20 November 2017
Senior Race Report
We arrived early to a bitter wind and an empty field, allowing us to walk the course, finding obstacles and misdirections to watch in the race to come. Having returned muddier than when we set off we quickly got warm and sized-up the opposition before lining up and starting the race. We battled for position and then bared our teeth for the fight to come. Half way around the course we held strong positions, having already lost a shoe to the course to be lost again minutes later. As we finally approached the last stretch we had achieved almost winning positions, coming in one after another. In 6th, myself, 7th, James Coode, 8th, Matthew Kunov, 9th, Thomas Phillip, 11th, Oliver Elly, 20th, Kiran Gathani and 21st, James Hall. After a race well fought our team finished with an overall 2nd and with potential for more in the races to come.
Written by Oliver Moody, Upper Sixth
Intermediate Race Report
On Wednesday 15 November, Abingdon Inter XC team travelled to Horspath to run in the Oxford City Schools Cross-country Race, against tough opposition including Blessed George Napier School, Carterton, Cherwell, Oxford Academy, St Edward's and Magdalen College School. With 42 boys racing, Abingdon did extremely well with strong finishes from all of the team. Freddie Cunningham 3rd, Seb McAllan 9th, Thomas Kent 12th, Thomas Rolfe 18th, Edward Spackman 20th, Ross Tselos 25th, Cameron Butcher 26th and Seb Muller 29th. The course consisted of long flat straights, short muddy sections, a very steep uphill and a short downhill sprint. Everyone seemed very happy crossing the line, with no one being left behind except a shoe… The race meet concluded with squash and a sandwich. With the next fixture being Harrow XC this Thursday.
Written by Freddie Cunningham, 4th Year
Junior Race Report
In was a particularly muddy race at Horspath for the Abingdon juniors. After a brief warm-up we all lined up for the 3km race. As the horn went off Abingdon stormed to the front pack which was lead by two MCS runners. Running past the athletics track some positions started to be established. Callum Aiken in 4th closely tailed by Ben MacLennan, Robin Hambidge, Jonathan Pannett-Smith and Thomas Mennie. These positions stayed the same as we entered the quagmire in the wood. The woods contained the main bulk of the race and all positions stayed relatively the same until I pulled with a stitch. I slowed down but much to my amazement hot on my heels was a huge line of Abingdon runners who made up for my falter by absolutely flying past me. As we left the woods Robin, Ben, Jonny and Thomas were really competing to be the first Abingdon boy as we entered the straight and with a strong finish in 4th place was Ben MacLennan, followed by Jonathan in 5th, Robin in 6th and Thomas in 7th. Three places behind was Alexander Darbishire who had a great race and then myself in 13th and Geordie Anderson in 20th. With the top five runners counting, Abingdon juniors were well ahead with an amazing score of 6.4 meaning we had won the Oxford City Schools Race! Overall the Abingdon juniors had a superb race dominating the leaderboard.
Written by Callum Aiken, 2nd Year
