Linton runners reach new heights!

There was an amazing turnout as over 600 children from South Cambridgeshire schools took part in the South Cambs SSP Year 5 & 6 Cross Country competition which was held at Royston Heath on the 9th December. The event involved an incredible 30 schools with teams varying in size from 8 to 61 runners.

There were four separate races, Year 5 boys and girls and Year 6 boys and girls with runners completing a distance of 1500metres over a challenging one lap course. Each race was hotly contested with runners keen to do their best for their school team in pursuit of the School Team Winners Shield for 2014-15. The top 3 placed runners in each school team scored for their team but individuals could also enter to compete for one of the top three medal winning positions in each race.

The atmosphere was buzzing as all of the runners were cheered on around the course by fellow pupils, staff and parents who had come to spectate! The individual results were as follows:

Year 5 Boys
1  05:47.5   Joshua Vail         Cottenham
2  06:03.2   Tom Mannion      The Meadow
3  06:06.7   Josh Peyton        Linton Heights

Year 5 Girls
1  06:08.7   Sophie Worrall     Pendragon
2  06:31.7   Emile Simpson    Histon & Impington
3  06:41.0   Isobel Bennett     Thriplow

Year 6 Boys
1  05:33.8   David Buchan      Pendragon
2  05:34.1   Liam Onyeachie  Coton
3  05:34.9   Harry Hall            Willingham

Year 6 Girls
1  06:05.6   Emma Lewis       Histon & Impington
2  06:08.9   Lily Goodwin       Haslingfield
3  06:24.1   Isabel                 Bar Hill

In the team competition where the top 3 placed finishers for each school counted there was no one school that dominated with a different school winning each of the titles.

Year 5 Girls Team Results
1st Thriplow
2nd Linton Heights
3rd Burrough Green

Year 5 Boys Team Results
1st The Vine
2nd The Meadow
3rd Linton Heights

Year 6 Girls Team Results
1st Caldecote
2nd Haslingfield
3rd Waterbeach

Year 6 Boys Team Results
1st Histon & Impington
2nd Willingham
3rd Coton

The overall team title was an extremely close competition with only 6 points separating the top 3 placed schools. It was the team from Linton Heights Junior School that claimed the title of South Cambs Champions 2014-15 though beating defending champions Burrough Green by the narrowest of margins. Whilst last year’s runners up Steeple Morden took 3rd place.

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

OVERALL TEAM RESULTS
1st     Linton Heights        23pts
2nd   Burrough Green       26pts
3rd    Steeple Morden        29pts
4th    Willingham              34pts
5th    The Vine                    37pts
6th    The Meadow             40pts
7th    Hatton Park              49pts
7th    Pendragon                49pts
9th    Harston & Newton   54pts
10th  Bassingbourn          58pts
11th   Fowlmere                 62pts
12th  Petersfield                67pts
13th  Jeavons Wood        70pts
14th  Castle Camps          74pts
15th  Girton Glebe            83pts

Other schools taking part were Bar Hill, Barton, Bourn, Caldecote, Coton, Cottenham, Girton Glebe, Guilden Morden, Gt Abington, Guilden Morden Haslingfield, Histon & Impington Juniors, Oakington, Thriplow, Melbourn, Hauxton & Waterbeach.

Enthusiastic schools may wish to enter the Cambs Athletics Association Cross Country Championships, to be held on Sun 4th Jan at Priory Park in St Neots. Last year Burrough Green Primary School were runners up in both the U11 boys and girls races so we hope to see them competing again this year. For more information visit their website.

Thanks must go to the sports leaders from Melbourn Village College and Comberton Sixth Form who did an excellent job in marshaling the course and organising the finish.

Visit our Facebook page for further photos from the day.