Running log

A bumper week of junior action crowned a highly successful opening year for the Bradford Athletics Network (BAN) Youth Group.

Sportshall galas, inter-school cross-country meetings, a new club cross-country series and a fell/terrain league have all featured recently.

The NORTH BRADFORD PRIMARY SCHOOLS LEAGUE is the second of five projected series of cross-country races aimed at Year 3-6 pupils. The final race of an increasingly well-represented series took place at Sandal Juniors in Baildon.

The eight boys’ and girls’ races for each year group drew 94 Year 3 pupils, 75 from Year 4, 92 from Year 5 and 81 from Year 6. The schools represented included Baildon CofE, Blakehill, Crossflatts, East Morton, Eldwick, Greengates, Lady Lane Park, Myrtle Park, Priestthorpe, Saltaire, Sandal, St Cuthbert’s and St Walburga’s.

Bradford Grammar School have been valued participants throughout, the series being organised with crucial assistance from the Bradford Schools AA.

The KEIGHLEY & CRAVEN PRIMARY SCHOOLS LEAGUE will be holding their next cross-country event at Hothfield Juniors in Silsden next Wednesday. To enter, contact Elisa Woffenden on 01535-210666 or via elisa.woffenden@hothfield.bradford.sch.uk.

The model for these competitions is a long-standing league operating successfully in Wharfedale by BAN Youth Group co-ordinator Shirley Wood of Ilkley Harriers.

BAN hope to roll out the fourth such league in the next school year, catering for East Bradford.

Meanwhile, at the Richard Dunn Centre, BAN staged the first of a series of sportshall athletics galas, open to all children in the district.

The event was organised by the Buttershaw-based ‘One in a Million’ club and led by Toks Adeniji, with children having a thoroughly enjoyable afternoon.

The fifth and final race in the PECO CROSS-COUNTRY LEAGUE was hosted by St Bede’s AC at Esholt over a beautiful woodland course, with 49 children linked to their local clubs taking part.

This year, for the first time, each event has featured one-mile and two-mile races for primary and secondary school pupils respectively.

The next races in the BAN FELL-TERRAIN LEAGUE for schoolchildren are the ‘Bunny Runs’ throughout April at Penistone Hill, Haworth.