Awesome young sculler Hannah Thomas will join up with the Welsh junior rowing squad next week in preparation for the Home International Regatta in July.

The St Peter's School sixth former impressed team selectors at the Welsh Indoor Rowing Championships in December where she won in a time of seven minutes, 26 seconds - a time bettered only by two senior women.

She will now link up with the rest of the junior squad in Monmouth with hopes of doing enough to win a place in the final team to face crews from England, Scotland, Ireland and another invited European country in the annual fixture at Holme Pierrepoint, Nottingham at the end of July.

The 17-year-old from Oswaldkirk is tipped to lead the young Welsh scullers in the single sculls and also take a seat in the quad boat with form in both events. Last month, she reached the semi-finals of the national schools' Regatta in a single, which was won by fellow St Peter's School student Kristina Stiller.

This was followed by a semi-final place in the junior quad at Henley Women's Regatta, sculling with Still and Rosie Gaunt of St Peter's, and Charlotte Richer of York City Rowing Club. They were beaten by eventual winners Wycliffe School, who had already claimed the Schools' Head of the River in March and the national schools' title in May.

Thomas is also a top-notch scholar having recorded top grades across the board in her public exams to date and been head girl. She hopes to go on to study medicine at Cardiff University when she completes her time in sixth form, which would put her in an ideal location for Commonwealth Games selection the following year.

The attention this week switches to the St Peter's boys at the Henley Royal Regatta.

Today, a crew were racing in the Princess Elizabeth Challenge Cup for Schoolboy 8s against Philips Exter Academy from America.

And on Friday, the Fawley Challenge Cup for schoolboy quadruple sculls will see St Peter's pitted against Brisbane Boys' School and BGS from Australia.

Athletics

The annual York and Selby Schools' individual athletics championships finals will be held at Huntington Stadium tomorrow, starting at 1.45pm.

Competitors for field events should report to their respective field event area when called. In the unlikely event of a clash between a track event and field event, the track event must take precedence.

Track event competitors should report to the starter's marshall when called for by the announcer.

All spectators and competitors (unless competing) should remain out of the centre of the track.

If, in the opinion of the organiser, it would be dangerous to permit athletes without spikes into any given event then only the competitors with the appropriate footwear will be allowed to compete.

Please note that 6mm spikes are the maximum length permitted.

All the girls' high jump events will start at one metre ten centrimetres, boys at 1-15.

FOOTBALL

York Under-11 schoolboys' end of season party will be at the Marcia, Bishopthorpe, on Saturday, starting at 7pm.

The cost is £5 per player and parent.

Next season's York U11s are in action on Wednesday, July 14, when they travel to Hull in a pre-season friendly. The team will be selected from: George Catling, George Wilson, Tom Kite, Tim Patton, Alex Dale, Luke Quantock, Jamie Wilstrop, Conor Qualter, Sam Byram, Jacob McCormick, Charlie Taylor, Ben Lock, Carl Knowles, Sam Fowler, Charlie Clamp, Jacob Gore.

Players are asked to meet at the B&Q superstore on Hull Road at 5pm. KO is at 6.30pm.

Cricket

The schools are now back in session after the half term holiday. The next schools' fixtures are the U12 and U14 Cup semi-finals which are to be played today.

The final round of schools' cricket league matches is to be played on Thursday, July 8.

Group A U13: Fulford v Lowfield, Barlby v Sherburn, Huntington v Minster, Manor v Tadcaster.

Group A U15: Tadcaster v Manor, Sherburn v Barlby. Fulford and Huntington both have a free week.

Group B U13: Archbishop's v Burnholme, Millthorpe v Joseph Rowntree, All Saints v Oaklands, Bootham v Canon Lee.

Group B U15: Oaklands v All Saints, Joseph Rowntree v Millthorpe, Burnholme v Archbishop's, Bootham has a free week.

All the school's cricket finals, both league and cup, are to be played in the week starting Monday, July 12.

Updated: 09:51 Wednesday, June 30, 2004