Juniors ‘coin’ it in

Calder Valley Fell Runners – 2nd May 2022

Coiners Fell Races are back after a two-year enforced break and it’s as though nothing has changed in the intervening time. The weather was fair, the course was dry and the 2nd of May was a real festival of running with five junior races across 6 age groupings taking place in the morning and the senior race starting at 1pm, the day was given over to this great event on the slopes of Park Fold in Mytholmroyd.

Sweet throwing was a big hit at the end of the race

What has changed is the organisation – and there’s lots of it has changed with Di Wright and Ben Cliffe taking over the Junior event and Stella Chrisanthou the new organiser for the seniors. And well organised it was with the local scouts and Royd Ices providing refreshments on the field and young and old gathering to celebrate fell racing from a whole host of clubs from across the North of England.

Junior Races

First up were the Juniors with a mass start. The organisation for these races is fantastic as each age group – from U9 upwards running on a different course with the exception of the U17 and U19 who share a 5.3km race out onto Erringden Moor with a good 231m of climbing.

Top 3 U13 girls – photo courtesy of Woodentops

With just under 100 juniors taking part, the conditions were good and the races were fast and furious, so much so that three female records were broken on the day with Emily Gibbins of Ilkley creating a new U19 Girls record, Amelie Lane of Wharfedale Harriers breaking the girls U17 record and Calder Valley’s Clara McKee not just breaking the girls record but taking the overall record for the U13s course in an unassailable 11 minutes and six seconds.

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