pride of place must go to Suffolk’s junior boys’ squad, who achieved the notable feat of filling the top four places.

Sullivan was in devastating form, pulling away from the field to win by a big margin of 26 seconds, and so retain the title that he won last year at Holbrook.

A sprint finish. Suffolk's Mai Green (No. 605) is about to chase down Norfolk's Amelia Webber (No. 434) to win the minor girls' race, with Eliza Mardon (No. 369) in third. Picture: CARL MARSTON (Image: Archant)

A pupil at Sybil Andrews Academy, on Moreton Hall, Bury St Edmunds, Sullivan is a member of Saint Edmund Pacers and the current Suffolk county champion.

His closest challengers were all team-mates. The Peck brothers, James and Ben, were second and third respectively with just one second separating them.

Younger brother Ben, of Mildenhall College Academy, was fresh from winning the South of England under-13 title at Parliament Hill Fields, in north-west London, the previous weekend. Both he and older brother James are members of Thetford AC.

Oliver Hitchcock, of Ipswich School, completed a Suffolk clean-sweep in the top four, with a gutsy run in fourth spot. Supported by Joseph Davison (ninth) and Elliot Gladwell (10th), Suffolk were first team in this age group.

Suffolk's Bella Taylor approaches the finish of the minor girls' event. She finished a fine sixth (Image: Archant)

Maia Green was an outstanding winner of the minor girls’ race, thanks to a superb sprint finish.

Green, of Kyson Primary, still has another year to compete in this age group, and she stepped on the gas to pip Norfolk’s Amelia Webber on the line – both girls were credited with the same time (17:17) – with Eliza Mardon (Lincs) one second behind in third.

Red-hot favourite Vinton, despite a sore back, duly won the junior girls’ title. A pupil at Woodbridge School, Vinton bravely surged clear over the last 200 metres to win by two seconds (12:45) from runner-up Hattie Reynolds (Norfolk). Vinton, like Ben Peck, had won her age group at the South of England event the previous Saturday.

Suffolk’s Bella Taylor, of Rougham Primary, was sixth in the same race. She too has another year in this age group.

Philippa Unthank surges through the woods on her way to third place in the senior girls' race, at Abington Park. Picture: CARL MARSTON (Image: Archant)

Elsewhere, there was an impressive run from Philippa Unthank (Farlingaye), who was third in the senior girls’ race. The Ipswich Harrier was crowned Suffolk county under-20 champion at the start of the year. Millie Jordan-Lee, of Stowmarket, was sixth in the same race.

Liam Davison (Hartismere) spearheaded a very enthusiastic minor boys’ squad in third place, while Holly Fisher, of Farlingaye, led the way for Suffolk’s intermediate girls, in sixth spot,

Likewise, Will Lowden, of King Edward VI, flew the flag for Suffolk in the intermediate boys’ age group, finishing in fourth position, backed up by team-mates Kit Evans Lombe (Woodbridge) in sixth and Freddie Adams in ninth.

The senior boys were led home by Nathan Goddard, of Woodbridge School, in eighth.

Lewis Sullivan, away and clear on his way to victory in the junior boys' event at Abington Park. Picture: CARL MARSTON (Image: Archant)

Overall, Suffolk finished second team, behind Cambridgeshire. The other counties taking part were Northants, Norfolk and Lincolnshire.

Results

Suffolk finishers at Anglian Schools Cross Country Championships, with team standings

Members of the winning Suffolk junior boys' team, from left: Henry Dinwiddy, Joseph Davison, Ben Peck, Oliver Hitchcock, Lewis Sullivan, James Peck and Elliot Gladwell. (Image: Archant)

Minor boys: 3 Liam Davison 11:26; 13 Archie Taylor 12:00; 15 Tom Taylor 12:07; 16 Ben Currie 12:12; 23 Iwan Fothergill 12:24; 25 William Wright 12:25; 27 Sam Blackwell 12:26; 33 Zak Barber 12:30; 34 Seb Melero 12:31; 35 Oliver Croot 12:31; 36 Ross Hammond 12:32; 37 Jack Lugo 12:32; 42 Sidney Tilley 12:35; 46 Ethan Rattenbury 12:42; 48 Max Jeffery 12:43; 55 James Hattan 12:53. Team: 4 Suffolk 95pts.

Minor girls: 1 Maia Green 9:17; 6 Bella Taylor 9:32; 11 Amelie Taylor 9:39; 13 Isabelle Last 9:40; 17 Rose Jackson 9:45; 21 Eloise Rufford 9:50; 28 Georgia Barow 9:58; 33 Poppy Gaunt 10:04; 34 Freya Wilcox 10:07; 37 Eloise Morran 10:12; 40 Isobel Moore 10:13; 41 Darcy Gladwell 10:13; 48 Elodie Barnard 10:23; 49 Jessica O’Brien 10:25; 53 Lara Zie 10:28. Team: 2 Suffolk 97.

Junior boys: 1 Lewis Sullivan 13:46; 2 James Peck 14:12; 3 Ben Peck 14:13; 4 Oliver Hitchcock 14:27; 9 Joseph Davison 14:52; 10 Elliot Gladwell 14:57; 19 Henry Dinwiddy 15:25; 28 Max Berry 15:33; 31 Jake Garrett 15:41; 37 Taylor Ashley-Plumb 15:52; 44 Max Fisher 16:01; 48 Dylan March 16:07; 49 Rowan Shearer 16:12; 54 Ryan Grady 16:27; 66 Hugh Catchpole 17:19. Team: 1 Suffolk 29pts.

Junior girls: 1 Ruby Vinton 12:45; 11 Amy Goddard 14:00; 17 Francesca Mann 14:32; 35 Ffion Aston 14:58; 38 Maddy Lansdown 15:00; 41 Alex Bell Cobbold 15:02; 42 Nellie Ong 15:05; 43 Lila Battell 15:07; 45 Stephanie Allen 15:12; 48 Eva Marshall 15:24; 57 Alice King 15:42; 66 Isobel Alexander 15:59; 68 Anna Cartwright 16:05; 71 Georgia Ironmonger 16:19; 72 Isabella Welch 16:20. Team: 4 Suffolk 143pts.

James Peck, in second spot in the junior boys' age group, followed by his younger brother Ben Peck in third. Picture: CARL MARSTON (Image: Archant)

Intermediate boys: 4 Will Lowden 20:09; 6 Kit Evans Lombe 20:28; 9 Freddie Adams 20:36; 13 Charlie Wakefield 20:51; 29 Dylan Fothergill 21:21; 37 Ethan Turner 21:37; 42 Jake Spooner 21:53; 46 Oscar Woodward 21:59; 54 Sam Burkitt 22:23; 55 Tom Frohn 22:24; 59 Charlie Johnson 22:26; 60 Matthew Bennett 22:28; 63 Dylan Bradman 22:39; 64 Jack Hammond 22:46; 70 Jannie O’Leary 23:07. Team: 2 Suffolk 98pts.

Intermediate girls: 6 Holly Fisher 14:48; 17 Tilly Aldis 15:25; 21 Mia Dann 15:43; 22 Mimi Salsby 15:44; 23 Brooke Oram 15:45; 24 Rebecca Morley 15:50; 25 Daisy Brooke 15:57; 26 Katie Cuddihy; 22 Chloe Cavill 16:17; 39 Jessica Elmer 16:27; 41 Eleanor Chaplin 16:29; 46 Jasmine Bilner 16:36; 48 Bea Thomas 16:45; 51 Lily Genner 16:59; 52 Maddie Hamilton 17:03; 57 Jess Miller 17:20. Team: Suffolk 113pts.

Senior boys: 8 Nathan Goddard 21:39; 12 James Pettersson 21:57; 13 Matthew Snowden 22:09; 19 Sam Stevens 22:37; 22 Joe Robson 22:53; 25 Steven Quercia-Smale 23:13; 30 Reuben Handy 23:17; 38 Jack Chevin 23:44; 46 Hadrien Villie 24:45; 49 Joe Fletcher 25:03; 52 Callum Long 25:20; 57 Connor Bilner 26:03; 58 Conor Ryan 26:09; 60 Adam Warren 26:35; 61 Josh Scott 26:39. Team: 3 Suffolk 99pts.

Senior girls: 3 Philippa Unthank 15:56; 6 Millie Jordan-Lee 16:12; 18 Sarah Barker 17:46; 22 Niamh Perry 17:53; 24 Grace Linford-Wood 17:56; 26 Meade Clarke 18:11; 30 Maisey Calles 18:45; 34 Amy Graham 19:07; 39 Evie Morgan 19:39; 40 Ellie Sullivan 19:42; 43 Scarlett Angrove 20:05; 50 Helena Hines 21:01; 53 Courtney Turner 22:03; 55 Amelia Page 22:25. Team: 4 Suffolk 99.

Millie Jordan-Lee, of Stowmarket, who was sixth in the senior girls' race (Image: Archant)

Overall teams: 1 Cambs, 2 Suffolk, 3 Northants, 4 Norfolk, 5 Lincs

Niamh Perry (No. 604), in action during the senior girls' race at Abington Park, Northampton. Picture: CARL MARSTON (Image: Archant)

Suffolk's Sam Blackwell (No. 603) looking strong during the minor boys' race at the Anglian Schools event. Picture: CARL MARSTON (Image: Archant)

Suffolk's minor girls (blue vests) line up at the start, in bright winter sunshine at the Anglian Schools Championships. Picture: CARL MARSTON (Image: Archant)