ELIZABETH Greenwood of Clitheroe Royal Grammar School has won the English Schools’ Fell Running Championships at Sedbergh School in Cumbria.

The 11-year old from Read won the Year 7 girls’ race while her fellow Blackburn Harrier Beckie Taylor was second in the senior girls’ class.

Westholme School, led by Taylor, fielded full teams in all the girls’ events winning two team silvers and a gold in the junior class.

In only her second season on the fells, Greenwood has collected almost every trophy open to her in the U12s including the English Championship, English Uphill Championship and the Lancashire Championship as well as being a member of the Blackburn Harriers squad that won the English Junior Team Championship.

It would therefore have been something of a shock if she had been beaten in the Schools Championship but she didn’t disappoint, breezing to victory with almost a minute in hand.

Colne Valley Specialist Arts College won the team silver medal with Erica and Lucy Byram in ninth and 10th, backed by Daisy Mae Hinchcliffe Smith.

In the corresponding boys’ race, Tiarnan Crorken was eighth for Blessed Trinity RC in Burnley.

Lewis Byram brought more success to Colne Valley Arts College with second place in the junior boys’ race, while for the girls Westholme sneaked victory by a single point from Lancaster Girls’ Grammar.

Maddie Ainsworth, Flora Robson and Hannah Dobrashian placed 18th, 21st and 29th, but were not the leading locals as Sally Searson of St Wilfreds, Blackburn was fourth and Phoebe Howe representing St Michaels CE High School in Chorley made sixth.

The Lancaster girls swiftly gained their revenge over Westholme in the intermediate class for Year 10-11s, turning the tables to win by a point themselves.

Westholme’s Katie Buckley was fifth and Megan Davies took ninth with Rhiannon Hamill the third counter.

Davies was a single second behind one of the Lancaster girls and if the positions had been reversed Westholme would have won.

Fresh from his England debut, Dominic Mahoney of Witton Park School was fifth boy and Queen Elizabeth’s Danny Walsh took ninth spot.

Last year’s senior girls’ champion Beckie Taylor was pleased with second after a great run by Mel Hyder representing hosts Sedbergh School.

Taylor eclipsed Laura Riches who had beaten her to second in the previous week’s Home International, but it was Sedbergh taking team honours ahead of Westholme by two points.

Westholme’s Emma Watts was sixth with Kellsey Millar 14th.

Sean Carey of Tomorden HS was tenth of the senior boys with Chris Matthews 11th for QEGS.

andy.mcallister@virgin.net