Skipton Athletics Club

Roger’s Round-Up (October 2007)

Our regular 'round-up' of activities with the junior members of the club. By Roger Ingham.
 

Skipton AC – Roger’s Round-Up-The Younger Un’s October 2007 – By Roger Ingham

Regrettably all happenings this past month have been overshadowed by the tragic death of Martin “Marl” Hunn whose immensely fulfilling life was cruelly taken away from him through an incident resulting in a murder charge.

Although a non-member himself, Marl’s twin brother, Stuart and father Steve have been very much a valuable part of our clubs’ fabrication. And, during his school days Marl, - an outstanding sporting all rounder, inclusive of him winning a County schools title in athletics - was himself a frequent attender at our training sessions and contributed much by way of heart, effort and discipline.

Meanwhile, as the Hunn family at large remain deep in our kindest thoughts the show must go on. And, upholding those aforementioned “Marvellous Marl” attributes, Claire Lilley, added yet more to her burgeoning list of recent sporting achievements by splendidly helping England to the team gold in the Under 18 Girls event, as she finished seventh and third England scorer at the British and Irish Junior Fell Racing Championships which were staged on Sugar Loaf Mountain, South Wales. Well played Claire yet again!

Also well played, - well almost, - to our club’s under 15 Boys team, namely Will Crisp, Joel Griffith, Peter Messenger and Will Marshall, who were marginally pipped on the post by just two points by Leeds City for top spot in the first of the four series West Yorkshire Cross Country League fixtures which was staged at Guiseley.

Also particularly worthy of West Yorkshire League mention is the spirited quartet who created a long over due, - thirty years in fact, piece of club history by completing a “four strong” team count in the Senior Women’s event at any main-stream championship event.

In times past, we have managed quite a number of team completions when “three to count” has been the criteria such as in the Yorkshire Championships. But, for an assortment of reasons – some plausible, others less impressive, we have never previously managed a Senior Women’s “four”. Sarah Dugdale, Sarah King, Kali Taylor, and Angela Barrett therefore take a much merited bow! And in eighth position they did not fare too badly either, with the traditionally prominent likes of Keighley and Craven, Halifax, Valley Striders and Otley amongst those finishing behind, and Bingley just one place ahead.

And, despite the navigational frustrations encountered by our Senior men’s team on one leg of the previous day’s British Fell Relay Championships – also not forgetting Stuart Hunn’s enforced absence, the upshot was that Skipton A. C. did therefore field a competitive senior team in both a Men’s and Women’s championship event on the same weekend.

That navigational mishap on leg 1 of the Relay Championship unfortunately resulted in a disproportionate time penalty and resultant placing relegation, but on the brighter side of proceedings, Joe Mercer and Harry Coates, both reasonably fresh from figuring amongst the junior ranks – most commendably ran the fourth fastest “navigation” leg amongst their hundred and thirty rivals.

The next West Yorkshire League fixture is on Saturday October 27^th at Bramley Park, West Leeds. All likely attenders should be notified, but anyone not sure of the way…… meet me outside Skipton Youth Centre, next to the Police Station at 10.15am.

Best Wishes

Roger “Dodger”

01756 790408 or 07773 302891