Race to Remember: Pontifex 2026
By ed hadley, master in charge of cross-country
1 april 2026
charterhouse news
The penultimate day of Long Quarter saw the traditional school run, Pontifex, take place in ideal conditions: dry underfoot, blue skies, and no wind.
A total of 620 pupils took on the challenge, negotiating Happy Valley, Death’s Drop, and Dowling Hill along the sandy woodland trails. Completing such a demanding course is an achievement in itself, but this year produced some especially impressive performances.
Laura, Second Year Specialist (Year 13), set a new Senior Girls’ record with 21:35, a time that may soon be challenged by the lightning‑quick Imogen, Remove (Year 10), whose 21:11 also set a new record for the Inters (running the same course as the Seniors). Max, Fourth (Year 9), also marked himself as one to watch, establishing a new Junior Boys’ record of 13:57. With so many records falling in one year, it’s clear that standards across the School continue to rise — every year, fitness levels, and determination seem to grow.
Ultimately, it is the enthusiastic participation from across the School that makes Pontifex such a special and enduring event.
ed hadley, head of fifth form & master in charge of cross-country
In the Girls’ event, Chetwynd and Sutton were well ahead of the field, but Chetwynd edged ahead by just 15 places, securing this year’s KS Duncan Cup.
The Boys’ race was similarly close, with Saunderites and Gownboys battling it out — Gownboys ultimately taking the win and spoiling Mrs Allen’s final Pontifex as Head of House of Saunderites.
Saunderites, however, remain a powerhouse in Pontifex, having won the Boys’ overall title three of the last five years, supported by remarkable participation rates — this year, 79% of the house ran.
