Racing to success at the Army Foundation College

The Army Foundation College Cross Country team compete in the UK North Cross Country league against every other unit in a region stretching from York to Inverness and Hull to Blackpool.

There are 6 races from October to March each of them over a 10km course offering sand dunes, mud, hills, mud, river crossings, mud, forests, mud, open fell, mud and mud. Teams must compete in at least 4 of the 6 races with the best results counting toward the league.

The team from the Army Foundation College consists of college permanent staff and those Junior Soldiers who selected Cross Country for their DofE award Sport.

The current cohort of Junior Soldiers have been training with Pearson TQ Sports and Skills delivery staff for a month and during that time have competed in their final 2 races of the league. In that short period of time they have consolidated their position as the number one team in the league and recently collected 3 trophies at the UK North XC league championship presentation in York - under 23 female league champion, under 23 male league champion and under 23 male team champions. Barry McGuire from Pearson TQ AFC Sports staff, and DofE cross country team coach, also won the UK North male veterans championship for the second year running.

The future for cross country at the Army Foundation College is bright and, with the Pearson TQ delivery on the new DofE sport and skills package providing consistency and continuity, the rich vein of success looks set to continue for the new season starting later in the year.