In the Bleak-Mid Winter – CVFR Juniors Show The Way

Sunday also saw several CVFR runners compete in the 8km race ‘The Stoop’. Whilst the elite athletes were mostly taking a well-earnt rest & many of the Calder Valley fell runners who might have raced otherwise opting for the winter score event over a race famous for its Santa hats & bogs in equal measure, the weather did not stay away.

For the 180 runners who squared up to the elements, it really was a bleak mid-winter: with swirling fog, pouring rain & the grounds of Stanbury Quary & the surrounding Bronte Moors as hard as iron and peppered with knee-deep ice-filled bogs. Given this context, the race was shortened for the first time since 2010, but despite all this, there was plenty of good cheer amongst the runners – decked out in their obligatory Santa hats, and some even braving full fancy dress, in the hope of winning the coveted chocolate-filled stocking prizes.

It was down to CVFR’s juniors in, their shorter races, to show the seniors how it should be done, and the red & white junior hoops were all over the podiums (plus extremely happy with their chocolate haul of prizes).

It was 1st, 2nd & 3rd for Calder Valley in the boys U13 category, with William Hall storming home again to finish first (and fourth overall) at 6 :44, team mate Alex Duffield coming in second U13 at 6 :59 and James Duffy taking 3rd U13 at 7 :11. In the U9 age category, Sam Annison took first, in his last race before going up an age group, at 2 :46, and absolutely loved the race. There were also strong performances from Lucas Greenwood & Edvinas Adomavioius who finished 2nd & 3rd in the older age category. Other noteworthy performances included Harry Cliff, Edward Chrisanthou, and Ted Parker who finished 4th, 5th & 6th in the boys U9s and Finley Canning who placed in the top 15 in the U11 boys category.

Ben inspires a new generation at the presentation evening

Ben with winners Clara & Will

The Calder Valley Juniors held their annual end of season do on Saturday. A packed room were there to see the club champions and runners up pick up their trophies but more importantly every member had the honour of walking up to pick up their membership medal from Ben Mounsey.  For many of the children in the room he represents a true hero and to receive their awards from him in his GB tracksuit will certainly have given them further inspiration.

There were awards for each individual age group but for the first time the overall championship winner was a tie and is shared between Clara McKee (in her first year of racing) and Will Hall  who can add this to his 2017 FRA English champion, BOFRA champion and English Schools Champion titles.

The do also provided an opportunity to thank Alastair Whitelaw as the outgoing junior co-ordinator.  Al founded the junior section 11 years ago and there are now up to 60 junior running regularly on a Tuesday night.  There are many children and young adults in the valley who have a lot to thank him for.