The Brentwood Ursuline Convent High School recently qualified for the National Cross Country Cup finals in Redditch, Worcestershire.

It is the first time that both the junior and the intermediate teams had made it to the final.

Despite dreadful conditions of low temperatures and a biting wind, the girls ran with determination.

The intermediate team finished 23rd in England and the junior team finished fourth in England - a tremendous result.

Sara Luck (Year 7) is a talented runner who excelled by finishing in first place in the junior race, particularly outstanding, as the race was for Year 7 and 8 pupils.

Times were: (Juniors): Sara Luck (1st), Ria Lyons (40th) Emma Turrell (41st), Caroline Reynolds (51st), Laura Bealey (80th) and Melissa Kerr (85th). (Intermediate): Catharine Wood (58th), Frances McEwan (73rd), Jemma O'Reilly (80th), Vicky Gannon (124th), Ann Platt (130th) and Sam Wright (did not finish), out of 144 runners.

At the Mid-Essex Championships, Sara Luck won the junior race (Year 7/8/9) and with Charlotte Webb, won the Intermediate Race (Year 10/11) others from the school will go on to represent Mid-Essex at the Essex County Championships.

The other girls representing Mid Essex are: (Juniors): Sara Luck, Catharine Wood, Ria Lyons, Emma Turrell, Laura Bealey and Caroline Reynolds. (Intermediate): Charlotte Webb, Sarah Gannon and Frances McEwan. (Seniors): Emma Hickling.

Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.