Excellent start to the season for The Hunt Runners

Hunt runners were treated to clement conditions and a fast course at the first round of the English Schools’ Cross-Country Cup, held at the Haberdashers’ Adams grounds at Longford Hall on Wednesday 5^th October.

Runners competed in separate boys’ and girls’ teams, in Intermediate (3^rd and 4^th form) or Senior (5^th, L6^th and U6^th form) age groups. Each team comprised six members, with the top four finishers contributing to the overall team score.

Unofficially, it seems like all four of our teams won, although we will wait for official confirmation before ordering the case of vintage Champagne!

Our seniors went off first, with boys and girls starting together and racing the same course. At the head of the course Will S (R, UVI) and Kristian T (I, UVI) quickly hit the front, joined by a former English Schools’ 1500m champion from Thomas Telford school. By the start of the final lap, Will and Kris had pushed on, dropping their challenger, claiming a convincing 1-2. Shrewsbury rather crowded out the top-10, with Brad K (R, LVI) next, in 4^th, Harry P-M (I, V) in 5^th and Hamish G (PH, LVI) (7^th), Dom W (Rb, V) (8^th) and Tim S (I, LVI) (9^th) finishing in quick succession.

Iris D (G, UVI) also showed her class, finishing 2^nd in the Senior Girls, and beating the majority of the Senior Boys in the process. Sophia U (EDH, UVI) took bronze with a fantastic race, perhaps her best in Hunt colours, whilst Sophia C (MSH, V) (4^th), Frances T-T (EDH, V) (8^th), Ellie L-L (MSH, LVI) (9^th) and Eva H (G, UVI) (11^th) provided very able support.

The Intermediate ranks saw a resurgent Johnnie T (Ch, IV) take a convincing and commanding victory, pulling clear of Will R (O, IV) in 2^nd, with Alex M (Rb, IV) close behind in 5^th. Zac W (Rb, IV) ran solidly for 8^th, as did Leon B (Rt, IV) in 12^th. RSSH debutant (and sole 3^rd form boy), Herbie W (PH), finished a promising 14^th.

The Inter Girls’ team saw the talented Maggie W (G, III) take 3^rd place, with a year still to go in the age group. Amelia B (MSH, IV) finished in 4^th despite a painful niggle, with the next 3 places filled by Georgia G (MSH) and April H (MSH), both 3^rd form, and Artemis W (EDH, IV).

All in all, it was an excellent, early season opener, with the Hunt now ready for the new season and looking forward to sterner challenges ahead.

Frank Tickner

I/C RSSH