Yorkshire and District League (YADs) - Division 1
Sixteen young athletes from Halifax Harriers took part in this year's first Yorkshire Development league meeting at Cleckheaton on Sunday.
The 800 metres provided a flurry of personal bests (pbs). In the under 15s, Chester Gately ran and won his first ever 800 metres in a time of 2:16 ably supported by Ben Slow with a pb of 2:33. Jacob Ewart also won the under 17s race with a pb of 2:04. In the under 13 girls we gained another first place with Kitty Harrison Sargent posting a time of 2:27 and a pb for Faye Skilbeck in the under 15s with a time of 2.34.
Sam Keighley led the way in the under 13 boys 1500 metre race with a time of 4:51 (pb and club record), backing that up with a pb and club record in the 150 metres. Jacob Ewart won the U17 400 metre race in a time of 53.8, yet another pb.
In the under 17 girls Molly Firth won the 200 metres in a time of 27.0. Maisie Brown was also first in the Under 17 300 metres in a time of 44.9.
There were also successes in the field events with a number of first, second and third places in the long, high jump, discus and shot putt.
The final event was the Under 13 boys 4 x100 metre relay, the boys bringing home the baton in 1st position (Team: Sam Keighley, Beau Clarke, Tom Wright and Albert Jones).
Seven Harriers turned out for the Coiners Fell Race on Bank Holiday Monday; the latest race in the club's fell league championship. The 11k course consists of a tour of Coiners' country above Mytholmroyd on paths, tracks and moorland, taking in Erringden Moor, Stoodley Pike and Bell House Moor. There are spectacular views of Cragg Vale with a total ascent of 300 metres.
Kieran Manchester was the first Harrier, impressively finishing in fourth place in 48:29. Hazel Berrett led the trio of ladies, winning the W60 category in 1:10:52. Hazel was hotly pursued by Jane Hobson, who was just two seconds behind, taking second place in the W50s.
Other Harriers were: James O'Rourke (1:07:33), Stephen Fitz-Costa (1:14:18), Paul Hopkinson (1:16:08) and Margaret Deacon (1:31:24).
On Saturday, Will Carver took on the classic Three Peaks Fell Race in near perfect conditions. The course is 23.3 miles long and involves 5,300' of ascent, taking in the peaks of Pen-y-Ghent, Ingleborough and Whernside. Will recorded a time of 4:24:32, coming home in 161st place out of 387 finishers. 59 runners did not complete the race.
On Sunday, three Harriers competed in the Willow Valley Flyer. The 7.5 mile multi-terrain race was organised by Brighouse Bumble Bees. Starting in Brighouse, the hilly route goes through Willow Valley golf course on both the outward and home bound stretches and includes road, bridleways and footpaths. Rachel McHale was the first Harrier home and fourth placed lady overall, clocking 1:03:24. Angela Clarke (1:05:36) and Martin Ellis (1:09:18) were the other Harriers.
Also on Sunday, in central London, whilst club runner, Ellis Cross, was battling it out and finally defeating Mo Farah, our own Steve Denniss completed the Vitality London 10k in 51:20.
Will Carver and Jane Hobson competed in the Orchan Rocks Fell Race in Todmorden on Tuesday evening; the second race in this season’s club fell league. Last season’s male and female champions were the only Harriers to take part, therefore picking up maximum points. Both are setting the early pace in this year’s competition. Will finished in 20th place and Jane was 56th in times of 28:49 and 34:23 respectively.
Jane reports: “It was a short race, about 5.4km. The start was straight up hill, initially on tarmac that quickly turned into a track through woods and then into fields. Eventually we came out into a farmyard and turned right and flattened out onto moorland for a while. There was another uphill before descending back down to the farmyard, continuing downhill all the way to the finish. There was only a little bit of mud, at the top in the marshy grass, and the weather was perfect, sunny with a light wind.”
The next race in the fell league is Coiners next Monday (2nd May) at 1pm. Registration is at Mytholmroyd Community Centre and the entry fee is £8 (£6 for FRA members). The race is 10.8km (6.7m) long with 295m (968’) ascent.