East Anglian Prep Schools Cross Country
Huge crowds; hundreds of expectant children from across East Anglia; so many schools represented. Woodbridge School’s second hosting of this major regional event on the sporting calendar was if anything even more brilliantly slick than last year’s triumph. Mr Lubbock, Mr Goddard, Miss Sanders, Mrs Richardson and their wonderful team of staff, parent and pupil volunteers spirited up a glorious day of endeavour and achievement, making light of the relatively grey skies, and the attempt at drizzle –nothing was going to dampen proceedings!
Each race went off at blistering pace, the thunder of the feet rolling down the initial slopes into the valley. And then the woodland hill… but even here the attack of the athletes was great to behold. No quarter given to mere gradient. One lap, two laps, Tollers or not depending on age or gender… everyone had a course perfectly matched to their experience and strength, and the challenges posed gave the fastest just the right amount of time to demonstrate their skill. Medallists were almost invariably medallists by a good few metres and not by heartbreaking widths-of-singlets; and teams won their honours thanks to consistently outstanding performance and not through the agony of others’ distress.
After over two hours of racing, one event seamlessly proceeding to the next, it was time to regroup in the Dome for delicious cakes, sandwiches and hot drinks (very welcome indeed!). Mr Brett welcomed and thanked, Mr Lubbock and Miss Sanders praised and distributed: and it was a great day for Woodbridge School: overall team champions! Overall boys’ champions! Overall girls’ champions! Under 11 boys’ champions! Under 12 boys’ champions! Second in under 12 girls, under 13 girls and under 10 boys! Ruby Vinton won U10 girls’, Henry Dinwiddy won U11 boys’, Kit Evans-Lombe won silver in U12 boys’, and Will Frankin (U12B), Edward Rufford (U11B) and Bea Thomas (U12G) all won bronzes. Brilliant stuff. Many congratulations to all the athletes, wherever you placed – everyone counted in the team event – and what a team we were!
