Guernsey's Sarah Waters ran impressively to finish fifth in the year 6 girls' race. (Picture by Phil Hall)

THE 2009 junior schools cross-country inter-insular meeting will be remembered as a classic, which ended in an honourable draw with a scoreline of Guernsey 82, Jersey 82.

Athletes from Years 5 and 6 competed in the event and it was the excellent performance of the Guernsey Year 5 boys’ team that dragged the Sarnians back into the reckoning.

Four of their team, led by Edward Mason, finished in the top five and ensured that a 20-point deficit was made up.

Alun Williams, the GIAAC president and junior schools team manager, is a veteran of inter-insular matches and believes this contest was one of the best he has ever witnessed.

‘If anyone thinks that competition is no longer a part of schools sports then they should have witnessed the excitement of this inter-insular match. It was a privilege to see the efforts of all the competitors,’ he said.

‘We used our home advantage to the full as all our athletes were acquainted with the tough Delancey Park course and that helped our team as they were smaller and physically less mature.

‘But they were very determined and we had done a lot of work making sure that they were aware that every athlete’s performance counted in the overall score.’