Mud ‘n’ fun as part of Zedra X Challenge

The drizzly autumn weather didn’t dampen the enthusiasm of 400 children and young people who took part in the Zedra X Challenge earlier this week.

Billed as a cross country challenge with a difference, the participants ran two laps of the course tackling various obstacles including a net crawl, car tyre run track, logs to hurdle, a man-made mud section, hay bales to jump and a few other twists and turns around the course.

The primary age pupils from Years 5 and 6 completed a 1 mile run over two laps with older students running a slightly longer extended course.

Spectators and supporters could watch the action whilst keeping dry in the stands.

Teams from 14 primary schools took part with each runner given a special event t-shirt in their school colours to run in. Each team had 6 runners with the top four finishers scoring points for their schools. Each team was also encouraged to come up with their own name to match the X Challenge with Muddy Melrose eventually coming out as winners of the girls’ team event and Castel Courage taking the boys’ team title.

There were also four races for secondary age students with Years 7 and 8 combined and Years 9 and 10 combined.

The Ladies' College won both girls events and Elizabeth College won both boys events, although the boys events were particularly close with the winners narrowly beating La Mare de Carteret High in the Years 7 and 8 race and actually having the same score as St Sampson’s High in the Years 9 and 10s race. Elizabeth College eventually coming out on top in the team event because their last scoring runner finished ahead of the in last St Sampson’s scorer.

This was a great inclusive event with many runners taking part in this sort of cross country challenge for the first time.

Thanks to all those who took part and helped make the Zedra X Challenge such a great event.

You can see Chris George’s photos of the event here