The annual Upper Clutha cross country event took place on Tuesday (September 5) at the Hāwea Domain, with five local schools involved.

Year 5-8 students from Hāwea Flat School, Te Kura o Take Karara, Wānaka Primary, Holy Family School, and Te Kura o Tititea Mount Aspiring College took part.

The 1.8km course was developed by Hāwea Flat School for its cross country last month, and involved mud, puddles and obstacles on a track snaking around the domain and making the most of its dry irrigation ditches.

Read more: Domain to become ‘breathing space’ for the Hāwea community

“We’re definitely going back to the domain next year without a doubt,” Wānaka Primary School deputy principal Jason Cowan said.

Runners negotiate the muddy section.

“The mud and the smiles made my day. Some kids went back for second rounds of mud,” he said.

There were numerous displays of good sportsmanship on the course, with students fishing lost shoes out of the muddy section for runners, and teammates encouraging and supporting one another.

Jason thanked Hāwea Flat School caretaker Doug Brensell for setting up the course with the help of parents, and all the parents who returned to pack it all up.

A Holy Family runner shaking off the mud run.

Of the 160 students who took part in the event, 80 will go on to the Central Otago cross country championships in Cromwell on September 14. 

PHOTOS: Wānaka App