Chronicle January 2021

43 ST EDWARD’S CHRONICLE

The Thrill of the Chase

Tilly's Fourth Formers set off

Among the highlights of the Autumn Term was ‘The People’s Chase’. The brainchild of Segar’s HM Simon Roche, it was an inter-House relay race run over a cross country course of just over 1km, with each year group in House completing a lap – fastest House wins and with podium places available for the quickest ‘hares’. Simon tells us, ‘Due to social distancing we managed two Houses at a time in a colourful version of cat and mouse. We staged the boys’ event before Half Term in relatively benign conditions. There were

some very quick individual times with Sam Gorton, Upper Sixth, setting a course record (3:25). In first place was Kendall, second was Segar’s, and Field and Cowell’s were joint third. The People’s Choice award for Houses that displayed the most camaraderie went to Field and Sing’s who seemed to put their whole Houses out to run. ‘Due to their Hockey season, the girls’ race was staged after Half Term. It was a lot muddier and wetter for the girls and therefore much tougher. We even placed tyres for them to step through to slow

them down over the bridges. The spirit of the girls was amazing. There were Houses diving through the mud to finish and a lot of noise. Jubilee was the fastest House, with Corfe in second and Oakthorpe in third; Corfe won the People’s Choice award.’ There are plans for a full Tough Mudder in the spring. Simon says, ‘I am liaising with a Tough Mudder company who will come and help us stage something spectacular and Covid secure. We just need it to get wetter and muddier for the ideal conditions’. Definitely one to look out for.

Rowan Campbell, Rose Brabyn, Connie Wang and Haha Smith

Algy Low, Thomas Dowdye, Mo Madrian, Tom Phillips and Josh Davidson