Teams put on strong show for Holmfirth
HOLMFIRTH Harriers athletes enjoyed success as Skyrac AC hosted the second West Yorkshire Cross Country League race at Nunroyd Park in Guiseley.
Junior Harriers were out in force and Kristian Green in the Under 13 boys race took on the lead and managed to run away from the field for a clear victory and a winning margin of 40 seconds over Sam Headley of Keighley and Craven AC who finished in second.
Soljai Waterman had a good run to finish 25th in the same race.
In the Under 13 girls race Isobel Richardson and Elena Inch both had great runs in fourth place and fifth, respectively.
The team was completed by Annie McClean who ran strongly to finish 37th and Libby Pringle also had a solid run in 64th – the team finished fourth.
The Under 17 women also had a strong performance with Juliette Branford leading the Holmfirth runners across the line in second place.
Cara Inch, like her sister, had a great run and finished in fourth and Annie Stone completed the team in 12th which put the team in first – Alice Shelbourne was close behind Annie in 15th.
The girls Under 15s also achieved a wonderful team performance to finish third.
Zara Tyas was first back in 12th place, Olivia Dyson 13th and Sophie Kettlewell the final team counter was 23rd. They were backed up by Mollie Scaramuzza 26th, Amelie Stewart 31st and Lydia Throssel 37th.
The Under 11 boys had Jack Sunderland lead the team home to finish in 13th place. Benji Denton was just behind in 16th and Louis Stewart completed the team in 32nd spot. Oscion Waterman was next home in 60th and Alex Hicks in 77th.
The Under 11 girls team was depleted, but Lucy Holland had a good run to finish in 37th place.
The senior women were also depleted without young stars Olivia Sykes, Erica and Lucy Byram, who competed the previous day for Leeds University and Leeds Beckett University in the British University relay Championships, in which they finished Olivia helped her team finish second.
Against stiff competition from Leeds City and York Knavesmire, the Holmfirth women produced the goods and gained valuable points for the overall league in third place, adding to their win a fortnight ago.
The race was fiercely fought at the front, with Emma Clayton and Georgia Malir of Leeds City and Bronwen Owen of Scarborough having their own race and taking the first three spots.
After a tightly packed first lap, Helen Berry gradually worked through a large group, to finish 5th and 1st FV40 (21.35).
Ruby Sykes, performing better with each race, had an excellent run to finish ninth (22.05).
Similar improvement from Claire Leaver-Hewitt gave her 18th position (23.10) and Kath Farquhar, returning to form, completed the team in 28th and 3rd FV45 (23.48).
Other Holmfirth women’s results were 45th Helena Croft (24.40), 51st Amy Kettlewell (25.01), 66th & 1st W60 Lesley Ewart (26.31), 87th Jean Shotter (27.46), 105th Sophie Cromwell (29.33), 116th Debbie Beck (30.44) and 133rd Ann Smith (37.49).
Holmfirth’s Senior Men had a repeat performance of the first race by finishing third team.
Talented Under 20 athlete Aaron Kettlewell was spearheading the Holmfirth challenge by coming home in fourth and third Under 20 (27.24).
Alex Robinson 18th (28.57) and Dave Watson 21st and second M45 (29.01) had a good battle with veteran Watson being outkicked by Robinson.
Stu Sharp had a solid run for 28th (29.39), while Steve Green 35th (30.10) managed to stay in front of another Holmfirth junior Harry Shelbourne in 39th (30.16).
43rd Lavell Pierre (30.31), 67th and third M50 Jonny Sykes (32.05), 80th Dan Shaw (32.27), 109th Andrew Shelbourne (33.53), 114th Chris Beadle (34.08), 125th Richard Wheeler (34.36), 126th Mark Law (34.37), 128th Karl Dransfield (34.43), 139th and third M60 John Ewart (35.16), 140th Stephen Bonsu (35.20), 151st Damo McQueen (35.55), 157th Simon Barrans (36.27), 161st Louis Cromwell (36.58), 163rd Shaun Coggon (37.08), 170th & 3rd M65 Kevin Yewlett (37.45), 178th Rob Kersey, 187th Robert Robinson (39.51) & 189th Jason Haigh (40.04).