FREDDIE Webb produced arguably the surprise result of the day at the Wiltshire Schools’ Cross Country Championships.

The 16-year-old The John of Gaunt School student from Hilperton stunned school colleague and English Schools’ 800m bronze medallist Hayden Bailey to win the inter boys’ title in what was the closest finish of the eight-race programme at Grittleton House School.

“I was quite surprised to win,” admitted Webb.

“My previous best result was fourth last year and this is only my second cross country win ever.”

His first was in December when Webb won the Wiltshire U17 men’s title at University of Bath so Saturday’s win secured him a nice county schools/clubs double.

In the early stages Webb was tracked by Bailey, Henry Dixon of St Augustine’s and Salisbury runner Josh Shuter but then suddenly the race was split open.

“I was leading through the woods and assumed the others were all behind me but when I looked back they were not there which was a nice surprise,” added Webb.

“It is the first time I have beaten Hayden so I am really pleased.”

Bailey used his track speed to hold off Dixon to claim silver as just four seconds separated the top three finishers.

In contrast Sheldon School’s Gemma Shepherd enjoyed the biggest and least surprising win of the day.

The 18-year-old from Yatesbury dominated the senor girls’ race from the gun to retain her title by the commanding margin of two minutes 25 seconds from fellow Sheldon runner Elen Lindsay with Africa Wyles Saracibar of Dauntsey’s a close third.

To underline Shepherd’s success in this event since making her debut as a junior girl in 2011 she has now accumulated four golds from five starts with a silver in 2014 when beaten by Malmesbury’s Zoe Wassell in the inter girls’ race.

“That was my last Wiltshire Schools’ Championships so it was quite sad really,” said Shepherd.

“I see to have been running them for a long time so it was nice to go out on a high.”

Shepherd didn’t push herself too hard as she was also racing the next day finishing a fine seventh in the under 20 women’s race at the British Cross Challenge fixture in Cardiff.

In the inter girls’ race 16-year-old John of Gaunt student Caitlin Wosika won her second gold and fifth county medal in succession with a convincing victory over Caroline Brenchley of St Mary’s Calne and Hardenhuish School’s Katie Strange.

Wosika last won the county title as a junior two years ago but since making her debut as a minor girl in 2012 she can now boast two golds, two silvers a bronze.

St Augustine’s Catholic College student Rory Howorth looks like being one of the county’s best hopes at the South West Schools’ Championships in Cheltenham a week on Saturday (February 6th).

The 13-year-old from Hilperton comfortably retained his junior boys’ title as he ran away from the Bishop Wordsworth’s pair of Daniel Poynting and Robert Croager.

“Grittleton is a good course for me as I know where I can work the hills and stride out and I felt pretty easy,” said Howorth.

“Now for the South West and then the English Schools’ – that is the big target for me this winter.”

Abigail Burn, of South Wilts Girls Grammar, was crowned junior girls’ champion with Sophie Smith, of St John’s School Marlborough, runner-up and Hardenhuish’s India Ibbotson third.

There was a Salisbury clean sweep of the medals in the minor girls’ race with Warminster’s Anna Payne fourth while the minor boys’ title went to Robert Jones, of Bishop Wordsworth.

COUNTY CHAMPIONS

Will Stockley (Melksham Oak) – senior boys; Freddie Webb (The John of Gaunt) – inter boys; Rory Howorth (St Augustine’s) – junior boys; Robert Jones (Bishop Wordsworth) – minor boys; Gemma Shepherd (Sheldon) – senior girls; Caitlin Wosika (The John of Gaunt) – inter girls; Abigail Burn (South Wilts Girls Grammar) – junior girls; Olivia Roderick (St Edmund’s Girls) – minor girls.

RESULTS

(Top 10 places in each category only)

Senior boys: 1 Will Stockley (WW) 23:17; 2 Cameron Perkins (NW) 23:51; 3 Elliott Lassiter (K) 24:06; 4 Jacob Payne (NW) 24:47; 5 Jacob Bacon (NW) 25:06; 6 Dan Shepherd (WW) 25:25; 7 Aidan Daniel (NW) 25:53; 8 Sam Rockett (WW) 26:24; 9 Jay Painter (NW) 27:23; 10 Rhys Lock (NW) 28:02. 15 finishers.

Teams: 1 North Wilts 18.

Inter boys: 1 Freddie Webb (WW) 19:57; 2 Hayden Bailey (WW) 20:00; 3 Henry Dixon (WW) 20:01; 4 Josh Shuter (S) 20:44; 5 Otto Copping (NW) 20:52; 6 Jack Bennett (S) 21:03; 7 Dan Davis (K) 21:20; 8 Ethan Pierce (NW) 21:22; 9 Joe Castle (SW) 21:31; 10 Charlie Stockley (WW) 21:36. 35 finishers.

Teams: 1 West Wilts 44; 2 Salisbury 72; 3 NW 92.

Junior boys: 1 Rory Howorth (NW) 14:02; 2 Daniel Poynting (S) 14:44; 3 Robert Croager (S) 15:03; 4 Jordan Murray (NW) 15:110; 5 Max Sockett (NW) 15:55; 6 William Morris (K) 15:19; 7 Nick Battye (SW) 15:25; 8 Thomas Musselwhite (S) 15:30; 9 Kye Teague (WW) 15:31; 10 Kyle Scott (NW) 15:33. 40 finishers.

Teams: 1 Sal 59; 2 NW 71; 3 Swindon 99; 4 WW 105; 5 Kennet 183.
Minor boys: 1 Robert Jones (S) 9:35; 2 Harry Wood (SW) 9:48; 3 Oliver Phillips (S) 9:53; 4 Aidan McMullan (S) 9:58; 5 Lewis Leftwich (S) 9:59; 6 Daniel Grant (SW) 10:01; 7 Charles Hall (NW) 10:03; 8 Ben Latham (NW) 10:03; 9 Will Andrews (WW) 10:04; 10 Byron Lloyd-Gilmour (S) 10:04. 48 finishers.

Teams: 1 Sal 37; 2 NW 70; 3 Swi 96; 4 WW 140; 5 Ken 210.

Senior girls: 1 Gemma Shepherd (NW) 15:12; 2 Elen Lindsay (NW) 17:37; 3 Africa Wyles Saracibar (K) 17:39; 4 Edith Brazier (S) 18;27; 5 Hannah Thomas (WW) 18:30; 6 Izzy Dickson (S) 18:31; 7 Holly Newman (WW) 18:39; 8 Kiera Reavill (S) 19:01; 9 Emma Pike (S) 19:19; 10 Liberty Nicholls (WW) 19:44. 15 finishers.

Teams: 1 Sal 27; 2 NW 32.

Inter girls: 1 Caitlin Wosika (WW) 16:14; 2 Caroline Brenchley (NW) 16:32; 3 Katie Strange (NW) 16:46; 4 Lucy Fitzpatrick (NW) 16:53; 5 Lucy Buffham (NW) 17:06; 6 Chloe Hayward (SW) 17:08; 7 Chloe Crippen (SW) 17:14; 8 Karla Jackson (K) 17:29; 9 Lily Battersby (S) 17:46; 10 Catriona Edington (K) 17:56. 33 finishers.

Teams: 1 NW 41; 2 Sal 87; 3 WW 104; 4 Swi 122.

Junior girls: 1 Abigail Burn (S) 12:11; 2 Sophie Smith (K) 12:39; 3 India Ibbotson (NW) 12:45; 4 Susannah Hirst (NW) 12:45; 5 Louise Webb (S) 12:53; 6 Megan Poole (SW) 12:54; 7 Madeleine Aldam-Gates (WW) 13:02; 8 Katie Robinson (WW) 13:03; 9 Isabella Goulding (S) 13:17; 10 Davina Gray (NW) 13:26. 45 finishers.

Teams: 1 NW 57; 2 Sal 73; 3 Swi 113; 4 Ken 135; 5 WW 144.

Minor girls: 1 Olivia Roderick (S) 10:09; 2 Rose Warren (S) 10:25; 3 Imogen Tanner (S) 10:36; 4 Anna Payne (WW) 10:40; 5 Orli Cranston (WW) 10:43; 6 Virginia Jacobs (K) 10:56; 7 Alice Thornton (S) 11:05; 8 Ayla Tonkin (SW)) 11:07; 9 Bluebell Jenner (S) 11:12; 10 Rub-Lee Allen (S) 11:13. 50 finishers.

Teams: 1 Sal 32; 2 WW 82; 3 NW 140; 4 Ken 147; 5 Swi 160.

Key: K=Kennet; NW=North Wiltshire; WW=West Wiltshire; S=Salisbury; SW=Swindon.

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