DEVONPORT High School for Girls’ Emily Cornish edged out Ivybridge Community College’s Kristyna Caden to take victory in the minor girls’ race at the Devon Schools’ Cross Country Championships at Stover.
Cornish clocked a time of 8.32 minutes, with Caden finishing just three seconds behind.
Third-placed went to Plymouth College’s Isabella Page.
The minor age groups were not competing for a place at the English Schools’ Cross Country Championship, unlike the other age categories on Saturday.
The senior boys’ race at Stover proved to a thriller with just nine seconds separating the top three.
Victory went to Petroc’s Callum Choules in 21.57, with Ivybridge’s Nathan Brown (pictured top) second in 22.02 and Devonport High School’s Tom Blackford third in 22.06.
Ivybridge’s Joe Battershill should also be in the Devon team for the English Schools’ Championship, which will be held in Norfolk on March 18, after finishing sixth.
Devonport High’s Jamie Williams finished fourth in the intermediate boys’ race, which was won by Colyton’s Elliot Moran. Mount Kelly’s Tom Brew was sixth.
Brew’s school and Tavistock AC colleague Oliver Smart claimed bronze in the junior boys’ race behind Teignmouth’s Alex Moyse and Colyton’s Johnny Livingstone. Euan Botham was ninth.
In the senior girls’ race, Ivybridge’s Emma Ryder and Plymouth Studio School’s Kerenza Bryson secured county spot. Ryder took fourth place at Stover, with international modern pentathlete Bryson fifth. That race was comfortably won by Eevie Banbury of Shebbear School.
Torbay Grammar School’s Molly Canham was also dominant in the intermediate girls’ race. That event saw Plymouth College modern pentathlete Georgina Mitchell finish seventh and Mount Kelly’s Natasha Farrington eighth.
The junior girls’ race was dominated by east and north Devon athletes, with St Peter’s Megan Hamilton-Strong winning. East Devon had the top four finishes, with North Devon filling the next five spots. Mount Kelly’s Nicole Dunn was the first West Devon runner home in 10th place.
Full results can be found HERE.