Horowhenua StarKarli Westerby of Levin Intermediate School (pictured) displays her No 1 placing after she crossed the finish line in the year 8 girls race at the annual Grant Isaacs Trophy cross country last week.
The event is a highlight on the inter-primary school sporting calendar, bringing together the best runners from schools in the area, with more than 100 runners competing.
The picturesque course sends runners across freshly grazed paddocks neighbouring Poroutawhao School and back again, and the course last week was largely the same as it had been for the past 15 years.
Karli, 13, did well to take the starting line, having only recently had a plaster cast removed to mend a broken arm. She has won the cross country event in her age division every year except last year, when she finished second.
Keeping fit helps with cross country and in Karli’s case she plays in the backline for Shannon in rugby and at scrum half for the Levin Wanderers rugby league team – both in a mixed grades with boys – and she also plays hockey.
Poroutawhao School has hosted the event since 2011, with help from staff at Levin East School. The late Grant Isaacs was a former teacher at both schools. Before that the race had been run for years at Hardy’s farm in Denton Road. Grant Isaacs was instrumental in organising the new venue.
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