Suffolk Schools Cross Country – Final Trial 2026

Last Thursday 15 January, we were once again the proud hosts of the final Suffolk Schools Cross Country Trial; this is the county round of the English Schools’ Championships which is the national schools’ event, governed by the English Schools Athletic Association (ESAA). The major event, which will be run in March, was founded in 1925 and incorporates the whole of England providing the platform for all school athletes to compete within their own counties from grass roots to elite levels. Athletes represent their schools, progress through a system of county and regional qualifiers to reach the national championships.

From the trials run last week, sixteen athletes across the competing schools in each race, are then selected to run for their county at the regional race, in our case of course Suffolk, at the Anglian in Northamptonshire on 31 January. For our minors age group their journey will end here, however for our Junior, Inters and Senior categories (Year 8 and above) runners are then chosen in each age group (plus four reserves) to run for Suffolk. This happens across the country where each area develops their strongest county team to compete at the All-England schools where they fight it out for team medals and individual England Vests! This event will take place this year in Sefton Park, Liverpool on 14 of March.

For our Suffolk trials held at Woodbridge School, the rain came down and never left us for the entire day and with the freezing conditions in the lead up the weeks before it led to some testing cross country. Even without the use of our infamous ‘kill hill’ there were muddy ups and downs, long hilly drags and some twists and turns towards the end, enabling a great display of sprint finishes where athletes battled it out against the odds, and one another, to get in their top 16.

Woodbridge School’s Cross Country teams, staff, parents and groundsman proudly welcomed their guests, and everyone came together as the brilliant team that they are. Students were even helping each other when needed no matter what age group, even with all the individual pre-race nerves, it was great to see. We even had our OW and Inter Counties team medallist, Iwan Fothergill join us in his university holidays, to help all our Woodbridge runners get through their warmups and to the start lines.

We congratulate every athlete and offer a massive thank you to marshals, officials, staff and parents that assisted in the hosting of the event. It was a successful day for Woodbridge School athletes with 50 competing across the age groups.

Our athletes won five individual medals and celebrated 13 top 10 finishes!

Suffolk team announced

The Suffolk teams were announced for the Anglians yesterday and we are proud to say that 20 of our athletes have been selected to run for Suffolk on 31 January, with another three on the short reserve lists.

Well done to every athlete and good luck to those racing at the regional round!

Full results

Gold medal winners:

• Year 9’s Dex
• Year 8’s Chloe

Silver medal winners:

• Year 10’s Digby
• Year 9’s Alexandra
• Year 7’s Sofia

Minor Girls:

• 2nd – Year 7’s Sofia
• 4th – Year 6’s Ava
• 8th – Year 7’s Florence
• 12th – Year 7’s Sophia
• 20th – Year 7’s Issy
• 36th – Year 6’s Ziyu

Minor Boys:

• 18th – Year 7’s Max
• 21st – Year 7’s Kaydon
• 24th – Year 6’s Charlie
• 28th – Year 6’s Archie
• 35th – Year 6’s Sam
• 39th – Year 7’s Aiden
• 61st – Year 7’s Fletcher
• 76th – Year 7’s Millar

Junior Girls:

• 1st – Year 8’s Chloe
• 2nd – Year 9’s Alexandra
• 4th – Year 9’s Ella K
• 5th – Year 9’s India J
• 12th – Year 9’s India B
• 35th -Year 9’s Imogen M
• 48th – Year 8’s Tati H
• 56th – Year 9’s Honor
• 66th – Year 8’s Juno

Junior Boys:

• 1st – Year 9’s Dex
• 9th – Year 9’s Josh
• 13th – Year 8’s Oliver
• 15th – Year 9’s Olly R
• 16th – Year 8’s Archie
• 41st – Year 9’s Oliver B
• 63rd – Year 9’s Theo
• 64th – Year 8’s Harry
• 65th – Year 8’s Miles

Inter Girls:

• 4th – Year 11’s Romilly
• 7th – Year 10’s Alice
• 22nd – Year 10’s Grace
• 29th – Year 10’s Marina
• 30th – Year 10’s Millie

Inter Boys:

• 2nd – Year 10’s Digby
• 4th – Year 10’s Hamish
• 13th – Year 11’s Jago
• 19th – Year 10’s Oscar
• 34th – Year 10’s Harry

Senior Boys:

• 6th – Year 13’s Angus