Harewood House Estate on Saturday 23/02/2019 6 Km (Junior Ladies)
The Junior Women's Cross-Country Championships took place at Harewood House in Leeds. This was the first time the venue had been used for the National and it was a very picturesque spot. The grasslands used in the grounds were designed by landscape architect Capability Brown.
Triple junior individual winner Harriet Knowles-Jones (Warrington AC) had moved up to the senior ranks so favourite for the race was Amelia Quirk (Bracknell AC) the Southern champion.
One kilometre into the race Grace Brock (Cornwall AC), led Amelia Quirk with Sabrina Sinha (Cambridge Harriers) 10 metres behind. At the end of the first lap, Quirk had established a 10-metre lead on Brock and Jessica Mitchell (Havering AC). One kilometre into the second lap Quirk had increased the lead to 50 metres over Brock with Mitchell a further 15 metres adrift. By the finish Quirk had extended the lead winning from Mitchell by 16 seconds. Brock held off a challenge from Tiffany Penfold (Liverpool, Pembroke & Sefton Harriers) for third place.
Amelia Quirk (Bracknell AC) leading the the Junior Women's race
Quirk told Athletics Weekly: "I had not intended to lead that early, but I think I was fitter than at the Southern so but so were the others. The course was really tough as apart from the hills, even the downhills were into the wind and had tufty grass."
Despite not having a runner in the top 20 Herne Hill Harriers won the team gold. The trio of Olivia Stillman (23rd), Ella Newton (31st) and Kate Brown (41st) beat Aldershot, Farnham & District AC by just 2 points. Basingstoke & Mid Hants picked up bronze medals.