Inter school cross country run.

Sixty primary 4-7 school children from Mallaig, Morar and Arisaig Primaries recently competed in an annual Inter school cross country race.

The meet was held at Arisaig on 3 March and the course was around the 2 mile Mains Farm, Glen house, Rhu road circuit.  All the children did exceedingly well and set a course record: the fastest time for the whole group to complete the course.

Highland Council Active Schools Coordinator, Pam MacDonald said: “Nicole Simmons from Mallaig Primary won the girls race again and was the fastest runner out of the girls and boys races with a time of 16min 01sec. The boy’s race was very close with Mallaig pupils Cian MacVarish  (1st) and Kyle Ingram (2nd) only a second apart.

She added: “Congratulations also to Cara MacDonald (Mallaig) and Erin O’Rouke (Arisaig), who are in primary 4, and came in 4th and 5th. Definitely runners to watch in the future.”

Active Schools Coordinator Emma Walters added: “A big “Thank you” to James Colston and Arisaig Estate for letting us run on the Mains Farm track, to all the children who ran, our helpers at the finishing line, Stephen for keeping the cows at bay, Morag, Mairi, Ali, Angus, Katie and Clair for directing and encouraging the runners and especially to Lyn Barrie and all the drivers who helped shuttle the children back and forth to Mallaig and Morar. The winners of the Local Inter school cross country shield this year was Mallaig primary school.”

Mallaig and Arisaig Primary schools cross country teams also competed in the Lochaber inter schools cross country event in Fort William on the 22 February. Nicole Simmons came 5th and will be representing Mallaig primary school in the North of Scotland Schools Cross Country Championships in Alness on 19 March.

The results of the Mallaig, Morar and Arisaig Primaries Inter school cross country race are:

Boys first 6 positions and times (out of 28 runners):

1st   16:38   Cian MacVarish (Mallaig)
2nd  16:39   Kyle Ingram (Mallaig)
3rd   17:00  Thomas Benfield (Arisaig)
4th   18:33  Mathew Baker (Arisaig)
5th   19:21  Archie Gilles (Arisaig)
6th   19:45  Angus Moss (Arisaig)

Girls first 6 positions and times (out of 32 runners):

1st  16:01   Nicole Simmons (Mallaig)
2nd 18:13   Eve Cameron (Mallaig)
3rd  19:24   Jennifer MacPhee (Mallaig)
4th  19:53   Cara MacDonald (Mallaig)
5th  20:56   Erin O’Rouke (Arisaig)
6th  21:01   Jenna MacDonald (Mallaig)