WILTSHIRE officials are gearing themselves up to deliver one of the best South West Schools’ Cross Country Championships in the history of the event, writes KEVIN FAHEY.

While ultimately the event at Grittleton House School on Saturday will be all about the young runners from seven counties – Avon, Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Gloucestershire, Somerset and Wiltshire – the hosts want to set a standard that will be remembered for years to come.

To that end event director Tim Whiting and his team have been working tirelessly for months to fine-tune an operation that will see almost 500 runners, who will be cheered on by hundreds of parents and coaches, contest eight races in 100 minutes of non-stop action.

“We have put a huge amount of work into this because the South West Schools’ Cross Country Championships is a brilliant event,” said Whiting, who was the former former head of physical education at Ridgeway School, Swindon.

“Grittleton House is a stunning location and I am delighted with the support that the school has given us in staging the event.

“We have also had fantastic support from the Swindon Air Cadets and the school staff in helping with the car parking, both Sheldon and Ridgeway Schools are providing marshals on the course and Isambard Community School has given tremendous help with printing of programme and so forth.”

Whiting and his team had a trial run by staging the Wiltshire Schools’ Championships last month and, bar one hiccup in the inter boys’ race, everything went smoothly. In fact, if anything that little blip ensured the organisers upped their game even further.

“Actually this is the first proper championships for three years as last year two counties didn’t travel to Bournemouth due to the floods while in 2013 Wiltshire didn’t travel due to snow and ice,” added Whiting.

“That is another reason why we are determined to make such a big effort to make this event a success.”

Whiting is also promising a slick prize-giving ceremony after each race, free massages to runners from the Markland Clinic (based in Cirencester and Swindon) and on-course catering.

“Now all we want is good weather and at the moment the forecast is as good as we could hope for,” said Whiting.

As for Wiltshire’s hopes of success on the course there are several medal contenders.

Runner-up last year 17-year-old Sheldon School student Gemma Shepherd has stepped up into the senior age group but is good enough to be contesting a place on the podium.

Likewise, Malmesbury School teenager Zoe Wassell will be looking for a strong performance in the inter girls’ race after a great start to the year and she seems certain to improve upon her sixth place last year.

Ridgeway School’s Callum Bampton should be prominent in the senior boys’ race as will South West Inter-Counties champion Rory Howorth in the junior boys although he has been struggling recently with a hip problem.

Wiltshire’s inter boys’ squad, including Will Stockley, Cameron Perkins and the Howorth twins John and Robert, also looks particularly strong and in with a medal chance.

The action starts at 1.30pm and Whiting has stressed that car parking will be limited so has asked runners to share lifts where possible.

Timetable

1.30pm: Minor girls - 2.5k; 1.37pm: Senior boys - 6.6k; 2pm: Senior girls - 4k; 2.20pm: Minor boys - 2.5k; 2.25pm: Junior girls - 3.1k; 2.35pm: Junior boys - 4k; 2.50pm: Inter girls - 4k; 3.10pm: Inter boys - 5.6k.

Wiltshire team

Senior girls: Gemma Shepherd, Sheldon School; Miranda King, Malmesbury School; Ellen Lindsay, Sheldon School; Jasmine Thayer, SWGS; Kirsty Stanley, Sheldon School; Emily Neve, Dauntsey's School; Issy Dickson, SWGS; Hannah Land, Stonar School; Liberty Nicholls, Stonar School; Phillipa Sumner, Godolphin School; Reserve: Holly Newman, Stonar School.

Inter girls: Zoe Wassell, Malmesbury School; Caitlin Wosika, The John of Gaunt School; Saskia Debenham, Godolphin School; Jade Day, Matravers School; Yasmin Watling, St Mary's Calne; Lucy Buffham, Hardenhuish School; Chloe Crippen, Nova Hreod School; Kirsty Roberts, Malmesbury School; Emma Pike, SWGS; Ariana Watling, St Mary's Calne; Reserves: Georgia Downes, Godolphin School; Alith Uloth, SWGS; Kiera Reavill, SWGS.

Junior girls: Jade Littlechild, The Corsham School; Lucy Fitzpatrick, St Mary's Calne; Karla Jackson, St John's School; Coco Smythe, Godolphin School; Caroline Brenchley, St Mary's Calne; Louise Webb, SWGS; Scarlett Rockett, St Laurence School; Becky Service, St Edmund's CoE Girl's School; Ella Malik, St Mary's Calne; Lily Battersby, St Edmund's CoE Girl's School; Reserves: Tasha Mundell, Godolphin School; Bella Seymour, St Mary's Calne; Katie McQue, St John's School & Community College.

Minor girls: Sophie Smith, St John's School & Community College; Sussie Hirst, St Mary's Calne; India Ibbotson, Hardenhuish School; Beth Mayer, St John's School & Community College; Cerys Jones, Sheldon School; Emilee Berry, The Stonehenge; Isabella Goulding, SWGS; Megan Poole, Isambard Community School; Lily Jackson, St John's School; Lucy Matthews, SWGS; Reserves: Gabby Jones, Highworth Warneford School; Sasha Moore, SWGS; Mia Bates, Sheldon School; Lily Cookson, St Laurence School.

Senior boys: Callum Bampton, The Ridgeway School; Ethan Jones, Sheldon School; Jay Painter, Sheldon School; Sam Rockett, St Laurence School; Jacob Payne, The Corsham School; Joseph Morrison, Devizes School; George Clarely, Sheldon School; Aidan Daniel, The Corsham School; Sam Bolwell, St Laurence School; Sam Jones, St Laurence School.

Inter boys: Will Stockley, Melksham Oak Community School; Cameron Perkins, Hardenhuish School; Freddie Webb, The John of Gaunt School; Josh Shuter, St Joseph's Catholic School; John Howorth, St Augustines Catholic College; Jaymee Domoney, St Joseph's Catholic School; Henry Dixon, St Augustines Catholic College; Elliot Lassiter, Dauntsey's School; Robert Howorth, St Augustines Catholic College; Jacob Bacon, The Corsham School; Reserves: Joe Castle, Kingsdown School; Sean Johnson, Sheldon School; Jack Bennett, Sarum Academy.

Junior boys: Rory Howorth, St Augustines Catholic College; Hayden Bailey, The John of Gaunt School; Jake Nickerson, St Laurence School; Finley Lloyd-Gilmore, The Stonehenge School; Jonah Veakins, St Augustines Catholic College; Ethan Pierce, Abbeyfield School; Robert Croager, Bishop Wordsworth; Otto Copping, The Corsham School; Daniel Poynting, Bishop Wordsworth; Thomas Musselwhite, St Joseph's Catholic School; Reserves: Kye Teague, The Clarendon College; Taylor Oakley, Bishop Wordsworth; Johnny Mitchell, Bishop Wordsworth.

Minor boys: Anthony Lynn, Wyvern College; Sam Butt, Trafalgar School at Downton; James Pickford, Dauntsey's School; Patrick Mochan, Lydiard Park Academy; Josh Sawford, Bradon Forest School; Miles Littlechild, Corsham School; Fergal Brophy, Hardenhuish School; Nathan Burn, Bishop Wordsworth; Fin Shorland, Hardenhuish School; Ed Opie, Sheldon School; Reserves: Josh Clayton, Abbeyfield School; Jayden Sadler, Dorcan Technology College; Tobias Lango, Bradon Forest School.