A team of 48 county athletes will be contesting the English Schools’ Cross Country Championships at Temple Newsham, Leeds, on Saturday.
The number covers three age groups and both sexes as Durham bid to get among the hard-fought for individual and team medals over the six events.
All the athletes have come through area, County and Inter County Championships to earn their place on the Schools’ County team.
The championship comes at the end of a cross country season where many club athletes have contested National and Inter Counties Championships over the last few weeks.
Last Saturday it was the gruelling mud-bound course at Loughborough where the Inter Counties Championships took place and conditions proved a hardy test for all runners.
Now just a week later, many of them have to raise their form once again for their final sortie on the cross country front.
There was a surprise late call up for Venerable Bede pupil Josh Davis, who is now included in the Inter Boys’ team.
Houghton Harriers’ leading lights, Henry Johnson and Will Bellamy, are in the Inter Boys’ team and compete just a week after their gruelling performances in the mud splattered Inter Counties Championships at Loughborough.
The Durham teams are:
Senior Boys (Under-18): Cameron Allan (Dur Cen), Luke Pickering (Dur Cen), Jack Brown (Gates), Michael Wade (Dur), Matthew Phillips (West Wear), Sean Mackie (Wear), Joe Pomfret (Sth Tyne), Jonny Langley (Dur Cen).
Inter Boys (Under-16): Henry Johnson (West Wear), Sam Gibson (Dur Cen), Will Bellamy (West Wear), Cameron Thomas (SW Dur), Daniel Boyer (Darl), Jamie Barnshaw (Sth Tyne), Izaak Robinson Taylor (Darl), James Roberts (Darl).
Junior Boys (Under-14): David Race (West Wear), Christopher Perkins (West Wear), John Russell (Darl), Charlie Phillips (Durh Cen), Adam Russell (Darl), Duncan Hughes (Derwent), Chris Coulson (West Wear), Joshua Wraith (SW Dur).
Senior Girls: (Under-18): Lucy-Erin Hunter (Darl), Sarah Knight (Wear) Eve Quinn (West Wear), Stella Jones (Darl), Hannah Short (Derwent), Laura Kirkham (Darl), Molly Foggon (Dur Cen), Lisa Thornley (Gates).