350 Runners Take on the Catteral Shield at Giggleswick

For almost 50 years, Giggleswick School has proudly hosted its annual prep school cross-country competition, welcoming young runners from across the country to compete in the unique landscape of North Yorkshire. This year’s event saw an impressive 350 runners from 30 schools take to the course across our beautiful campus.

The aim of the competition is to involve as many schools as possible and to give young cross-country athletes the opportunity to run and compete in the distinctive terrain and grounds of Giggleswick School.

The Course
Competitors raced on one of three courses, each varying in length and complexity:

• 1960m – U11 boys and girls
• 2440m – U13 girls
• 3260m – U13 boys

While the course does not feature an abundance of steep climbs, it is deceptively challenging. The opening field appears relatively flat, but an overly fast start can quickly take its toll later in the race. The second lap introduces tighter loops and corners, with more technical sections including rocky underfoot terrain and steeper inclines. Success therefore relies on a strong understanding of pacing as well as endurance.

Tactics
The Catteral Shield is a team competition, adding another layer of challenge. Strong, consistent finishing positions across the team are key, meaning runners must balance individual performance with working together — no easy feat on such a demanding course.

Weather Conditions
Classic Yorkshire weather made its presence felt, with chilling winds, persistent rain and muddy terrain providing an additional test throughout the day. A huge well done to all runners for showing outstanding grit and resilience in completing the course under such challenging conditions.

Results

The breadth of results shows the depth of runners and how strong the standard of running is across the region. In the U11 Girls race, Cora from St Pius X School took 1st place and Hunter Hall ran the perfect team race to finish 1st overall. In the U11 Boys, Leo from All Saints’ Primary School, Ilkley was victorious and Westville were crowned overall U11 Boys winners in the team results.

The U13 races were fierce with Giggleswick’s very own Calum and Arthur finishing 1st and 2nd. Aysgarth clinched 1st place in the U13 Boys by one point with Giggleswick School finishing 2nd in the team races. In the U13 Girls races, Maggie from Sedbergh Prep ran well with Giggleswick pupil Martha having an outstanding run to finish 2nd, closely followed by Megan (6th), Sophie (7^th)  and Jo (8th). The team competition saw Sedbergh in 1st and Giggleswick School 2nd in another competitive battle.

A huge thank you to all the participants, parents, teachers, and organisers! And special thanks to our Year 13 pupil Jack - a member of the 2025 World U20 Mountain Running Championship Team for handing out medals!