Big local turn out for Valley’s Winter Score

CALDER VALLEY Fell Runners were out in force for the annual Stoop race and junior quarry runs and the Cragg Winter score.

The Winter Score - expertly organised by club members Jackie and Phil Scarf – saw 80plus runners using their navigation skills, to race around the local environs looking to punch their cards at as many of the 17 controls as possible and then get back to the base at Cragg Vale Church before the cut off time of 90 minutes, to avoid incurring heavy time penalties.

James Logue won the event – managing to make it an astounding 15 of the 17 controls. There was also particularly impressive running from the juniors, with Joe and Paul Hobbs running in the pairs race and securing 12 controls. Thanks goes to Little Valley Brewery for prizes, The Secret Cafe for delicious ‘at cost’ pies and Cragg Vale Church. It was a pleasure to raise £660 for charity.

Wharfedale Harriers’ Stoop race starts from the quarry bottom on Penistone above Haworth, heads up to the Stoop standing stone via Harbour Lodge and then drop back down again through some serious bogs and back to the start via track and road.

This year, with many of the club’s juniors & senior runners opting to take part in the winter score, Jo Buckley & Mark Wharton were the sole CVFR runners to take on the snowy 4.9 mile route.

Of the 190 to finish the race, Buckley placed a strong ninth lady and third in the LV40 category and Wharton 45th overall and fifth MV50.

The junior Stoop races took place in the snow-covered quarry, with nine stoic Calder Valley juniors braving the elements to race.

In the under nines race, there was another sterling performance from Harry Cliff, who brought home the field for the second year running and third time overall in as many races.

His younger sister, Charlotte, in her first time running the Stoop came in an impressive third girl.

In the main race, the red & white hooped juniors fielded seven of the 55 runners.

For the under 15 boys, Euan Logue - the sole CVFR runner in his age category - ran a strong race to finish second and sixth overall.

The under 13s races were hotly contested - flying the flag for the red and white hoops in the under 13 girls, Fearne Hanson finished fourth and Alice Ritchie ninth. For the under 13 boys,

George McFie ran a storming race to finish third overall and second in his age category.

Fellow under 13, Thomas McKee persevered to come in in a commendable eighth (19th overall), despite sustaining a nasty knock to his knee during the race.

His younger sister Clara, who passed him two thirds of the way through, wanted to stop to help him, but he bravely pushed her to racing and she went on to storm home again - finishing first under 11 girl and an amazing ninth overall.

Fellow under 13 David Ritchie also did well, placing fifth under 11 boy.

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