12 Cross Country

Rowing Impressions

It is difficult to convey the feeling of expectation as well as apprehension that build up inside just before a race. Although surrounded by other crews, each teeming with excitement, you find yourself enclosed in a personal silence.

As your turn approaches there is the final exchange of encouragement between crew members, your heart beats faster, and the tension mounts.

Once started, and rowing hard, all there is to do now is your best. The cheers of the spectators keep the adrenalin flowing, but the words are lost in the concentration, concentration on getting the maximum work out of yourself and the boat, forcing yourself to row even harder.

Then it is all over, and there is an overwhelming sense of relief: as long as you have put your best into it, there is always the feeling of personal achievement and pride in the team's effort.

There is something extra which makes regattas worthwhile: they are meeting places for so many clubs; there are opportunities to make friends and renew old acquaintances. Tension, rivalry and achievement all make up a regatta. M. T.

There was a long, anxious wait once we had rowed up to the start. When it was eventually time for us to move, we manoeuvred through the boats and increased to full pressure across the start line. We were gliding over the water, straining on the oars. It was very exhausting. A fast crew was approaching, and overtook us. All my muscles were aching as we reached the home straight. We had ourselves overtaken 4 crews already, and we battled it out for the finish with another, but our strength was failing, and they crossed the line ahead of us.

G. H. A.

Cross Country Report

The First VIII had an encouraging season with wins over Silcoates (21-63) Durham (33-45) and Pocklington (34-44). The team lost to Ampleforth Second VIII (56-30) and Barnard Castle (44-34). Team spirit was always \ high and the dedication to training was most commendable. The team did well in the York and District Trials I with Jamie Leather, the Captain, coming 4th, Adrian Buck 5th, Paul Reah 6th, Seb Walker 7th, Malcolm Bagley 8th, Peter No well 9th, Matthew Copley 11th and Mark Quaker 12th in the Over 17 group. At U15 level Andrew Berrington came 6th. At the North Yorkshire Championships at Whitby, Jamie Leather came 9th and Malcolm Bagley came 10th. This did not qualify them for the North Yorkshire Team but both performances were highly commendable nonetheless. John Hewitt came 1st in four of the inter-schools matches.

The First VIII ran well at the Ampleforth Invitation and came a creditable third. We fielded a Second VIII for the first time during the season and, although they ran with commendable determination, the team's lack of fitness for the tough Ampleforth course showed. Hopefully a Second VIII will become a permanent feature of cross country at St. Peter's in the future.

The U15 team again had a disappointing season. The problem was not a lack of motivation but a lack of opportunity to train and a higher priority given to Rugger than Cross Country. This means that we are rarely able to field our best team of runners.

Colours were awarded to: James Hewitt, Adrian Buck, Paul Reah, Sebastian Walker and Matthew Copley.

The following, represented the First VIII: J. Leather, A. Buck, J. Hewitt, M. Copley, S. Walker, P. Reah, M. Bagley, D. Tunstall and P. Nowell. The following represented the U15 team: A. Berrington, C. Brooker, A. Marks, B. Neary, R. Shaw, G. Councell, D. Baldry, M. Kershaw, M. Bean, R. Ambrose, R. Hudson, M. Brown, J. Mariyappan and S. Davies.

30th January v Durham (Home) 1st VIII St. Peter's Durham U15 Durham St. Peter's

3rd February v Silcoates (Away) 1st VIII St. Peter's Silcoates U15 Silcoates St. Peter's

5th February v Barnard Castle 1st VIII Barnard Castle St. Peter's U15 Barnard Castle St. Peter's 33 pts. 45 pts. 33 pts. 45 pts.

21 pts. 63 pts. 32 pts. 54 pts.

34 pts. 44 pts. 22 pts. 68 pts. 17th February v Ampleforth College (Away) 2nd VIII Ampleforth 1st VIII St. Peter's

27th February v Pocklington (Home 1st VIII St. Peter's Pocklington U15 Pocklington St. Peter's 30 pts. 56 pts.

Results

34 pts. 44 pts. 21 pts. 73 pts.

12th March Ampleforth College Invitation 1st Ampleforth College 2nd Welbeck College 3rd St. Peter's 4th Barnard Castle 5th Pocfclington 6th Ampleforth 2nd VIII 7th Welbeck 2nd VIII 8th Barnard Castle 2nd VIII 9th St. Peter's 2nd VIII 26 pts. 114 pts. 128 pts. 147 pts. 154 pts. 163 pts. 263 pts. 345 pts. 387 pts.

Cross Country Impressions

We were away at Barnard Castle: a 3 hour drive followed by sitting around for an hour and a half. The conditions were gale-force winds, rain, snow - and the course! The end result was that we lost.

The last run of the season was the Ampleforth Invitation Run. This year, to our amazement, we took two teams. This course is my favourite, and also most of the team's. The run is through a large forest, and the views make it worth running. At the end there is a part called the Shoot, which is a steep hill full of mud and trees. This is where one can make up lost ground by running downhill, and nearly killing oneself, or the poor person in front who has lost his shoe.

The team has put in a lot of effort, and the standard of Running in the School has reached quite a high level. T. J. L.

Inter House Cross Country

Seniors

1. John Hewitt (C) 2. Jamie Leather (T) 3. Warwick Pemberton (S) 4. Malcolm Bagley (S) 5. Sebastian Walker (Q) 6. Paul Reah (M) 7. Adrian Buck (R) 8. David Tunstall (T) 9. Andrew Taylor (G) 10. Nigel Muirhead (S)

House Team Results

School 59 Grove 123 Temple 127 Rise 131 Queen's 161 Manor 173 Clifton 230

Juniors

1. Andrew Berrington (Q) 2. Adam Waters (S) 3. Giles Councell (Q) 4. David Baldly (Q) 5. Duncan Brown (Q) 6. Bruce Neary (G) 7. Jason Mariyappan (R) 8. Simon Davies (R) 9. Christian Brooker (G) 10. Richard Shaw (Q)

House Team Results

Rise Queen's Temple Grove Manor School Dronfield Clifton 47.0 54.9 67.0 68.5 74.8 84.0 100.5 106.5

Senior Cross Country - Impressions

The weather was good: sunny, dry, but not too hot or cold. On a late Monday afternoon, the selected elite of all Houses except Dronfield converged on the start. This was a narrow gap between two flags, so we set off as a crowd. J. A. O-B. shot a passing pigeon, and everyone sprinted away from the line.

By the time we had reached the first bridge, however, everything had calmed down. The pace was fast but no-one was too serious. If you caught up with someone it was, "Hi there! How are you?" before politely overtaking.

Across Clifton roadbridge, down the drive, and towards School. The half-way mark was on the top bank, and as I ran along the white line at the top, the waiting crowd cheered and shouted. Past the swimming pool, and onto the floodbank where another crowd gave vociferous support.

The second lap was with everyone spread out, and the Juniors started behind us. As the distance became less, the pace heated up again. Time seemed short as we ran around the boat house, and up through the gate. The crowd went wild, and the noise drove the runners on. I sprinted up the bank and burned across the grass. With a final leap I crossed the line, and then braked hard before being given a position tag. Then it was across to see the other runners. Some were walking around congratulating each other. Others lay on the ground, the casualties of distance. Overall, there was an atmosphere of friendliness, as though the fastest had won with reluctance. Then back towards the promised shower, as pain began to show above excitement.

P. B. N.

The adrenalin started to flow as the starting time got nearer, accompanied by frequent anxiety attacks and lack of control in the bowels. Then to end it all, we were off, an arduous, masochistic slog ahead of us which only the crazy and John Hewitt would relish.

The course, not that it needs describing, was made worse by the addition of the top bank and the virtually flooded "Paddy's Field" - specially included to increase the possibility of blisters. The words of those disgruntled