LOST AT LANCING?

 The eagerly anticipated race at Lancing College took place in wind and rain, across the challenging course which was muddy and slippery, but for one runner the challenge proved to be getting navigating their way back to the college in the deepening gloom before the very real possibility of Police helicopters being called for a search & rescue operation!

Despite having to wait 30 minutes for certain runners at school the trip down to West Sussex was uneventful but the weather did not lift any spirits. The impressive Lancing with its majestic chapel and dual quads always lifts spirits however. Lifting spirits and undoubtedly a few laughs was the sight of Mr Fell donning his Patrick footie boots to run the senior course alongside (or as suspected behind) the senior runners! Mr Galvin also took up the challenge despite protests from his sons!

All runners set off at the same point and ran towards the first big hill, then to the separated into the short 2.8 mile course and and long 5.8 course.

The short course challenge was just that and JFS came 5th overall. However knowing the course will be vital next year as the same runners look to finish higher

As you can see there were some great performances, not least by Gianluca and Alfie. Special mention to Jonas Bekit who ran further than anyone else having been directed the wrong way at one point!

Pos	Name	School	Time
17	Gianluca Ercolano	John Fisher	18.07
19	Alfie Smith	John Fisher	18.31
26	Peter Edwards	John Fisher	20.05
29	Joe Logue	John Fisher	20.43
33	Ragu Aravinthan	John Fisher	21.47
35	Joe Roberts	John Fisher	21.57
38	Dan Hodgeson	John Fisher	27.18
39	Jonas Bekit	John Fisher	27.59

The Senior Team were superb considering all the runers bar Oscar had not run the course before – and it is challenging with 3 steep hills and open to the elements.

As you can see below beating Harrow and Sevenoaks is a great achievement

Pos	Team	Score
1	JFS	25
2	Harrow	28
3	Sevenoaks	44
4	Charterhouse	51
5	SLH	116
6	Brighton College	118

Pos	Name	School	Time
1	Ricky Lutakome	JFS	Lost
5	Ryan Galvin	JFS	36.24
7	Alex Galvin	JFS	36.47
12	John Erne	JFS	40.04
17	Fabien Dayburn	JFS	40.42
30	Harry Smith	JFS	43.31
43	Oscar Halfacre	JFS	50.08

Ricky’s time may be a little confusing, however he and a runner from Harrow were leading quite considerably from the rest at the half-way stage and missed a sign, ran left the course and proceeded to run off into the distance on the Downs. An hour after the start both had not reappeared and it was apparent that they were lost.

With cyclists and staff out trying to locate the 2 students, the Police were called as night was drawing in fast. Worries were becoming alarmingly real at one point until the news filtered through that they were both found and safe having ran to Worthing and half-way back they were in a women’s house whose door that had eventually knocked on!

Having picked up safe and sound both were awarded honorary first place finishes as they were so far in front when they got lost.

There was time for Ricky to polish off his sausage, chips and beans – one portion behind the Galvin’s obviously – before we departed a lot later than anticipated, but happy that one of our own had done what hadn’t been done in 33 years of the race and got lost to that degree!

Seriously however a truly impressive performance by the boys who ran the long course

Ps. In case you were interested, Mr Galvin finished in 47 minutes and Mr Fell trudged in in 50 minutes, happy in the knowledge that even at his pace, he could still beat Ricky to the finish!