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More than 300 youngsters were out in force at Callendar Park as the Scottish Schools Orienteering Festival came to central Scotland for the first time, and there was great success for local athletes right across the courses.

Matthew Owen was quickest (7.08) on the P5/6 Boys course, but was handed a five minute penalty for a mispunch which pushed him down into seventh place. There was an FVO trio just ahead of him, with Finlay Gallagher (9.59), Murray Baldwin (10.48) and Sean Truswell (10.55) all scoring well, and they formed the top team in the class, retaining the trophy for Newton PS.

There were no such slips in P5/6 Girls, as Hannah Inman won the race in 6.52 before, teaming up with Aalya Tijhuis (9.22) and Sarah O'Halloran (9.32) to make it a Newton double in the youngest class. Esme Finch won the individual bronze medal in 7.12, while Rose Martin opened the entire event with the first run, ending up in nitnh (9.02) and helping her school into team Bronze.

The Newton P7 boys were no less prolific, as Lucas Baikie (15.37) and James Edward (15.59) topped the standings, and when Ruaridh Nairn came back in a solid 7th place (25.29) it brought a third victory for the team.

Fraser Cheyne (16.10) was just eased out of the S1 boys medals as he finished 4th, but there was more local success as Eilidh Connor won the S1 girls individual gold in 13.56, which contributed significantly to a strong performance across the board for the team, as Maisie Beaton (fourth in 16.53) and Eleanor Hutchison (sixth in 18.23) backed it up for the team gold. Matthew Inman scooped the pot in S2 boys, taking gold in 15.00, while in the team event, Alex Choi (seventh in 22.54) contributed to a team win for Stewarts Melville College.

There was significant local interest in the S2 girls race, as Katie Niven (12.44) overcame the challenge of Esme Kelly (13.35) for a Dollar Academy 1-2 in the class. Hannah Brindley was run out of the medals by four seconds, while Emma Godfree's ninth place finish in 22.13 meant back to back team wins for Dollar in the event.

Peter Owen was fourth in S3 boys, in a competition won by James Gillespie HS, while in S3 girls, Scarlett Kelly won individual silver in 18.24, and was assisted by Rachel Godfree (12th in 27.48) and Priya Small (13th in 28.25) to take team bronze for Dollar, while Rebecca Hammond was the best placed of the Linlithgow Academy team, 11th in 26.47. Grace Polwart made a welcome comeback from injury, and was 17th (33.41) one place ahead of Nicole Feltbower (35.26).

Scottish Schools Orienteering festival comes to Falkirk's Callendar Park