The day dawned fresh, windy, but dry as Andrew Smith, the former MP for East Oxford, started Rotary Club of Fun Run at 11.00 on Saturday 6th May. Andrew has carried out this duty for many years and the starting klaxon was the signal for 385 runners, walkers and rollers to set off around the 5km course in Oxford University Parks.
There was stiff competition for the overall champion (trophy sponsored by St Clare’s Oxford) with three former winners in the race – Dermot Twomey (Centre for English Studies) who comes over from Dublin each year; Frazer McDiarmid of Christchurch College Oxford; and Juan Perez (who travels from London to compete). However this year Micah Hayns, also from Christchurch came out on top in a time of 17.08. The leading international student (sponsored by The PIE) was Ivo, a Croatian student from St Cross College, Oxford.
The Christchurch team also provided the leading lady (sponsored by Knights1759) in the fleet figure of Pippa Abel, running for Christian Aid.
Also with God on their side were teams from Storm Ministries in Worthing, taking part in their second Oxford Fun Run and this year well prepared to take the Clubs and Societies Trophy for speed and also the Team Fancy Dress Trophy sponsored by Study Travel as four of their adventurers walked “Storm Treader”, a Narnia influenced boat, around the course. On the path, not on the water.
There were some wonderful fancy dress costumes this year and the course was decorated and later, at the finish, littered, with bunches of grapes; Pokemon figures; dragons; playing cards; an enormous bear with entourage; various superheroes; and four pretty little piggies pursued by the Big Bad Wolf. You can see the photos on Facebook www.facebook.com/oxfordfunrun1989/ and The Oxford Times also published a colourful description of the event thttp://www.oxfordtimes.co.uk/news/15269747.NEW_PICTURE_GALLERY__Costumed_crusaders_conquer_the_Oxford_Fun_Run_2017/
It was hard to select the winners of the other fancy dress prizes but after some critical judging the Carter Jonas bear was awarded the Individual Fancy Dress trophy (sponsored by EC Education). The Sartorial Stroller Trophy (sponsored by CES Schools) – see the Oxford Times report to see what this is if you are puzzled – was given by the ageing Rotarians on the judging panel to one of the pretty little piggies who pushed a pram with a very tiny piggie on board around the track.
The Corporate Trophy (sponsored by Kingerlee Homes) was won by Archaeomins from Summertown. The leading family trophy (sponsored by Finders Keepers) went to Eight Legs, better known in North Oxford as the St John Cox family. The trophy that Quality English sponsor for their member schools was won by “The Swiss Rolls” from BEET School in Bournemouth, and in the keen competition for the IALC Trophy (sponsored by the International Association of Language Centres) the Fast Team from Centre for English Studies in Dublin came out on top.
Beginning from a dedicated start this year, the fabulous team from PHAB were awarded the Rotary Achievement Award.
A popular innovation for this year was to award a personalised certificate to all the children taking part as a memento of the day.
And then, after the race, it was back to the BBQ (kindly hosted once more by Oxford English Centre in Banbury Road), for several hundred Oxford sausages from Hedges, and delicately charred courgettes donated by Kingston Fruiterers. Not to mention the soft floured baps from Nash’s in Oxford market. All washed down with appropriate restorative beverages.
Last year the event raised £14,000.00 for the charities and we are hoping for more this year.
Thanks to all the runners, supporters and organisers. See you in 2018.
http://www.oxfordfunrun.org.uk/
