More than 80 secondary school pupils from across the West Highlands lined up for the 2023 Leanachan Cross Country Challenge last week.
Hosted by the Rural Education Trust at Torlundy, with support from Active Schools teams across Lochaber, this year’s event took place on Tuesday November 28 and was held in memory of Peter English.
The courses included woodland and steep inclines with junior and senior runners all starting and finishing at the An Clachan centre.
This year, pupils from Portree, Tobermory, Mallaig, Plockton, Ardnamurchan and Lochaber high schools took part, with teams split into S1/2, S3/4 and S5/6 age groups. Older runners went around the course twice.
Races are always hotly contested, with prizes for the best team based on points and timing as well as first overall boy and first overall girl, judged on individual performance.
The event takes place in the morning, with lunch provided by the Trust, followed by an awards ceremony and time to rest before heading back to the respective schools.
In past years, competitors have faced heavy rain, wind and snow, so it was a relief for everyone, including staff and volunteers who monitor the stages, that it was cold but dry.
2023 was definitely the year for Lochaber High School taking the shield for Best Team as well as First Boy, Fraser Anderson and Best Girl Isla Cant, who have both taken part in previous years.
Results
S1/2 Boys: 1 Aaron Tresidder, Lochaber High School/LHS); 2 Freddie Smith, LHS; 3 Finn Watt, LHS.
S1/2 Girls: 1 Katie Pescod, LHS; 2 Charlotte Paget, LHS; 3 Lia Robertson Marchs, LHS.
S3/4 Boys: 1 Sandy Halewood, LHS; 2 Murdo Morrison, Tobermory High School (THS); 3 Seth Hamilton, Mallaig High School (MHS).
S3/4 girls: 1 Isla Cant, LHS; 2 Vivenne Goodman, Plockton High School (PHS); 3 Gemma Macrae, THS.
S5/6 boys: 1 Fraser Anderson, LHS; 2 Leon Halloram, Ardnamurchan High School (AHS) 3 Thomas Wilson, THS.
S5/6 girls: 1 Evie Kellet, THS; 2 Charleigh Adams, LHS; 3 Lucy Bloom, LHS.
Fastest boy: Fraser Anderson, LHS). Fastest girl: Isla Cant, LHS.
Teams: 1 LHS, 240 points, winner of school shield; 2 THS, 70 points; 3= PHS asnd AHS, 20 points; 4 MHS, 10 points.
Featured image: The overall winning cross country team from Lochaber High School. Photograph: Iain Ferguson, alba.photos. NO_F49_LeanachanChallenge_23_TeamWinners