PICTURES: Easter Ross kids back on track after Covid-19 setbacks as festival of running at Inver Beach sees participation from Edderton, Gledfield, Craighill, Knockbreck, Tarbat Old and Hilton of Cadboll primaries

AN event open to all Tain Royal Academy associated primary schools hit the ground running and set the scene for better times AHEAD.

A festival of running at Inver Beach saw participation from Edderton, Gledfield, Craighill, Knockbreck, Tarbat Old, Inver and Hilton of Cadboll with around 30 in each race.

There were a large number of spectators there to support this event and they created a great atmosphere throughout the run.

Organiser Blair MacKay said: "The event could not have gone any better from my perspective. The weather was perfect, the children all negotiated the route correctly and there were some really quick times. I thought everyone who attended showed determination and courage to complete the run considering that it has been over two years since anything like this has been organised.

"To promote our local athletics club, East Sutherland Athletics, every child received an information leaflet about the club on the reverse side of their placing card that they got when they finished the race.

"The run is the first step back in the process of returning to the normal Cross Country calendar. Due to the success of the event on Friday, the next stage will be to host a small scale event for all schools in Ross-shire to attend in Term 1. I have been in touch with schools already to let them know about the event to gauge interest, which there has been lots of so far. If this is successful, we will have a Cross Country series organised by Active School over the winter and culminating in the Ross-Shire Cross Country Championships in March 2023 that I also organise."

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