Histon & Impington schools share team honours at Wimpole cross-country

A frosty morning awaited schools at Wimpole Estate for the annual South Cambs School Sport Partnership Big Schools Cross Country competition but as the 1000 plus runners ran the course the sun came out to warm them up and create a picturesque scene. There was a record entry of 24 schools from across South Cambs for what is now a firm highlight of the year in most schools sporting calendars.

The children who took part were competing for individual honours and team pride as they raced the 1-mile course which looped out around the parkland before returning for a grand finish in the Christmas cathedral of lights up the main drive to the house and in front of onlooking teammates who applauded them home.

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. In the team competition it was the top three placed runners from each school in each race that scored for their team with a separate Year 3 & 4 and Year 5 & 6 team competition.

The were some great performances put in to earn individual honours with top 3 finishers coming from 13 different schools:

For the second year running the team competitions were dominated by the two schools from Histon & Impington with Histon & Impington Brook comfortably retaining the title of Year 5/6 Team Winners ahead of neighbours Histon & Impington Park and third placed team University of Cambridge.

Honours were reversed in the Year 3/4 team event with Histon and Impington Park taking the winners shield ahead of Histon & Impington Brook and Melbourn Primary who finished 3^rd.

Other notable team performances were from Melbourn Primary who finished a credible 4^th and 3^rd in the two events and Bar Hill who fielded a team in both events for the first time and managed an impressive 6^th and 5^th place.

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

Other schools taking part but not recording a team result included Jeavons Wood, Bassingbourn and Fenstanton.

Partnership Manager, Claire McDonnell, said,

“It was a great day. I say it every year, but we are so lucky to be able to hold this event at such a stunning venue and today we were blessed with blue skies and lovely winter sunshine which just added to the atmosphere and enjoyment of all of the children.

There were lots of incredible performances but for me the highlight was listening to the children cheering on their teammates and all the finishers as they came up the drive to the finish line.

This is our biggest event of the year and a lot of planning and organisation goes into it by the whole team but it makes it all worthwhile when you see the smiles and enjoyment on the children’s faces and the sense of achievement they feel. Lots of them today told us how they felt really happy, proud of their achievements and pleased to be with their friends representing their school.

I must say that we couldn’t have delivered today’s event without the support of sports leaders from Bassingbourn and Comberton Village Colleges who acted as sweep runners, led the warmup area and helped with the finish line and a group of uniformed services students from Cambridge Regional College who marshalled the route so a big thankyou to each and every one of them”.