Carisbrooke’s cross country runners produced a series of determined and resilient performances at the Island Championships held at Christ the King on what was a wet, muddy and cold afternoon. Despite the challenging conditions underfoot, every athlete showed great commitment to complete the demanding course and represented the school with pride throughout the event.  Thank you, Christ the King for putting on the event in such challenging conditions and making it a fun afternoon for all to compete in what is proper cross country terrain. 

A standout performance of the afternoon came in the Year 7 boys’ race, where Jenson delivered an excellent tactical run to secure a superb third-place finish. Jenson paced himself brilliantly over the course, allowing him to unleash a strong sprint finish in the closing stages to hold off pressure from several competitors and claim his podium position. He was well-supported by Albie (13) and Joshua (16), who both produced respectable performances that contributed to a strong overall team result for Carisbrooke. Further valuable efforts in this race came from Caleb (20), Sullivan (27) Reuben (34) and Harry (38), all of whom showed great determination in difficult conditions.

In the girls’ race, all three Carisbrooke runners performed admirably. Zara led the team home with an excellent sixth-place finish, a fantastic result given the testing conditions. Strong runs from Araya (15) and Savannah (29) ensured Carisbrooke was well represented in the field.

The Year 8 boys’ race proved even more demanding, as the terrain became increasingly churned up following the earlier races. However, this did not deter the Carisbrooke athletes, with Mason (11), Jimmy (15), Archie (26), McKinley (30) and Ruben (43) all putting in solid and committed performances to complete the course successfully.

In the Year 8 girls’ race, Eva (23) was the top finisher for Carisbrooke closely followed by Esme (26) and Tabitha (29). All three showed real resilience, determination and positivity throughout the race, taking on the challenge with smiles on their faces and a clear desire to push themselves to the finish.

Overall, it was a pleasure to take such a committed and enthusiastic group of runners. Well done to everyone involved for their effort, attitude and the pride with which they represented Carisbrooke School. Thank you, Christ the King and, in particular, Mr Clark for organising.