Over 200 students from Welcome Bay School competed at Waipuna Park this morning for a chance to take part in next week's south school cluster cross county race-off.

Acting school principal Sandra Portegys says the event was 'absolutely fantastic”.

Scenes from the Welcome Bay School cross country race held today.

'The kids love the opportunity to go out and run and show off their skills,” says Sandra.

She says students have been training in-class for five weeks while the more competitive have also been training at home.

The four fastest boys and girls in Years 4-6 qualified for the south school cluster competition at Waipuna Park next Tuesday – against Maungatapu, Selwyn Ridge, Tauranga and St Mary's schools.