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The year’s activities were overshadowed by the death of Jim Forrest, who had been the cross-country secretary since the club’s foundation in 1963. He is the only Old Westminster to have won the Thames Hare and Hounds annual Inter Old Boys Race, also set the record for the South Down Way in 1974 and complete the Comrades Marathon, which is 55 miles long and was run uphill on the year he did it. Jim himself continued to compete until his late sixties, leading the OWs to several veterans’ team successes in the Inter Old Boys race. However, even more important, he was the organiser of events for the club, welcomed and encouraged newcomers and was always there, either as an active athlete or in support. Jim’s memory will be preserved by naming the trophy for the annual race in September in Hyde Park, in which the OWW take on the School and the Common Room, as the Jim Forrest Serpentine Cup. This year’s 3.91 km race, which attracted an entry of 29 competitors was the highlight of the 2019 season. It was won by the School, although OW Su-Min Lee was the first athlete home in 12 minutes 36 seconds, beating second-placed Toby Evans of the School by 44 seconds.
The year started with our 95th Anniversary Dinner which was held in College Hall in January. It was a very enjoyable evening with members, wives and friends attending. In the Halford Hewitt we lost a very close match 2-3 to Brighton in the 1st Round, in the Plate we defeated Chigwell 2 ½ – ½ and then lost to Sherborne. In the Grafton Morrish we failed to qualify for the Finals. In the Bernard Darwin and Senior Darwin we lost to Rugby and Winchester respectively. In the Royal Wimbledon Putting we came 2nd equal in our qualifying group but lost in the play-off against The Leys. In the Dick Watson Trophy at Aldeburgh we came seventh in the qualification tournament which meant we played Radley in the match to decide 7th place whom we defeated because David B-Weinstein & Jim Durie finished all square and Henry Kingsbury & David Mahoney finished three up. The Club entered the Queen Elizabeth Trophy in Edinburgh for the first time. In the first round we defeated the Old Aloysians 2-1 and then defeated the Old Stathalians 3-0 to reach the last eight but unfortunately we had to give a bye to the Old Merchistonians as the team had to catch the train back to London!! The match against the School was won 3-0, and in the other matches which we played we defeated Old Uppinghamians, Old Wykehamists and Old Reptonians halved with the Old Marlburians, and lost to Old Paulines and Old Radleians.
Anyone wanting to take part in running events for the OWs should contact the secretary John Goodbody on 07889 506914 or email: john@jbgoodbody.co.uk
Eton Fives The Old Westminster Eton Fives Club had a very high bar to surmount this season, fresh from winning the Eton Fives Association’s Team of the Year Award for the first time in the club’s history. After the success of the team as a whole last season – culminating in a well-deserved trip to Grillon, France and both division teams now comfortably sitting mid-table this year has so far been characterised by individual successes and attainment. Our two standout stars this year were Riki Houlden and Hugo Young. After multiple appearances in slam tournament finals, knocking at the door of greatness, this season Riki managed to topple the Five’s world’s Goliath by besting a heretofore unbeaten pair (who had 8 years and 24 slam tournament titles to their name) to win the London Tournament. Indeed, there seemed to be no trophy safe from the Old Westminster onslaught, with Hugo (almost single-handedly, insofar as is possible in a doubles game…) scooping up wins at the Men’s and Mixed University Championships, the Men’s U21s and U25s, the Midlands Tournament, and even reaching the semi-final of the Northern tournament by beating a pair of former champions. In fact, readers should watch this space for more OW exploits: there is more of the season to come, and no doubt the Old Westminsters will continue to make waves at the Kinnaird Cup, Ladies Championship, and the Mixed Championship. 28
The Elizabethan Newsletter
Anybody interested in playing golf with the Old Boy’s Society please contact David Roy via email at: daroy@btinternet.com
