Friday 19 August 2022

4. School Cross Country Reminder

 REMINDER NOTICE - 2022 Cross Country


Event: Combined School Cross Country with Te Pakihi o Maru School


Date: Friday 26th August 2022

Where:  Oamaru Racecourse

Time: 11.00 am starting with Yr 0/1/ children

Last Race: 11.48 am for Yr 7/8 boys

Helpers Needed: yes please.  Contact Mrs Brien if you can help

Can we start the races if there are not enough helpers? - no because of safety requirements.  We will wait until we get the required number of helpers.

Animals:- Definitely NO DOGS or animals allowed at the racecourse

Parking:  all cars are to park in the designated parking area, not on the race track

Participation: The course is the same as last year.  All children are to participate whether walking or running unless a medical reason is given by a parent.

Cancellation - the postponement date is Tuesday 30th August.  If it is cancelled on Friday, we will let you know in the morning and a message will be sent to all the parents.

Venue - the cross country is held at the Oamaru Racecourse on the left-hand side of the racing track and the entrance for parents will be through the main southern entrance and you walk along the southern side of the track to start the course.

Spectators: are warmly welcomed 

What do the Children wear and bring?  

  • they wear their PE gear to school

  • 1-2 pr warm trousers (in case they fall over) and school jacket

  • A spare pair of socks and shoes and a hand towel to wipe themselves if they get dirty or wet

  • A plastic bag to put dirty socks and shoes in it

  • Extra food and drink for the day as they will take their school bags with them to the event.

  • Named medications e.g. inhalers and give them to the class teacher


Subway Lunches - there will be NO subway lunches on this day.


Tarpaulins – we require tarpaulins for the children to sit on.  Please name them and give them to your class teacher.


Grounds – will be quite damp, muddy,  animal droppings around and maybe some water to go through so the children will need another pair of shoes to wear afterwards e.g. school shoes. (Yr 1 & 2 children will not be going through water).

Course – a copy of the course is on the noticeboard for all year levels.  This year the children are going through and over jumps and we will have a marshall at each of these jumps. The Yr 1 & 2 children will go past the jumps.  

The children from Yrs 3-8 go through a very shallow creek and walk on a wooden bridge.. (This will depend on how much rain has fallen recently).



Buses – leave school at 10.15 am. The children will go to the toilet beforehand. The buses will drop the children off at the carpark and they will walk along the fence to the cross-country paddock.  

The buses will be taking the year 1 & 2 children back to school at approximately 12.00 pm.  The other year levels will go back at the end of the morning at approximately 12.30 pm.


Year Levels – the children will be running in gender year levels e.g. Yr 1 girls first then Yr 1 boys, Yr 2 girls then Yr 2 boys etc. 

Timetable – approximate 3-5 minutes between each race and some races may start earlier than stated. (Parents/caregivers please come out earlier to watch your children, otherwise you may miss seeing them race).  Girls race first then the boys.  

This could change depending on the number of parents we get to help as marshalls and if we have to wait for parents to go to marshall stations.  Note these times are approximate.

Time Year Level No In Race

11.00 am Yr 0 & 1 girls (19) 

11.03 am Yr 0 & 1 boys (19)

11.06 am   Yr 2 girls         (12)

11.09 am          Yr 2 boys     (13)

11.14 am Yr 3 girls      (22) 

11.17 am Yr 3 boys  (16)  

11.20 am Yr 4 girls       (15)  

11.23 am          Yr 4 boys (23)

11.28 am Yr 5 girls         (9) 

11.31 am Yr 5 boys       (13)  

11.34 am Yr 6 girls          (17)  

11.37 am          Yr 6 boys      (15)

11.44 am Yr 7 & 8 girls                  (7)

11.47 am Yr 7 & 8 boys         (14)


Marshall Stations –  All marshalls and the starter will be wearing high viz vests. Marshalls are to meet at the track by 10.40 am for a debriefing.  Information will be emailed home to you in the next couple of days.

Photos – if you take photos we would love to see some for our records. 

North Otago Cross Country - the top 6 children from either St Joseph’s or Te Pakihi o Maru school in years 4-8 will qualify for the North Otago Cross Country on Monday 5th September at 4.00 pm and will be given a note home.


Please contact me if you have any queries/questions about the cross country.


Thank you, Paula Brien, Sports Coordinator


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