Skyrac youngsters shine

At the North of England Cross-Country Championships at Temple Park, South Shields, Elizabeth Spencer was in tremendous form to achieve eighth place out of the very large field. With a time of 16min 33sec over the 4.3km course, Elizabeth was only 31 seconds behind the gold medallist.

Meanwhile, at the North-East Counties Pentathlon Championships at Jarrow's Monkton Stadium, 13-year-old Andrew Staniland came away with a bronze medal in the Under-15 boys' pentathlon, recording 1,493 points. In so doing he achieved three personal bests: high jump (1.42m); shot putt (4kg) 7.97m; and 60m hurdles (12.3sec). He also long-jumped 4.64m and ran the 60m in 8.5sec.

There are also three Skyrac athletes who have been selected to represent Leeds City in the international indoor athletics match in Dortmund, Germany, over the weekend of March 17-20.

In the Under-14 Girl's team, Amy Howard, of Benton Park School, will compete in the 50m, shot putt, high jump and 4 x 100m relay, whilst Alex Merrill will do the shot putt and long jump in the Under-16 girls' team. For the Under-14 boys Andrew Staniland will represent the City in the 50m, shot putt, long jump, high jump and 4 x 100m relay.

Fellandale

The initial meeting of all the partners involved in the Sport 'n' Fun event, being held on Sunday, June 18, took place last Thursday at Horsforth Hall Park Cricket Club.

It commenced with clubs introducing themselves to one another - a first in the history of Horsforth sporting clubs, when Hall Park Cricket Club, Horsforth Cricket Club, Horsforth Dynamos junior football club, Horsforth St Margarets football club, Horsforth Harriers, Christian Surfers (skateboarding), Hall Park bowls club and Horsforth Fellandale athletic club met with community representatives, Sports Development, the Town Council, Youth Services and Sporting Chance.

Everyone agreed to put on an event on the day; this will include a ten mile boundary run of the town, five a-side football competitions, cricket games, junior cross-country events, fun flat races, a skateboarding display with tuition, bowls for juniors and seniors, tug o'war, egg throwing and other keep fit activities.

Details of the activities are being worked out at the moment but a poster and entry form will be published in mid-March.

A number of local businesses have also come forward to sponsor prizes and events. It is hoped that 1,500 local people will participate in the afternoon event.

This week Fellandale member, Dave Hickman, has planned a navigational skills course around Horsforth, with runners having to find information around town in a set time limit. Other events include the third Sport Direct Cross-Country fixture at Golden Acre Park on Sunday, February 27. This will split members, as this is also the same date for the Ilkley Moor Fell Race.

The annual dinner is being held on Friday, March 3, at La Copella on Town Street. The speaker this year is Allan Greenwood who promotes races in the Pennines. He will also be giving out the cups and prizes.

Horsforth Fellandale Club meets at Horsforth Hall Park Cricket Club on

Wednesday nights at 6.30pm. They alternate training sessions between short speed work and longer runs. From mid-April they meet on The Chevin (Surprise View car park) until September. They have a wide mix of ages and abilities and if you would like to have a go contact Chairman Mark Saville on 0113 258 4680.

Ilkley Harriers

On a cold but fine day 12 Ilkley Harriers took part in the popular Dewsbury 10K road race. A winning time of 29.20 demonstrated that this was a fast course with a high standard of entry and Eddie Irving was first Harrier home clocking around 32.00.

Rapidly improving Andy Wade smashed his personal best by over a minute as he recorded 34.10. In the last 12 to 18 months Andy has seen his times tumble from over 37 minutes and he should be a beacon to those with ambitions to run faster.

Tim Ashelford maintained his excellent form with 34.20 while newcomer John Coen clocked 38.00 and is looking for improvement in the coming months as are Mark Iley who did 38.13 and Ken Souyave with 39.00.

Phil Hirst was pleased with a time of 41.03 as was Martin Heath with 42.34 while Andy Sarah with 46.53 is still seeking the training formula to bring his times tumbling down.Howard Allem, Mandy Chapman and Brian Sweet were satisfied with their times of 51.30, 53.00 and 56.09.

These race results form part of the club race league scoring events which are handicapped based on age.

In the Sports Direct Cross-Country at Ackworth Diane Kitchen was fourth lady in 37.00 with Shirley doing 41.43, Jo Foster 42.31 and Janet Souyave 45.00 to complete an excellent team performance.

The next major event for the club is the highly successful Ilkley Moor Fell Race on Sunday, February 27. The support and help of members both before and on race day contributes to its success.

A team of ladies will again be out on the same day in the Sport Direct Cross-Country at Golden Acre Park.

New members are encouraged to join the club on Tuesdays or Thursdays at Ben Rhydding Sports Club at 7 pm. Ring Ken Souyave on 01943 862096 for details.

Skyrac cross-country

Three Skyrac girls have earned places in the English Schools' Cross-Country Championships squad following their tremendous performances at the West Yorkshire Schools' Championships at Lightcliffe.

Benton Park's Kath Davey was sixth in the senior girls' race to earn her place in the West Yorkshire team. She will be joined by Horsforth School's Elizabeth Spencer was was an excellent third in the very fast Under-16 race,

Another excellent performance from Guiseley School's Laura Kirk earned her county spot as she took second place in the Under-14 race three seconds behind the winner, who was a year older than her.

The in-form Robert Spencer had to drop out of the Under-16 boys' race due to a hip injury. Robert was in a clear and comfortable third place when he had to drop out.

Skyrac selected a 12-man team of over 40 veterans for Sunday's 45-mile Rossendale Way Relay and were rewarded by being placed third Vet's Team behind 'superclubs' Clayton and Horwich.

The six-leg relay has been run every year since 1990 and is first in the calendar of four annual long fell relays. To do well in the race requires peak fitness in all of the 12-man team and so high placings in these events are the preserve of the bigger running clubs with their huge squads. Rossendale, Bingley or Clayton have therefore won virtually every previous event and most fell runners were pleased that a new name went on the trophy this year a Horwich ran out winners in a time of 5hr 1min 46sec, beating four-times winners Clayton into second place.

Skyrac fell-runners enjoy the relay's rugged route and always field a team from their small but enthusiastic group of regular fell-runners.

This year fell club captain Howard Sawyer was able to select from an injury free squad and was rewarded by the Skyrac team finishing 17th overall (and third Vets team) out of 59 teams in a time of 5-58.07. This was three places higher and 18 minutes faster than in 1999.

The team included several regular relay partnerships and in leg order was: Duncan Asquith / Dave Young; Graham Breeze /John Forsyth; Neil Clayton / Malcolm Coles; Steve Batley / Graham Grinstead; Nigel Kirkbright / Howard Sawyer, and Peter Rawnsley / Ralph Warman.

Fell relays are a special delight of club running and if you would like to share this rich experience and train with Skyrac every Tuesday and Thursday from their Nunroyd Park Clubhouse, then ring Neil or Sue on 0113 229-0924.

Ashlands

Cross-Country

The inaugural Ashlands cross-country races were held last Saturday on a suitably freezing winter's morning in Ilkley. The weather contrived to provide the children (and parents) with a true taste of one of our longest standing sporting traditions, offering plenty of mud and cold, with the odd blast of hail thrown in for good measure.

Revelling in adversity, the children clearly enjoyed themselves enormously, and all the races proved to be close fought contests. No less than 124 children took part in the five events, every one of whom should be considered a winner. Medals were awarded for the first three in each race, plus the four members of the winning school team.

All seven primary schools taking part had medal winners. Main resulkts:

Boys Under 10s - 1, Scott Thwaites, Burley, 5.44; 2, Alex White, Ben Rhydding, 5.53; 3, James Heaton, All Saints, 5.56. Team: All Saints (James Heaton, Tom Stoddart, Joe Procter, Chris Allen).

Girls Under 10s - 1, Eleanor Kitchen, All Saints, 4.42; 2, Briony Brown, Ashlands, 4.43; 3, Laura Pitts, Rose Bank, 4.44. Team: All Saints (Eleanor Kitchen, Catherine Hill, Jessica Haigh, Jodie Russell).

Boys Under 9s - 1, Jack Williams, Ben Rhydding, 4.13; 2, Laurie O'Connor, Burley, 4.14; 3, Gabriel Cohen, Ashlands, 4.35. Team: Ben Rhydding (Jack Williams, William Kyle, David Hargreaves, Oliver Cargill).

Girls Under 9s - 1, Ria Thackray, All Saints, 4.56; 2, Hannah Dean, All Saints, 4.58; 3, Olivia Domingos, All Saints, 5.05. Team: All Saints (Ria Thackray, Hannah Dean, Olivia Domingos, Bethany Wright).

Boys Under 8s - 1, Sam Jacomb, Addingham, 2.31; 2, Gregory Whittaker, Clevedon House, 2.33; 3, Forrest Hamilton, Ashlands, 2.36. Team: Ashlands (Forrest Hamilton, Daniel Sullivan, Jamie Herbert, Callum Bruce).

Girls Under 8s - 1, Lauren Hutchison, Burley, 2.47; 2, Fiona Elliott, Clevedon House, 2.52; 3, Jazmine Powell, Ashlands, 2.54. Team: Ashlands (Jazmine Powell, Rebekah Grosset, Jenny Dybeck, Frances Denton).

Many thanks must be given to the those parents who were commandeered to help

on the day but especially to Liz Selman whose initiative and hard work was responsible for the event happening in the first place. Such was the enthusiasm on the day that it is hoped that another similar event will be held in the Spring.

The results in full can be viewed on the new Wharfedale Harriers web site at www.wharfedaleharriers.org.uk.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.