«
»

Southern 50

  • thumbs 100 0483 Southern 50
  • thumbs in charge at checkpoint 10 Southern 50
  • thumbs in charge at checkpoint 11 Southern 50
  • thumbs in charge at checkpoint 12 Southern 50
  • thumbs the cowboys and indians Southern 50
  • thumbs a shovelful of snow Southern 50
  • thumbs fozzy faces the indians Southern 50
  • thumbs p2110167 Southern 50
  • thumbs p2110170 Southern 50
  • thumbs team 126 at checkpoint 11 Southern 50
  • thumbs team 39 checks their map Southern 50
  • thumbs six shooter suzi Southern 50
  • thumbs 100 0466 Southern 50
  • thumbs img 2607 Southern 50
  • thumbs img 2548 Southern 50
  • thumbs img 2549 1 Southern 50
  • thumbs img 2583 Southern 50
  • thumbs img 2589 Southern 50
  • thumbs img 2590 Southern 50
  • thumbs img 2599 Southern 50
  • thumbs img 2605 0 Southern 50
  • 100 0483 Southern 50
  • in charge at checkpoint 10 Southern 50
  • in charge at checkpoint 11 Southern 50
  • in charge at checkpoint 12 Southern 50
  • the cowboys and indians Southern 50
  • a shovelful of snow Southern 50
  • fozzy faces the indians Southern 50
  • p2110167 Southern 50
  • p2110170 Southern 50
  • team 126 at checkpoint 11 Southern 50
  • team 39 checks their map Southern 50
  • six shooter suzi Southern 50
  • 100 0466 Southern 50
  • img 2607 Southern 50
  • img 2548 Southern 50
  • img 2549 1 Southern 50
  • img 2583 Southern 50
  • img 2589 Southern 50
  • img 2590 Southern 50
  • img 2599 Southern 50
  • img 2605 0 Southern 50

BATTLING AGAINST ALL THE ELEMENTS

This year’s Southern 50 Challenge Hike was just that little bit different.  It wasn’t so much a battle for the nearly 90 teams competing against each other.  It was more of a battle against the elements.  When the Southern 50 was created some 33 years ago, the idea was to put on a real challenge for walkers in the Chiltern Hills in the middle of February when weather conditions just might be at their fiercest.  This year, the elements were at their most challenging in the history of the event.  Local radio reported that on the Friday night and at the start of the walk, temperatures in Chesham, the location for the start and finish school, had plummeted to minus 18 degrees.  How were all the teams from 14 different Counties across the UK, going to cope?

 

The answer is that they all coped amazingly well.  Despite 60% of the walkers being young people, some 90% of the nearly 400 participants finished their chosen event in good shape, having planned sensibly for the adverse weather.  The Arctic conditions were difficult enough, but the fall of heavy snow on Thursday night together with ice underfoot, meant that progress was hindered even further.  Nevertheless, the walkers stuck to their task and sheer guts and determination drove them home.

 

The 30km event saw Harrow ESU make light of the wintery conditions to stride home in just under seven hours, just 14 minutes ahead of the runners-up team from The Hatters ESU in Southgate.  A few minutes later came an all girls team from Majendie-Steeple ESU.  This Essex based team are regular entries and all the girls taking part made up a superb 30% of all participants.

 

The 50km event saw 1st Runwell Overtakers from Essex live up to their name.  They starting off last and overtook all their rivals to finish their event in 9:36.  They have been knocking on the door for a few years, as they were runners-up last year and 3rd place in 2010.  They were a half an hour ahead of another Essex based team, The Undertakers, from Halstead and Colne Valley.  Twenty minutes later came Phoenix Flyers Too from 201st Islington, who always used to do well in the 30km event, but now they are over 18, they were tackling the 50km event for the first time, and are obvious stars in the making.

 

Finally, in the blue riband 50mile event, hot favourites Shuffling Pullovers from 1st Chesham Bois made good use of local knowledge and experience to storm home in 10:54, finishing over 90 minutes ahead of Phoenix Flyers – a team of Leaders from 201st Islington who were forced to move up in class for fear of being beaten by their other younger team.  Third home was Ten Gallon Dixie from Hornchurch, led by the amiable Mike Suggate, who was responsible for entering five teams from his old base in Hornchurch and his new base in Abingdon, Oxfordshire.

 

Event Secretary, Chris “Fozzy” Foster said “I have nothing but huge respect for everybody who took part this year.  It’s a tough enough event at the best of times, but throw in snow, ice and the coldest temperatures I have ever experienced in the UK, each finisher’s certificate is a thing of beauty to cherish by its new owner.  Our loyal group of over 100 adults who help to staff the event were once again all brilliant”.

 

Meanwhile, Pippa Byrom, aged 15, from the Bush Hill Park ESU in Enfield said “It was really brill.  The guys at the checkpoints were so encouraging and they kept us going.  It was difficult but the challenge was all part of the fun, and afterwards we really felt like we’d achieved something.  The evening activities were good and it was great to hang out and make friends with other Explorers.  I am really looking forward to trying it again next year”.

The Trophy Winners

(Full results are available on the Southern 50 Website )

thumbs img 2607 Southern 50

The Shuffling Pushovers

thumbs img 2605 0 Southern 50

The Phoenix Flyers

 

 

 

 

 

 

Southern 50 Shield (winners)
Shuffling Pushovers, 1st Chesham Bois, Buckinghamshire
Robert Walters Trophy (runners up)
Phoenix Flyers, 201st Islington, GLN
Grove Trophy (aggregate of 130 years)
Shuffling Pushovers, 1st Chesham Bois, Buckinghamshire
Sharon Blower Trophy (fastest mixed team)
Sittingbourne Stompers, Sittingbourne, Kent
Novice Trophy
WHY?!?!, Plympton Guides, Devon
Ladies Trophy
WHY?!?!, Plympton Guides, Devon
Chief’s Cup (fastest, all under 25 year old novices)
Why Not?, 2nd Warwick Sea Scouts, Warwickshire
County Winners Trophy
Phoenix Flyers, 201st Islington, GLN

thumbs img 2590 Southern 50

1st Runwell Overtakers

50 km event

50 km Challenge Trophy (winners)
1st Runwell Overtakers, Billericay & Wickford, Essex
Galleon Trophy (runners up)
Undertakers 2 ASU, Halstead & Colne Valley, Essex
Martin Hornsby Tankard (aggregate of 200 years)
CLVU Return Again
50 kms Novice Trophy
Phoenix Flyers Too, 201st Islington, GLN
50 kms Chairman’s Cup (fastest team all under 25)
Phoenix Flyers Too, 201st Islington, GLN
Ricky Bickley Memorial Trophy (Fastest Mixed Team)
Phoenix Flyers Too, 201st Islington, GLN

thumbs img 2549 1 Southern 50

The Mad Hatters

30 km event

Explorer Scout Challenge trophy (winners)
The Spartans, Harrow ESU, Harrow & Wealdstone, GLMW
Explorer Scout Runners up trophy (runners up)
Mad Hatters ESU, Southgate, GLN
Explorer Scout Novice Cup
Genesis 2 ESU, Basildon, Essex

Southern 50 Shield (winners)

 

The Scout Association | The World Organisation Of The Scout Movement | Find Us On Facebook

Copyright ©Great London North Scouts 2012. All Rights Reserved.