AFTER the penultimate race of the cross-country season Tranmere Park School's teams are poised to take both the boys' and girls' Leeds Under-11 titles. The boy's team has led from the first race, having won the first three and finished second last Saturday at Braim Wood School.

In the last race a weakened team performed wonderfully well to finish second out of 42 schools taking part. When an extra effort was needed to make up for the boys who could not be there they all rose to the occasion but special mention must be made of Oliver Catherall and Edward Hall.

Oliver has just taken up cross-country running this season and has improved his position with every race. On Saturday he came seventh. Edward Hall, who still has two more years to run in this age group, finished in 13th place.

These two were well supported by Callum Fraser (42nd), Nicholas Elliot (48th), Adam Helbert (54th), Thomas Bovan (58th), Max Helme (112nd) and Hayden Thompson (121st). The boys hold a three-point advantage going into the last race and should, barring accidents or illness, collect the gold award for the first time after taking several silver awards over the past few years.

The girls have had an enthralling tussle with Woodlesford Primary School throughout the season. Both schools have won two races and been second in two. That leaves them absolutely equal at the top of the league. The last race is now a winner-take-all event.

The girls have run consistently well all the winter with the leading runner being Philippa Kelly, who finished third last Saturday, and Eleanor Henson, who finished seventh. The supporting runners were Holly Bovan (30th), Jacqueline Ravensdale (42nd), Ella Thorp (54th), Kirsty Riley (90th), Victoria Helbert (109th) and Laura-Jayne Thompson (155th).

The Under-11 runners are awarded individual medals if they finish the season in an overall top ten position.

Four of the teams have an excellent chance of picking up one of those medals each. Oliver Catherall, Edward Hall and Michael Truswell for the boys and Philippa Kelly and Eleanor Henson for the girls.

If the final race of the season goes as they hope it will have been the most successful cross-country season ever for Guiseley's Tranmere Park School.