More than 3,000 elementary students from 64 public schools laced up their running shoes Oct. 25 for the annual cross-country championships at Trout Lake. Although more schools participated in 2011, this year 700 more students from grades 1 to 7 ran the course.

Covering the open fields and trails of the Grandview neighoubhood park, the youngest students in grades 1 to 3 run 1,200 metres, students in grades 4 to 6 run 1,500m and the oldest students in Grade 7 race 1,900m.

Seven runners from Jules Quesnel elementary finished in the top three and L’Ecole Bilingue placed four in the top three finishers. Three students from Kerrisdale finished in the top three, each one coming in first place.

Paul Fisher of Wolfe elementary was the fastest Grade 7 boy. He was hotly pursued by a Shaughnessy runner and Thei Puih of Selkirk. Abby Grimston of Kerrisdale was the fastest Grade 7 girl and was chased by Annika Austin of Gordon and Katia Lumb of Quesnel.

Gavin Boothroyd and Nina Watson, both of L’Ecole Bilingue, were the fastest of all Grade 6 racers. Connor McJunkin of Trafalgar and Kendra Lewis of Queen Victoria were the speediest in Grade 5 while the fastest Grade 4 racers were Harrison Cardie from Kerrisdale and Anna Watanabe of Cavell. Malcolm Bryden from Kerrisdale was the fastest Grade 3 boy and Tilda Cressman from L’Ecole Bilingue was the fastest girl. Callam McDonald of Trafalgar and Maya Bechler of Quesnel were the fastest boy and girl in Grade 2. Keefer Elliot from Quesnel was the fastest Grade 1 boy and Natalie Weenes of Emily Carr the fastest Grade 1 girl.

—Megan Stewart