Young athletes race for honours at the King Henry VIII Relays in Coventry
New Hall School defended their title in fine style to make it two wins from two at the King Henry VIII Relays, James Taylor reports.
On a special day for the girls’ race, 25 years on from its addition to the long-standing boys’ fixture, the Essex school dominated in every respect, with fastest splits in all four stages. The concurrent boys’ six-stage event, on the other hand, came down to a last-lap showdown, with Ermysted’s Grammar School clinching their second title. That they took down the defending champions The Judd School in the final reckoning would have made the victory even sweeter.
The girls’ first stage saw an early statement of intent by New Hall. Heidi Woodley put them in control with the day’s fastest split, 13:12, though last year’s runners up, Upton Hall, had Holly Cross keep Woodley honest with 13:28. But this was as close as it got, as Isla Widdowson (14:05) pushed the lead out to half a minute on stage two, handing on to Ava King, the young international putting the race out of sight with 13:42.
Olivia Forrest could therefore cruise round to match the day’s second fastest, 13:28, bringing her team in a minute faster than last year, and the fifth fastest of all time. Behind, there was a great race for silver, Luan Power of Ratcliffe College coming through from a minute back to pip Upton Hall and match their high placing from 2023. But New Hall were in a different league, and with all four team members set to return next year, who would bet against a golden hat-trick?
Start of girls’ race with Heidi Woodley (120a) (Tom Andrews)
So as one dynasty begins, another seemingly comes to an end: an open boys’ contest was expected, since eight of the ten fastest last year, including the core of long-dominant Judd squad, had now left school. The Kent team had already endured a painful season, failing to qualify out of an admittedly horrid region in the National Cup, and thus anticipated an uncomfortable race around War Memorial Park, though fell running specialists and 2024 fourth-placers Ermysted’s were perhaps a little under the radar.
The first stage was fast, as we have now come to expect. Many teams with only one superstar played their ace early, none more effectively than Bourne Grammar School, who had Tom Preston rip around the multi-terrain 2.3 mile course in 11:16. Given the exceptionally muddy conditions in the short woodland section, this was an excellent time, and indeed remained unbeaten all day. Preston’s pace dragged round the resurgent Henry Barker (Harrow) and Jack Sanderson (Giggleswick) both sub 11:30, while eventual winners Ermysted’s were already well-placed, as Ewen Wilkinson’s welcome return to the squad gave them fifth in 11:45, just behind Yorkshire rivals Sedbergh, and with a healthy 44-second advantage over Judd already.
Ermysted’s quickly hit the front on leg two as the early leaders faltered, Tom Hooper returning a solid 12:03. Sedbergh held second, unconvincingly, as new challengers Loughborough College closed through Henry Haslam’s stage-fastest 12:02. Behind, James Petrie gained places for Judd, but the time gap grew to a minute off the lead.
Stage three saw the expected move for Judd, Tom Beghein storming round to his sub-12 target (11:59) and halve the Ermysted’s lead. In the circumstances, Ermysted’s Will Oakden (only Y10) ran well to keep his composure under such pressure, and close in 12:28. Loughborough were now established in third, and it seemed the medals were set.
It was more of the same on stage four, as Judd’s Mark Bridger swept into the lead, his 11:56 by far the stage-fastest. But again, an Ermysted’s youngster stayed in touch, George Marsh getting home safely in 12:48 to give his team a chance.
Stage five was an intriguing leg, Judd going in with a 15-second lead, and Will Bachelor, the Kent squad’s most consistent runner all season, with the baton. Bachelor went off well, but Lachlan Wills, Ermysted’s Head Boy, quickly halved the deficit. Bachelor had paced it well though, and eked out a small advantage by the end, 12:11 to 12:18. Behind, Loughborough and Harrow were closing up a little, the latter with Otis Farrer-Brown’s stage-fastest 11:51, but not enough to disrupt the two-horse race for gold.
So 22 seconds was the advantage for Oliver Head, Judd’s former schools’ international, who at his best would have relished the situation. However, Ermysted’s captain and GB fell runner Sam Bentham had other ideas and immediately worked to close the deficit. Head arguably went out too slowly, and his lead evaporated within the first half-mile. To his credit, Head stuck to Bentham for the middle section of the lap, and as they passed halfway locked together, supporters wondered if we were to see the first boys’ sprint finish in recent memory.
Alas, Bentham broke decisively away on the final hill and surged all the way to the line for an excellent 11:54. Head trotted over for a quite reasonable 12:34, given recent form, though he may rue his tactics a little, while Loughborough recorded their first podium, and an impressive 18-place improvement on 2024. The battle for fourth saw some of the day’s fastest, Frank Buchanan (11:35) bringing St Michael’s Enniskillen a step closer to the rostrum, while deep in the field, Knole Run winner Joe Grange delivered a lonely 11:19 for Coopers’ Coburn.
This race normally concludes the schools’ main season, but now the lucky few will prepare for the rescheduled English Schools Cross Country Cup Final in Leeds on March 1. Both our winners today will be confident, but may struggle for gold, as New Hall’s squad are split by age group and Ermysted’s will come up against the south east’s mighty sixth form colleges.
