CALLUM Bampton heads into today’s South West Schools’ Cross Country Championships protecting a pristine unbeaten record in 2015.

The 17-year-old Ridgeway School student has enjoyed a terrific start to the year, winning the Buckinghamshire county title, the senior boys’ race at the Wiltshire Schools’ Championships, and then the latest Oxford Mail League race last weekend.

As build-ups go, it doesn’t get much better but Bampton, from Chiseldon, knows he will be up against a top-class field led by Somerset’s British junior international Oliver Fox and the 2014 South West runner-up Sam Sommerville.

But the youngster will head in with the advantage of having ran the course at Grittleton House at last month’s county event, so will know its strengths and traps.

Like at the Wiltshire Schools’ race, Bampton wouldn’t expect to finish 1min 35secs clear of the field but today’s senior race is sure to be one of the best of the day and with plenty of home support, he should be right in the mix.

Wiltshire fans should also have plenty to cheer in the inter girls’ event, with Malmesbury School teenager Zoe Wassell among the medal contenders.

The 15-year-old, who lives in Tetbury, has also had a terrific start to 2015 and is such a class act that she not only won the county inter girls’ race by over a minute but also convincingly beat senior girls’ champion Gemma Shepherd, as both age groups ran together in one race.

The inter girls age group is traditionally strong so it will take an exceptional effort by Wassell to make the podium – but she is more than capable.

Joining Wassell in the county inter girls team will be Nova Hreod student and Swindon Advertiser Sports Awards Young Sportswoman of the Year Chloe Crippen, who will be looking to continue her improvement this winter with a solid performance.