Runner loses shoe but gains top spot as 31st youth festival gets underway

PERFECT weather welcomed more than 170 pupils to this year’s Henley Youth Festival Fun Run.

Children from primary schools competed against one another in the sunshine in a field next to Swiss Farm off Marlow Road on Saturday morning.

Reception and Year 1 and Year 2 children ran a short course while Year 3 and 4 completed a loop around the hill and Year 5 and 6 did two.

Before each race, Justine Blaettler, who was dressed as a tortoise, and Dylan Dawes, dressed as a hare, led a warm up to songs the Macarena and We Like to Move It.

The children were asked to form a circle while following dance and exercise instructions from them.

Mr Dawes, from Goring, said: “This is something fun to get the kids enjoying it and get them excited. We don’t want to do stretches and things, we want to make it a bit more memorable.”

Mayor Rory Hunt was waiting at the finish line to congratulate pupils and he awarded gold, silver and bronze medals to the first three finishers of each race. He also gave them certificates.

The medal ceremonies took place on a podium where parents and staff cheered and clapped.

Valley Road Primary School was awarded £250 for having the largest number of participants.

In the Year 1 and Year 2 boys’ race Joshua Mattingley, seven, from Shiplake Primary School, came first despite losing a shoe while hurtling down the hill.

He said: “It got undone when I was running down and I was worried other people were going to trip over it. Last year I came fourth out of seven Year 2’s and I was the only in Year 1.”

Joshua said he had trained with his father, James, and they had been running along the river.

Mr Mattingley said: “He loves running. He runs quite regularly. He takes after his mother. We run together and he managed to do it with no shoe at the end, which is always a bonus.”

George Gibbons, six, from Trinity Primary School, finished second while Nicholas Farrelly, from Valley Road School, finished third.

Eva Worsfold, seven, from Kidmore End Primary School, won the girls’ event. She said: “I was a bit tired at one point and then my mum said she would buy me my favourite toy and I would get a trophy so I was like, ‘I want to run up that hill and win’.

“The hill was quite tricky and my legs were really hurting but I thought, ‘I’m going to push that thought away and win’.”

Anya Barcella, six, from Badgemore Primary School, finished second and Sienna Lakin, seven, from Nettlebed Primary School came third.

The Year 3 and 4 boys’ race was won by Edward Watts, nine, from Valley Road Primary School. In second place was William Ellera, eight, also from Valley Road, followed by Wilf Goodson, eight, from Kidmore End Primary School.

Edward said he felt “proud” and “happy” to have won. William said: “On the hill it was a bit difficult. I started to feel tired. I never trained for running, I just do it. I just do practise when I play football.

“I’m happy. I knew I would come second because that guy, Edward, always comes in front of everybody.”

In the Year 3 and 4 girls’ race, Gracie Hollins, from The Manor School, won followed by Nooksy Gyoker, nine, from St Mary’s School, and Esmae Taylor, seven, from Nettlebed Community School.

The Year 5 and 6 boys’ race was won by William Lamacraft, 11, from Shiplake Primary School, with Harvey Craig, also of Shiplake, in second and Othello Forbes, 10, of Rupert House, in third.

William said: “I really like running and I am part of a running club.”

In the Year 5 and 6 girls’ race, Teddy Molnar, 10, from Rupert House came first, followed by Ellie Smith, 10, from Sacred Heart, and Olivia Greaves, 10, from Peppard Primary School. The girls all belong to Windsor, Slough, Eton and Hounslow Athletic Club.

Teddy said: “It was just amazing to be running against these two. We came to the same places as last year and it was incredible to see how much they have improved and how much I’ve improved and everyone in the race. It was just incredible to see all my friends run.”

Teddy ran back on to the course to run alongside her friends after finishing because she wanted to support them.

She added: “They are all really good runners but sometimes you have to give other friends support and that’s what being a team is all about. I found the hill the most difficult part because coming down I thought Ellie was going to catch me up. You have to really try and push yourself all the way.”

In the reception boys’ race, Bertie Holland, from Kidmore End Primary School, came first, followed by Otto Gherardi, five, also from Kidmore End Primary School, and Henry Mumford of Trinity Primary School.

The reception girls’ race was won by Autumn Taylor, five, from Nettlebed Community School, followed by Etra Benson, five, from Sacred Heart Primary School and Beatrix Boundy, four, from Kidmore End Primary School. Autumn said she had been doing “lots of practise” for the event and felt “proud” to win.

The event previously took place at Stonor Park but in 2019 Clint and Angela Botha, who own Physiolistic, which is based at Dry Leas, the home of Henley Rugby Club, took over the event.

Mr Botha said: “It’s a fantastic community event and it’s something we are really proud to be part of, especially to promote health and fitness and wellbeing.

“The fun run works really well for the youngsters of the town and making sure they can keep fit and active in a fun way and it’s always nice for everyone to get a medal at the end. We’ve had amazing turnouts over the years and this year is no different.

“It’s absolutely great to see the smiles on children’s faces and also the mums and dads who come along to support. I think this is the best weather we’ve had since we’ve been doing it.”

Councillor Hunt said: “As a sports-mad town and someone who is very keen to support that, it’s a real pleasure to be here and see the kids being active on an unusually bright and sunny day.

“The festival is a really important thing for our town and youth engagement is something I strongly believe in and the festival is probably the highlight of the year.”