Skipton Athletics Club

Roger’s Round-Up (September2008)

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 September 2007 – By Roger Ingham

Carrying on from August “round-up” it has once more been “Lilley in the pink”, or – even better still – Lilley in the colours of Yorkshire, the North of England, and hopefully – by the time you receive this dispatch, England, for Claire has again been on of our leading lights over both track and fell. On the track she eminently made a worthy impression – 2000m Steeplechase – for Yorkshire in the North of England Inter-Counties Championships at Hull where her form was good enough to earn her a place over the longer 3000m distance in the North of England team which contested the United Kingdom Inter-Regional Championships at London’s Barnet Copthall Stadium.

Another fine run for third place in the concluding round of six in the English Junior Fell Championships held over Derbyshire’s Lantern Pike also secured her an overall bronze, and therein lies our hopes of Claire achieving another England selection for the four strong U/18 girls team which will contest the Home Five Nations International at Mynydd Pen Y Fal near Abergavenny, South Wales on Oct 7^th. The event also incorporates the British & Irish Championships for age groups U/18, U/16 and U/14, both sexes. We have enjoyed some terrific - and in some instances – unexpected success over the years at this prestigious annual event, so with some of our athletes already in the training pipeline in readiness to attend – anyone else feeling worthy of a lengthy trip…please do not hesitate to make contact.

Still on the fell racing subject, the seasonal welter of shows and sports has seen a number of our young athletes in the “winner’s enclosure”. Apologies for any oversights, but amongst them were James Mountain at Gargrave & Kilnsey, Harry Croft at Bradley, Will Marshall at Malham and Luke Maude beating senior’s et al. at Lothersdale. Plenty of seconds, thirds and fourths for good measure inclusive of a particularly glowing performance from our lad of noble parts Joe Mercer, who having just arrived back in town from a differing sterling mission, decided on impulse to test the class in the Burnsall Classic and was not far short of topping the lot. If we had known of his plans we could at least have had him round the course at some point during the summer, but true to form with “never waste a minute of your precious life, Joe” he probably did not even know himself. Course acquaintance almost certainly would at least of upped him a place to second. Also amongst the “Under 21 Club” Matthew Hurst – dashing straight from his “Birds Of Prey” display and then dashing straight back again – produced a similar eye-catching performance amongst the seniors in the Kilnsey Crag Race.

Meanwhile, the Cross-Country season is now once more upon us, and centre-stage this term is the West Yorkshire League, -Four races, all age groups – all commencing 12 Noon, hosted by Skyrack AC Sunday Oct14^th, Pudsey & Bramley AC, Saturday Oct 27^th, Knavesmire Harriers, York, Saturday Nov 17^th and Wakefield AC Sunday Dec 2^nd. Entry fees – covers all four events inclusive, £4 up to and including Under 17s, £6 for Seniors.  I will be sending a global entry list which can be added to, at any time. Most likely juniors are on it, and we also have a decent looking Senior Women’s squad including our England U/20 fell champ of yesteryear, Sarah Dugdale -  now promoted to Motherhood – and Kali Taylor who has most commendably qualified via an official trial in South Wales, for the World Off-Road Triathlon Championships in Hawaii.

Stop press: Claire Lilley picked for England.

Mon night Aireville temporary suspended, gym out of bounds.

Wed as per usual after school. Sat morn on non race weekends T.B.A.

Roger Dodger (01756)790408 or (07773)302891