UK ODs finish 5th in the 74th Thames Hare & Hounds Alumni Cross-Country Race

The UK ODs were back on Wimbledon Common this weekend for one of the great fixtures in the British schools’ alumni sporting calendar: the Thames Hare & Hounds Alumni Cross-Country Race.

The race has remarkable history. Thames Hare & Hounds traces its roots on Wimbledon Common back to 1868, and the alumni event itself began with a precursor race in 1952 before the first official Old Boys’ Race was held in December 1953. That first official event had just 37 finishers; today the race brings together alumni teams from schools across the country over a testing five-mile course. This year marked the 74th running of the event. 

In the absence of Brett Ormrod, Doug Mallett came to the fore and led a superb OD team of ten runners, who finished 5th out of 33 teams - another outstanding result for the UK ODs.

It was a particularly strong performance given that two of our leading runners, Dillon McEvoy and Brett Ormrod, were both missing this year.

The beauty of this event is that it remains proper old-school cross-country: 

Wimbledon Common, five miles, mud (not as much as usual this year, after the summer heat wave), hills, a wide spread of ages and generations, and everyone running for the school they once represented. 

The event has grown enormously from its beginnings, while retaining that wonderful sense of rivalry and camaraderie between old school teams. 

A huge thank you to Doug for leading the charge and to all ten ODs who pulled on the Bishops colours!

Fifth out of 33 teams in the 74th edition - a terrific result and another hugely successful day for the UK ODs.

UK ODs from left to right, who participated on Sat 12th Sept: William Knight, Andrew Mackie, Jonathan Mackie, Justin Thorne, Douglas Mallett, James During, Nicholas Boswell, Michael Leach, Warren Handley and Michael Cockburn.