THE second cross country event in the Primary Schools League series took place earlier this month.

The series was organised by Okehampton Culture and Recreation Association and Tavistock College PE department.

The sun shone on Whitchurch Down as hundreds of school children and their parents arrived to take part. Hosts Whitchurch School set this new route which involved running 1-1.5 miles up and down a testing moorland course.

The Year 3 and 4 race was first — a mile long and not easy, the children having to run up a steep hill on their way to the Pimple, before an easier second half of mainly downhill running.

Sixty eight girls and 86 boys, all of varying abilities, represented their school teams and were cheered in to the finish by excited and supportive parents and teachers.

The winning girls' team was Beth Foster, Emma Luckham, Fenella Dixon, Carla Morrison, Rosie Gill and Orla Maguire from Whitchurch with Meavy Girls Chloe Howells, Freya Page, Penny Jones, Katie Hambly, Katie Watt and Molly Topliss coming in second for the silver medals. Bere Alston and Lady Modiford's were third equal.

Whitchurch boys William White, Rory Summers, Jack Mackenzie, Archie Wall, Reuben Pascoe and Austin White also took first place with Euan Hogan, Liam Wheeler, Joe Harrison, Frank Poynton-Duke, James Redfern and Peter Maddock of Bere Alston taking second place. Meavy Boys were third.

Individual winners were: girls — Beth Foster, (Whitchurch); Olivia Townsend (Tavistock); Holly Cole (Lew Trenchard) and Emma Luckham (Whitchurch). Boys — Ben Hunt (Lew Trenchard); William White (Whitchurch); Rory Summers (Whitchurch).

Then it was time for the 52 girls and 67 boys of years 5 and 6 to run their race. Allan Herdman sportingly acted as 'hare' for both races.

The first three girls were Kristyna Cade (St Andrew's), Alice Bickley (Whitchurch) and Helena Woodbrige-Harris (Horrabridge).

Dan Luckham (Whitchurch), Joe Dix (St Peter's) and Charlie Elkington (Tavistock) headed up the boys' race.