Runners take on cross country at Milton Country Park

It turned out to be a lovely sunny morning at Milton Country Park for the South Cambs School Sport Partnerships annual Small Schools Cross Country competition. Over 600 children from 17 primary schools across the district enjoyed the event which has now become a highlight of the sporting calendar for many schools with some children running at the venue for a third or fourth time.

The children who took part were competing for individual honours and team pride as they raced the 1-mile course and they were cheered on and encouraged by their teammates as they came back through the start area to complete their second lap.

There were 8 races on the day with a separate boys and girls race for years 3, 4, 5 & 6 with the first three finishers in each race receiving a medal and certificate. There were some strong individual performances on the day with recognisable names from previous years finishing in the top 3.

In the team competition it was the top three placed runners from each school that scored for their team with a separate Year 3 & 4 and Year 5 & 6 team competition.  Last years winners Bourn and Girton Glebe performed strongly on the day, but neither could retain their titles. Haslingfield put in an incredibly strong performance in the Year 5/6 event, winning the Year 6 girls and Year 6 boys event to finish well clear of runners up Girton Glebe.

The Year 3/4 competition was closer with only 18 points separating the top two teams but it was new comers Steeple Morden who claim the winners shield behind Great Abington in 2^nd.

The overall team results were as follows (only schools that had entered a team for all four races could qualify for the team competition):

Children from Guilden Morden, Dry Drayton and Burrough Green primary schools also took part in the event but these schools did not have enough runners to qualify for the team competitions.

Partnership Manager, Claire McDonnell, said,

“It was great to be back at Milton Country Park for one of our favourite events of the year. It was lovely to see so many schools and children taking part and there was certainly lots of grit and determination on display as the children took on the 2 lap course. Its always lovely to hear the children cheering and encouraging their teammates as they come through to complete their first lap before winding their way back through the trees and round to the finish line.

As always, we must thank the team of sports leaders from Impington Village College who volunteered at the event leading the warm up zone, running at the back of each race as sweep runners, helping at the finish line and generally supporting the children to get round the course. We also had a group of uniformed services students from Cambridge Regional College who marshalled the route for us and made sure the children were safe out on the course. I say it every time, but we simply couldn’t run events like today without the support of them and their colleges.”