School Sports Newfoundland and Labrador will crown 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 140 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 3 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 2000 m course. Teams racing include Cape John Collegiate (LaScie), Glovertown Academy, Mt Field Academy (Forteau), G.C. Rowe (Corner Brook) and Stephenville High. They will be joined by individuals from Viking Trail Academy (Plum Point), DC Young School (Port Hope Simpson), Sacred Heart School (Conche) and St. Edwards School (CBS).

The Junior Boys will race a 3000 m course. Teams competing for the championship banner include Glovertown Academy, Stephenville High, DC Young School, St. Annes Academy (Dunville and G.C. Rowe.. Runners competing for individual gold, silver and bronze include represent Pasadena Academy, Mobile High School, Dunne Academy (St. Marys), New World Island Academy (Summerford), St. Marys All Grade (Marys Harbour), Jane Collins Academy (Hare Bay) and Lewisporte Collegiate.

In the Senior Girls divisions the following teams will compete: St. Lawrence Academy, Baie Verte High, Corner Brook High, Carbonear Collegiate, Gander Collegiate, Canon Richards High (Flowers Cove), Stephenville High and Menihek High (Labrador City). They will run a 3000 m course and will be competing for individual honors against individual runners from Marystown Central High, MSB regional Academy (Middle Arm), Jane Collins Academy, Lester Pearson Memorial (Wesleyville) and O�Donel High (Mt Pearl).

The Senior Boys race is a 5000 m race. Team entries include Stephenville High, Roncalli High (Port Saunders), MSB Regional Academy, Glovertown Academy, St. Lawrence Academy, Bishops College and Menihek High. They will be joined by individual runners from Cape John Collegiate (LaScie), Holy Heart of mary (St. John�s), Corner Brook High, Henry Gordon Academy (Cartwright), DC Young, New World Island Academy, Fogo Island Central High, Roncalli (Avondale), Lester Pearson Memorial, Booth Memorial and Corner Brook High

The meet begins with a race tour and walk through at 10:30 a.m. The host school is also offering an elementary race on an exhibition basis, which goes ahead at 11. The junior girls race is scheduled for 11:30 a.m. followed by the junior boys at 12:00, senior girls at 12:30 and senior boys at 1:30. Each team consists of 5 runners. The finishing place of the top 4 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.

R.B.C. Financial Group is the major corporate sponsor of School Sport Newfoundland & Labrador.

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Media contact:
Karen Richard
709-729-2795, (fax) 729-2705

Convenor:
Randy Alexander and Gerard Bennett
(Tel) 709- 643-9672, (Fax) 643-5044

2008 10 31                                                    11:10 a.m.