Newton PS dominated the SSOF primary age classes

An enormous FVO contingent turned on the razzle-dazzle in the Scottish Schools Festival at Drumpelier Country Park, winning 17 individual medals and seven team titles, including a near whitewash in the Primary age class.

Rose Martin (Low Port PS) got the entire show underway for the 2nd successive year, and was one of three from FVO on the P5/6 Girls podium, as Sarah O'Halloran (Newton PS) took the win in 13.59, ahead of Sophie Edward (Newton PS) (14.48),. who was eight seconds quicker than Rose on the run-in for silver. Sarah and Sophie joined up with another FVO junior, Lila Robertson (who was 5th with a time penalty) to take the team title.

On the boys side, there's a familiar name on top of the leaderboard, Inis Chepelin (son of Oleg, nephew of Sasha) had the win (we can take a small claim here, as Inis ran for FVO in the Scottish Relays), but there was another FVO/Newton pair making up the podium party, with Finlay Gallagher (15.04) and Lachlan Carruthers (16.23) well placed for medals. Sean Truswell's 4th place meant that nobody could get near to a Newton team double in the youngest age class.

No change in P7 girls, with Hannah Inman rocking home yet another title (16.14), but a clearly delighted Linda Janse was 3rd (23.50) and Aalya Tijhuis in 5th secured a third Newton team trophy.

No school has ever won all four team titles in a single season; they couldn't, could they? Yes, they could! Although Matthew Owen (St Mary's EPS) had the overall win in a handsome 19.19, Murray Baldwin was 2nd in 25.29, and Alex Norve (4th) and Rory Webster (10th) ensured that all four team titles are on their way back to Dunblane.

The positions were reversed in S1 boys from last year, as James Edward (25.26) took 20 seconds off Lucas Baikie for another club 1-2, and despite a time penalty for 3rd man Ruaridh Nairn, Dunblane HS had enough in reserve for the team win.

Eilidh Connor was 32 seconds (23.31) off the top of S2 girls in silver medal position, while the S3 girls podium is another one that's all FVO, Katie Niven with back to back wins in the event (21.47) despite a valiant effort from Hanna Brindley, who was five seconds adrift. Esme Kelly (22.36) was 3rd, and Katie and Esme were able to bring in Vanessa Wang to guarantee the team title in the class for Dollar Academy.

Matthew Inman took silver in S3 boys (21.00) and joined up with Alexander Hunt and Lucas Whitworth for the team trophy, ahead of another all-FVO team comprising of Alex and James Choi and Alexander Neave, who were representing a Rona Molloy-coached Stewarts Melville College.

The final local success came for Peter Owen, who was doubling as the Dunblane HS manager for the day, but, having seen his charges into action, he got the tracksuit off and had a most comprehensive win in S4 boys (24.21)