Schools enjoy thrills of cross country

AROUND 200 pupils experienced the thrill of a cross-country race, many of for the first time, when Woodlands Primary hosted the second Great Yarmouth Schools Cross-Country for pupils in Years 3 and 4.

The course was approximately a kilometre and used the school's wooded track. Participating on a warm March day were pupils from Wroughton, Cliff Park, Hillside, Herman, Edward Worlledge, Homefield, Hopton and hosts Woodlands.

Many of the pupils were representing their school in a competitive event for the first time.

Mayor Terry Easter presented the medals for the winners, runners-up and third places, with certificates for the first eight places.

The team award scores were calculated from the first three girls and boys from each school to cross the line.

The event was organised by sports development officer John Pamplin, ably assisted by sports leaders from the school who welcomed runners, staff and spectators before handing out places and leading the course for the runners.

A similar event has also been held at Martham school for schools in the north of Great Yarmouth.

In the team event the winners of the Year 3 races were Woodlands, with the boys finishing first, second and third, and the girls second, fourth and fifth giving them a combined total of 17.

Second place overall was Cliff Park with 29 and Hillside in third place with 100.

The Year 4 race saw Woodlands complete a memorable double win, taking the team award with a score of first, second and ninth place for the boys, with the girls finishing first, seventh and eighth for a combined score of 28.

Alice and Oliver deserve special mention for repeating last year's gold-medal finishes.

Second place in the schools team award went to Cliff Park with 38 followed by Wroughton with 60.

Pupils from the top eight finishes of the Year 4 race now go on to represent East Norfolk at the county event this week.

They will be alongside pupils from Years 5 and 6, who were selected after the Bure Park event in January.