Kensington Gardens Reserve was bathed in glorious sunshine for the 37 teams from 19 schools competing in the annual SA Schools Relays on Friday, August 26.
Clive and Marian Arthur set some challenging courses within the bounds of the reserve that had the kids needing to keep their wits about them. Mercifully, the number of dog walkers had dropped off by the time the kids headed off from the mass start at 10:30am or there might have been more than the single ice pack needed at the first aid station!
Our SA State Schools team reps competing showed that orienteering experience does count as where they were entered, they topped their classes. Marcus Cazzolato and Ben Marschall took out Junior High Boys in 36:23, Jessica Jarvis and Lucinda Fogarty led Junior High Girls with 48:15 and Senior High Girls was won by Lucy Burley and Ana Penck in 53:31.
Regular orienteers Scarlett Ashforth and Ngaire Cassey from Hawthorndene Primary School also took out Primary Girls in 34:11 with Senior High Boys won by a mixed team of Abbie Faulkner and Mitchell Stephens from Marryatville High School in 47:31.
Primary Boys was a neck and neck tussle between Flynn Forgan and Kalem Weepers of Coromandel Valley Primary School and Archie Wandless and Brock Bezzina of Echunga Primary School. The final sprint proved the difference with Kalem pipping Brock by 2s in a time of 30:20.
Full results are available on Eventor.
Schools that sent larger teams including Adelaide Botanic High School (7 teams), Coromandel Valley, Stirling East and Black Forest Primary Schools all with 5 teams featured prominently in the results for the school shields with a revised scoring system to encourage greater school participation. Unfortunately, Heathfield High School was unable to send a larger contingent due to covid restrictions. The School Shield winners were
Primary Girls: Stirling East Primary School
Primary Boys: Coromandel Valley Primary School
Junior High Girls: Mitcham Girls High School
Junior High Boys: No award as only mixed school teams completed the courses for this category.
Senior High Girls: Heathfield High School
Senior High Boys: Adelaide Botanic High School
The event ran like clockwork due, as usual, to a well-organised team of volunteers encouraged along by David Tilbrook, who has the organisation of the Relays event down to a fine art. Thanks David and his team for a great event!
Article by Dianne Bergen & Colin Burnett
Photographs Zita Sankauskis
