Category: Sport
Many congratulations to Issy, who has had a brilliant run of success recently. We have just heard she has earned one of only sixteen places in the U16 National Tour Finals to be held in March, having finished twelfth in the National Tour league thanks to her performances in Sunderland and Nottingham. She has also recently qualified for the first time into the main draw at a British Tour event (Corby). This all follows successes in 2018 which included: National Tour finals at U14 in both Winter and Summer leagues; the Suffolk Ladies open doubles title, and a semifinal spot in the singles; three regional grade 3 U18 titles and a further doubles title; and an open women’s grade 3 title alongside two as runner-up. She has also represented the Suffolk county team at U14, U18 and senior, never dropping a singles rubber… No wonder she was Suffolk LTA junior girls’ Player of the Year 2017!
For the second time the School entered the King Henry Relay, a competition that is over thirty years old but was this year in a new format and bigger than ever. It meant we could merge all year groups to create two boys’ teams and two girls’ teams.
The competition itself sees the boys’ teams complete 6 legs and girls’ 4 legs each of 2.53 miles, with batons exchanged as in a track relay. The boys’ race had 60 teams (A and B teams) competing this year in the largest ever field. Our A team was ably led out by Nathan, completing his leg in under the magical 12 minutes. Kit then continued his excellent recent form to keep the team within touching distance of a top 10 finish; then Charlie and George worked hard in the middle stages of the race, handing to Henry still in 9th position. Henry and Alex gave their all to retain the position, and nearly managed it, just being pipped to the post, finishing and excellent 12th. The B team did remarkably well with Chris, Tom and Johnny breaking the 15 minute barrier and Ethan, Edward and Sam just outside, to earn 46th overall and 8th out of 18 in the B team standings.
The girls’ race is 20 years old this year and had the most entries ever at 38 teams. Ours performed fantastically and finished in 5th place, having even led at one stage! April went first to produce an excellent run of 13m 29 seconds (eighth fastest female on the day, and 35th fastest all time). Ruby… was extraordinary: she ran the fastest female time of the day at 13m 01s – and this as a Year 8 amongst seniors – and the fifth fastest time ever over the 20 years of the race! Sarah and Jess then fought tenaciously to secure an outstanding 5th place overall. Our very young B team were not to be outshone: 7th out of 13 B teams and 27th overall. Bea charged out of the starting area for a 15 minute opening lap; Anna, Eloise and Issy (finishing strongly to steal a few more places) carried on the fine work.
Huge congratulations to Honor who has received a bronze medal for Giant Slalom in the Trofeu Borrufa in Andorra today, at her very first international competition representing Great Britain. What an achievement!
What a fantastic event for our fifty keen, enthusiastic and confident boys and girls! For many this was their first experience of such huge numbers of runners in each race – over 250 from around 30 schools each time – and they did brilliantly, to help build our reputation as a growing and improving cross country school.
The Year 8 girls started brightly with Ruby continuing her recent run of victories with a confident performance to win by some 500m, smashing the race record by some 40 seconds. But it’s a team event with six to count: Isobel (5), Ada (24), Libbie (34) and Esme (41) all came in strongly having fought their way through the pack and the cold, and Mae (55), Kitty (66) and Lala (73) came in close behind having run together and pushed each other along well during the race.
The Year 8 boys’ team suffered a slightly disrupted race due to Hockey preparations, but Jonny and Moses represented the team and performed remarkably well in the hail, sleet and cold to produce finishes of 4th and 16th respectively.
The Year 7 girls were well represented and had seven runners participating as a team. Eloise (5) charged through the field after a cautious start and she was ably followed by Rose (14) Sophia (17) and Millie (28). Next came three runners who worked exceptionally hard as a mini team and eventually overtook a number of pupils in the later stages of the race, Violet (36), Rosie (39) and Phoebe (40) ensured that the team finished very strongly.
The Year 7 boys, after watching the girls, were inspired to perform to a high standard even though they could not be considered for the team prize, being only five runners. In the worst of the weather (which was horrendous) Ethan continued his impressive season finishing 3rd, with Jonjo (5) close behind. Jack (30) and Oliver (34) worked well together to battle through the elements and huge numbers of runners, and Oscar (50) continued to show great improvement this year with another excellent run.
Results
Year 5/6 Girls – 3rd Place
Year 5/6 Boys – 2nd Place
Year 7 Girls – 2nd Place
Year 7 Boys – No Place
Year 8 Girls – 5th Place
Year 8 Boys – No Place
Overall Results
Girls – 2nd Place
Boys – not placed
Congratulations to Honor who having put in an incredibly strong performance at the selection races in January, and winning the U14 ladies races at the Ambition Races and the Evolution Speed Races, has again been selected to represent Great Britain at Alpe Cimbra in March. This is a huge achievement as this is the competition in which the very best skiiers from the 45 key ski countries take part.
Photo Attribution: Jaco Duvekot
Congratulations to the following Y13 students who have achieved their level 3 qualification in sports leadership: Eleanor, Ellie, Mollie, Matty, James, Jess, Dom, Thea, Ben, Ella, Flora, Sam, Georgia and Lily.
In addition, Eleanor, James and Sam have been recognised for their volunteering hours and awarded a Spirit of Leadership Award.
On Thursday 10 January Woodbridge School played host to the third and final Suffolk Schools Cross Country trial.
Trials commenced in October, with almost 1800 athletes from 62 schools competing for a position in the team to represent Suffolk at the Anglian Schools in February and perhaps even England Schools in March. No fewer than 34 Woodbridge School athletes were amongst the 320 qualifying for this, the final trial, in our own grounds.
The exciting day comprised eight races across the age groups, with our own athletes winning six of the 24 individual medals awarded to top three finishers.
Based on finishing positions across the series we are hopeful that as many as 16 Woodbridge School athletes will represent Suffolk at the Anglian Schools in Northampton in February, and hopefully as many as 10 could make the final 48 to represent the County at England Schools in Leeds in March. For Woodbridge School to provide over 20% of the team would be a new milestone.
Congratulations to every athlete who competed through each trial; and a huge thank you to all parents, staff and athletes who helped deliver such a successful home event.
Our medal winners:
Gold – Ruby – Junior Girls
Gold – April – Inter Girls
Gold – Nathan – Senior Boys
Silver – Amy – Junior Girls
Silver – Alex – Senior Boys
Bronze – Kit – Inter Boys
Full results across the age groups:
Minor Girls:
7- Eloise
18 – Rose
21 – Lara
33- Millie
Minor Boys:
14 – Ethan
15 – James
19 – Jonjo
40 – Jack
45 – Arthur
48 – Oscar
Junior Girls :
Two medals above and
22 – Isobel
25 – Anna
Junior Boys:
7 – Henry
22- Edward
24 – Jonny
32 – Edward
41 – Fazil
Inter Girls:
Gold medal above and
5 – Jess
10 – Bea
20 – Ella
23 – Ashleigh
Inter Boys:
Bronze medal above and
4 Charlie
27 Tom
Senior Girls:
5 Sarah
Senior Boys:
Two medals above
Woodbridge School Rifle Club recently returned to the Lord Roberts Shooting Centre at Bisley to compete in the BSSRA Winter Open. Seven pupils represented us there amongst the 228 individuals from 24 other competing schools. Many congratulations to our team of Luke, Henry, Noah, Charlie, Leon, Alfie and Natasha on their fine shooting, and in particular to Luke for gaining one of the coveted BSSRA Top Shot badges.
Last Saturday seven Woodbridge School athletes were in Oxford to compete in an annual Southern Inter County cross country championship against the fourteen counties that make up the might of the South of England in running terms.
We are delighted to report that young Ruby Vinton brilliantly defended the title she won last year, retaining the South of England Inter County U13 Girls’ title.
Recovering from a head cold, Ruby made a steady albeit out of character start, before powering away from the best athletes in the South to win by a clear 10 seconds. This was a truly amazing performance, and Roby has an exciting few months ahead in the build-up to the National championships.
Other exceptional performances on the day came from Kit Evans Lombe who was 16th in the U15 boys (just 46 seconds from the lead after 4km of tough cross country) and Nathan Goddard who was 21st in the U17 men (Also just 46 seconds from the lead this time after 5km of cross country).
All of our other athletes representing Suffolk on the day finished in the top 100. April Hill and Amy Goddard in the U15 girls (who also happened to be first and second Suffolk finishers), Charlie Turner in the U15 Boys and Alex Evans Lombe in the U17 Men.
Congratulations to all of the athletes who now enjoy a well-earned break from racing.
The last game of the season was upon us… that, and a long journey to Ely. The boys were in good spirits looking to add another scalp to their successful season, but things didn’t quite go to plan as missed tackles gave King’s the early lead. The second half effort was greatly improved with more bite to the Woodbridge defence and some quick hands in attack, Sam B and Toby N scoring the Woodbridge tries. Unfortunately the side left themselves too much to do from the first half and ended up defeated. Well done to Alfie G for a man of the match performance.