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1st Adderbury’s Ross McCrickerd, James Sollis, Oliver Davies and Craig Towle won the main competition, completing the 35 miles in nine hours and one minute. They collected the prestigious Cyril Gardner trophy.
The Cyril Gardner Memorial Hike, which is organised by the Oxford Scout organisation, sees youngsters walking a testing cross country course, from Oxford, through Beckley, around Otmoor, through Piddington and Brill, across to Worminghall and back to Oxford. Entries are taken from around the country, with this year’s competition welcoming teams based as far away as Bridgwater and Plymouth. The competition is not only open to Scouts, with teams of sea cadets also participating.
Conditions for the walk were atrocious, with strong winds, low temperatures and rain throughout. The route had to be amended at the last minute due to flooding on Otmoor. Most places were extremely muddy. Out of 54 Scouts teams of four entering the competition, only 10 complete teams finished the course. Scout Leader Andy Green is delighted with his Scouts’ performance. He said, "Our lads were determined to do well in this competition, having spent several weeks practising. "On the day the weather conditions were awful and the thick mud took its toll on most of the entrants. The only time the mud disappeared was when it gave way to knee high water. Both our teams just kept battling ahead though, and in a show of defiance against the elements even ran the final home straight. "Most people would find it difficult to walk more than ten miles. To complete an endurance walk of 35 miles, in such impressive times and such appalling conditions, says something of the calibre of these lads." |
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