Winter season looking so unpredictable
After perfect conditions at race one last month, the ground was so badly saturated last week that the finish area had to be moved to avoid a likely disaster area as the mass of young athletes dashed into the finish funnel.
Clearly the conditions suited some better than others and the interest will be in what the rest of the winter brings.
The other missing ingredient was Mount Charles School, who have been a major player and supporter since the League's inception 10 years ago. Unfortunately, they were unable to get to the fixture and although they were not in the top three teams or individuals at the first match, they're always in the frame and can influence other results as well as producing some fine individuals. This was offset somewhat by Ladock joining the League in the Year 5 races and putting in a good account of themselves. Overall, the numbers were only marginally down, the largest drop being in the Year 6 Girls race, but with more than 200 Year 5 setting the lunch time competitions off, future records are still on the cards.
Roselyon saw their team lead slip in the Year 5 Boys race as St Mewan took up the top spot, followed by Biscovey and Mevagissey, but can be satisfied that they had both winner and runner-up.
Frankie Aldred chalked up his second victory, with Oliver Dinnis just getting the better of the run in across the line with Kasper Klups (Biscovey) in his first top three position.
Three Newquay & Par U11 Girls took up the first three places in the Year 5 race. Carla Ralph (St Stephen) moved up from third to winner and looked to be enjoying the experience, the second place was an amazing improvement by Alicia Stoops (Tywardreath), as a Year 4, moved up from 40th in Race 1 to take the second place just ahead of Rhea Cross (Bishop Bronscombe) for another first time in the top three. St Stephen head the table with two wins with St Mewan reversing the second and third placings with Roselyon.
In the second of three Dinnis family successes, Tom (Roselyon) showed a clean set of heals to his closest Year 6 rival last month, Josh Nesbitt (St Mewan) with Connor Rhodes (Probus) moving up a place to third.
It was a reshuffle of the top four teams from last month. St Mewan went top over Roche, who moved up from fourth, Fowey slipped from first to third and Roselyon moved out of the top three. Bishop Bronscombe and Probus are both close enough to seize a chance if it arises.
Bryher Freight (Grampound with Creed) looked on her way to a second Victory over Bizzie Dinnis (Roselyon) as she stormed off over the first small lap then took a gap which wasn't on the course and had to dive back under the tapes.
This must have had an effect on the lead she had but a determined Bizzie & a stronger finish to the head to head sprint into the final straight evened up the overall points and an intriguing postion as they head into the half way stage next month.
Behind these two, Claudia Carlyon-Moores (Tywardreath) seems to have made the third place her own, untroubled by the chasing Gorran Girls with Isabel Semple improving to fourth and leading her team to their second win.
With Francesca Cox at fifth, Natalie Brown seventh and Naomi Pascoe 17th, they halved the points of Biscovey in second and the tie for third between St Mewan and Tywardreath.
Full results can be viewed on the Newquay & Par website, these are produced by Poltair School, who provide the administration and course marshalling with their older students, several of whom have been leading contenders in the past.
U11 (Year 5 & 6 only) and older races can now be entered for the County Championships to be held at the St Austell Rugby Club grounds at Tregorrick on December 13. These can also be viewed and downloaded from www.newparac.co.uk
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