ONLY a cat’s whisker separated the top three as the opening race set the tone for Saturday’s second round of this season’s Warrington Athletics Club Schools Cross Country League.
The serene and stately setting of Walton Hall and Gardens roared into life as more than 300 primary school children contested the first two races.
At the front of the record 163 finishers in the girls’ contest was Eva Karalius (Broomfields) who just managed to hold off Rhiannon Wilkes (St Wilfrid’s), with both girls recording 5mins 32secs in a dramatic push for the finish line that excited the watching hundreds.
Hot on their heels was Corin Smith (St Wilfrid’s) only two seconds behind.
St Monica’s won the team race on 96 points, with St Wilfrid’s (110) second and Ravenbank (111) third.
Great Sankey Primary School boys and girls teams
Culcheth Community Primary School girls' athletes
Noah Kaariainen (Oughtrington) repeated his win from last month’s first boys’ race with 6mins 54secs, which was 10 seconds clear of Jack Marwood (Ravenbank).
Zak Chamun (Chapelford Village) was third in 7mins 6secs.
The team event was won by Ravenbank (44pts) ahead of St Monica’s (68) and St Peter's (91).
VIDEO: Watch our footage of the primary school races here
In the year seven girls’ race Molly Wormald (Great Sankey) was 13 seconds clear of Emily Entwistle (Bridgewater), while third-placed Lucie Davies was 24 seconds further back.
Molly Wormald, 11, is pleased with her win
Great Sankey (18pts) led the team competition, followed by King’s Leadership (31) and Bridgewater (36).
Erik Marshall (Lymm) achieved victory by the widest margin, finishing 52 seconds clear of Marcus Trevithick (Bridgewater) in the year seven boys’ race, with Ben Pucill (Great Sankey) a further 20 seconds behind.
Erik Marshall, first across the line in his race
Only two teams completed, Great Sankey’s 20pts beating off Bridgewater’s 28.
Thirty-eight seconds was the difference between first place Orla Gregory (Cardinal Newman, year eight/nine) and Olivia Baker (Boteler, year 10/11) in the girls’ race for pupils of years eight to 11.
Jess Connolly (Bridgewater, year eight/nine) was third overall, while Maisie Bell was third in the year eight/nine event.
Lucy Baxter (Bridgewater) and Rebecca Hardwick (Great Sankey) were second and third in year 10/11.
Bridgewater were the only team to complete in the year eight/nine competition on 19 points, while Great Sankey were the only complete team in year 10/11 on 18 points.
In the boys’ race for years eight to 11, George Hill (Great Sankey, year 10/11) won won by three seconds from teammate Dylan Squires (year 10/11).
Euan McNab (Helsby, year eight/nine) was third in 10mins 51secs.
Ethan Leader and Ben Sharrocks (Great Sankey) were second and third, 15 seconds apart, in the younger age group while Joe Weston (Great Sankey) was third for the year 10/11 band.
Great Sankey were the only complete team, collecting 14 points in the year eight/nine team race.
The final edition of the series takes place at Walton Hall and Gardens on December 9.
* You can get a real sense of the effort put into the races by the athletes in these scenes at the finish line in our video of the high school races below:
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here