School Sports Newfoundland and Labrador will crown a new cross country running team and individual champions this coming weekend in Stephenville. Stephenville High School will host the races which will include more than 150 runners from across the province who have qualified through their regional qualification meets.

Champions will be declared in team events for junior girls, junior boys, senior girls and senior boys. The winning team from each regional will compete. In addition, the top three individuals from the regional competitions will also be involved in the race and will be competing for the individual title.

The junior girls race will be run over a 2,000 metre course. Teams racing include: Mobile High School, St. Lawrence Academy, King Academy (Harbour Breton), Dorset Collegiate (Pilley�s Island) and Stephenville High and Viking Trail Academy (Plum Point). They will be joined by individuals from I.J.Samson (St. John�s), St. Kevin�s (Goulds), Mountain Field Academy (Forteau), Smallwood Academy (Gambo), D.C. Young (Port Hope Simpson), Fitzgerald Academy (English Harbour) and Glovertown Academy.

The junior boys will race a 3,000 metre course. Teams competing for the championship banner include: St. Edwards School (Placentia), Pearce Junior High (Marystown), Glovertown Academy, Dorset Collegiate, Stephenville High and Mountain Field Academy. Runners competing for individual gold, silver and bronze include: Villanova Junior High (Manuels), St. Lawrence Academy, MSB Regional Academy (Main River), Indian River High (Springdale), Fitzgerald Academy and Roncalli High (Port Saunders).

In the senior girls divisions, the following teams will compete: Baltimore High (Ferryland), St. Lawrence Academy, Victoria All Grade (Gaultois), Baie Verte High, Corner Brook High, Viking Trail Academy and Menihek High (Labrador City). They will run a 3,000 metre course and will be competing for individual honours against individual runners from Marystown Central High and Fitzgerald Academy.

The senior boys race is a 5,000 metre race. Team entries include: Ascension Collegiate (Bay Roberts), Marystown Central High, Lester Pearson Memorial (Wesleyville), Baie Verte High, Stephenville High, Roncalli High and Menihek High. They will be joined by individual runners from Baccalieu Collegiate (Old Perlican), St. Lawrence Academy, Viking Trail Academy, St. Mary�s All Grade (Mary�s Harbour), Dorset Collegiate, MSB Regional Academy, Indian River High, Victoria All Grade and Canon Richards High (Flowers Cove).

The meet begins with a race tour and walk through at 9:00 a.m. The host school is also offering an elementary race on an exhibition basis, taking place at 9:30 a.m. and 10:00 a.m. The junior girls race is scheduled for 10:30 a.m., followed by the junior boys at 11:30 a.m., senior girls at 12:30 p.m. and senior boys at 1:30 p.m. Each team consists of five runners. The finishing place of the top four runners will determine team points.

In its continuing effort to emphasize sportsmanship, School Sports Newfoundland and Labrador are sponsoring the Sportsmanship First Program. Each team will nominate an individual player to receive an individual sportsmanship medal.

The top teams will be rewarded with gold and silver medals and the top team in each division will receive the championship banner. Individual winners will be awarded gold, silver and bronze medals.

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