Record number of pupils take part in cross country event like no other

Friday 06 October 2023

It took speed, agility and teamwork for pupils to conquer a unique cross-country challenge at Footes Lane.

Numbers were up for this year’s Guernsey Athletics Zedra X-Challenge, which saw pupils run over car tires, hurdle logs and hay bales, crawl under nets, plough through mud and twist and turn their way to the finish line.

In total 617 children took part with the Fun Run, which allowed schools to bring down as many of their year 5 and 6 students as they wanted, seeing a record breaking 240 students involved.

“We had another great turnout from the schools this year with a record total entry taking part,” said organiser Lee Merrien.

“It was particularly great to see schools bring down large numbers for the Fun Run as we aim to be inclusive while still offering some fun but competitive racing with a real emphasis on the team element."

“One of the reasons we created this event is to try and break the stigma surrounding cross-country running, and probably one of the most rewarding aspects was seeing so many students of all abilities coming in with a smile on their face and doing their best for their school teams. The enthusiasm and atmosphere created by all the students and teachers alike were fantastic.”

All pictures by Andrew Le Poidevin. Click here for more.