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UPDATED: For the second year in a row Welcome Bay's Selwyn Ridge Primary has taken first place overall in the annual Top Tauranga School competition.

More than 240 primary school children, yelled on by up to 500 spectators, gave everything they had to give during the annual competition which is run and hosted by Gate Pa School.

Matua Primary's Grayson Numa (running) in action at the Top Tauranga School 20169 competition taking place at Gate Pa School today. Photos: Cameron Avery

Coming in at second overall was Maungatapu School, followed by Greerton's Greenpark School in third.

Gate Pa associate principal Terry Furmage says all in all it was an excellent day of competition that went extremely well.

'All the children who took part really got into the spirit of the day and there was a ton of enthusiasm and healthy competition,” he says.

'Probably the highlight event was the leaky bucket race where the kids slid down the hill on a slip and slide. In fact, we had a lot parents who said they wanted to have a go on it too.”

Running concurrently was a cheerleading competition which this year was taken out by Omanu School, with Selwyn Ridge taking second place and Greenpark coming in at third.

'The judges from the Cool Bananas Youthwork trust said it was a very tight competition, they had a difficult time selecting between Omanu and Selwyn, but Omanu just had the edge of them.”

On behalf of Gate Pa School, Terry would like to thank all of the 24 schools from around Tauranga and as far abroad as Whakatane and Katikati who turned out for this year's competition.

This includes Allandale (Whakatane), Arataki, Bethlehem Primary, Greenpark, Greerton, Katikati, Matua, Maungatapu, Merivale, Mount Primary, Omanu, Oropi, Otumoetai, Pahoia, Pillans Point, Pyes Pa, Selwyn Ridge, St Thomas More, Tauranga Primary, Te Puna and Welcome Bay schools.

'We're also hugely thankful to each and every one of our sponsors, particularly Trustpower and Gate Pa New World who are the major sponsors. Without them we simply couldn't run the event,” says Terry.

Meanwhile, Papamoa Primary school was crowned champions of Year 5 and 6 Top Schools 2016 at Paengaroa School on Sunday.

The team consisted of Kerry O'Reilly, Billy Syme, Micah Hill, Rico Kelly, Aaron Gibbs, Jonty Collier, Shara Murray, Breanne Roper, Talitha McEwan, Jazmin Spice, Mia Raeburn, and Niamh Pierce.

"Our team could not have prepared any better then they did, and their collective performance on Sunday reflected these preparations," says teacher Hamish Avery.

"Early morning practises before school working on teamwork and skills specific to the games, communication, and mental and physical toughness by all 12 athletes in the tough 4-game stretch after lunch earned them the victory."

EARLIER:

Twenty-four schools from around the city are duking it out at Gate Pa School today to be crowned the Top Tauranga School of 2016.

The annual event attracts hundreds of children who'll go head-to-head in a range of challenges like the magic carpet ride, thread the needle, leaky bucket and horizontal bungy.

The Top Tauranga School Competition pits teams of six boys and six girls against one and other over eight rounds, with each activity running for 10 minutes in total.

They'll also be supported by teams of cheerleaders who'll be bringing the noise and lots of colour as they follow their schools' teams around the course.

Along with the glory, the top three will each walk away with a trophy, while the winner will also win for their school $150, with second place receive $75 and third receiving $50.

There's also prizes for the top three cheerleading teams who'll be judged on their enthusiasm, originality, dress and teamwork. First place will receive a trophy and $100 for their school, while second place receives $75 and third place being award $50.

The annual Top Tauranga School competition is being sponsored by Trustpower and New World Gate Pa.

The competition is now underway and will wrap up with a prize giving at 2pm.

Merivale Primary School

Tauranga Primary School

Pyes Pa Primary School

Selwyn Ridge Primary School