OEBest ever Marling capture second trophy (From Stroud News and Journal)

OEBest ever Marling capture second trophy

THIS year's Marling School cross-country team may well be it's most successful ever after winning a second piece of silverware this season.

Each year, the Henry VIII Relay Cup in Coventry is competed for by the top cross-country schools from all over Great Britain, most of them executive private schools. The race is run over six legs of a 2.2 mile course incorporating lots of mud, water and a forest.

Last year Marling finished 30th out of around 45 schools, but this year they managed an exceptional sixth place. Marling's record in the cup has been mixed with the highest position before this year being eleventh back in 1992.

The first leg started with the best possible result, a second place from Sebastian Duffy of Year 13. Seb ran the race of his life pushing ahead and climbing up the pack to finish just a few metres behind the leading runner from Manchester College, and a clear 30 metres ahead of the rest of the field. Seb actually ran the fourth fastest time of the day out of nearly 300 runners.

Tony Gibson from Year 13 was on second leg, an international badminton player with immense aerobic fitness. Half way round the lap Tony had taken the lead but was being closed down by the opposition runners. He kept his nerve though and finished bright red and dripping in sweat but had kept Marling in contention in sixth place.

Toby Ireland of Year 12 took over on the third leg, running in his infamous astroturf boots took full advantage of the varying mud and tarmac conditions to only drop one place to seventh.

Sam Wyatt from Year 12 used his great power from the 800 metres to full effect and he had moved up to fourth halfway round the course, but by then St Albans had taken a huge lead over Judd with third to eighth places fighting it out behind. Sam kept Marling's chance open by finishing seventh.

Peter Holmes from Year 13 took over on the fifth leg and faced the dilemma of catching the two teams in front but was being caught by two behind. The five school battle continued throughout the lap with all of them finishing within 50 metres of each other. Peter dropped one position to eight but was right on the shoulder of seventh.

Taking over on the last leg for Marling was Tom Russell of Year 11. The youngest runner in the team, Tom, flew out of the start and had passed one team within 100 metres.

He continued to catch up another two schools through the forest section and overtook one. He then engaged in a gruelling battle with a Year 13 from Sedgefield and only narrowly lost out ending up just metres away from fifth place.

The fantastic result was a credit to the dedication of the team and mirrored the team spirit throughout. Marling won the 'John Vickers Cup' for the most improved team having moved up 24 positions since last year's race.