There were nearly 900 runners representing their schools at Templenewsam for the Leeds Primary Schools XC Finals on 2 February.
There were 8 races – year 3 girls, year 3 boys, year 4 girls, etc.. through to year 6 boys. The year 3 and 4 races were 950 metres doing one lap which was almost the same route as the Peco Junior Races for years 2-6 (but the Peco races were 2 laps). The year 5 and 6 races had an extra couple of loops (including an extra downhill and uphill) and were 1300 metres.
All the spectators (teachers, parents and children) were on the top of the hill near the House overlooking the finish and it was very noisy as the runners went past to the finish line.
Over 35 Valley Striders juniors were amongst the competitors and 27 (or maybe more) of these have qualified to represent their schools and Leeds at the West Yorkshire XC Finals, also at Templenewsam, on 9 March.
The qualification rule to take part in the West Yorkshire Final is, in each of the 8 races:
- top 5 schools (based on points of 4 runners), schools will send teams of 5.
- plus the best 10 runners who aren’t in the 5 qualifying schools as individuals.
- a total of 35 to represent Leeds in each race, competing against Bradford, Calderdale, Kirklees and Wakefield
Year 3 Girls 1. Woodlesford 104, 2. Horsforth St Margarets 118, 3. Pool in Wharfedale 130, 4. GSAL 148, 5. East Garforth 153
Year 3 Boys 1. Woodlesford 21, 2. Shadwell 96, 3. Thorner CE 122, 4. Meanwood CE 147, 5. Roundhay St Johns 177
Year 4 Girls 1. Woodlesford 35, 2. Richmond House 121, 3. Thorner CE 140, 4. Roundhay St Johns 145, 5. St Peter and Paul 161
Year 4 Boys 1. GSAL 110, 2. Horsforth Newlaithes 144, 3. Woodlesford 147, 4. St Margarets 158, 5. St Edwards 175
Year 5 Girls 1. GSAL 30, 2. Woodlesford 69, 3. East Garforth 144, 4. Chapel Allerton 176, 5. Horsforth Newlaithes 181
Year 5 Boys 1. GSAL 44, 2. Woodlesford 69, 3. Immaculate Heart 157, 4. St Margarets 171, 5. Horsforth Newlaithes 181
Year 6 Girls 1. Guiseley 111, 2. Primrose Lane 112, 3. GSAL 132, 4. Farsley Springbank 152, 5. Horsforth Newlaithes 164
Year 6 Boys 1. Horsforth Newlaithes 50, 2. Bramhope 59, 3. Valley View 115, 4. Primrose Lane 121, 5. Roundhay 131
Here are the VS names that I’ve found – this list only extends as far as the 10th individual who qualified in each race; the W Y Final will also include others who have qualified because their school team was in to top 5. The comment (I) indicates an individual qualifier.
Year 3 girls
9 Jessica Nichols (I)
11 Alice Hirst-Sewell (I)
Year 3 boys
1 Charlie Wardman (not a VS junior but son of a VS adult member)
4 Leo Freer
13 Austin Lyons (I)
Year 4 girls
2 Emmy Deverill
10 Abigail Bottomley (I)
14 Erin Davies
18 Dora Walmsley (I)
Bea Traviss-Turner qualified as part of the Roundhay StJohn team
Year 4 boys
2 Josh Salmon (I)
3 Stan Mulley
4 Thomas Deverill (I)
6 Samuel Keene (I)
Year 5 girls
1 Imogen Burton (I)
7 Athena Cooper
11 Rose Marshall-Brown (I)
12 Lucy Sheen (I)
Year 5 boys
3 George Henderson (I)
5 Owen Maghaireh
7 Adam Bradley (I)
9 James Walker (I)
11 Edgar Traviss-Turner (I)
Year 6 girls
7 Jess Rollings (I)
Year 6 boys
1 Ewan Reid (I)
2 Sammy Whitehouse
6 Eaden Lyons
18 Dillon Rollings (I)
Other VS juniors taking part (who had all done well to qualify from the area rounds) included Caleb Keene, Elliot Rushgrove, Arabella Nancolas, Abigail Bottomley, Freddie Berke, Jenson Bennett, Henry Rollings, Melissa Ward, Indi Banerjee, Aiden Thornton, Jacob Jones; I think all finished in the top half or even top third of their races, so well done everyone!
Everyone who has qualified, whether as part of a school team or as an individual, will be notified via their school about arrangements for the West Yorks Final.
Note that the top runners in the West Yorks Final in years 4/5/6 will be selected to represent West Yorkshire at the National Finals at Loughborough on Saturday 25th March. Please make a note of this date in your diary, just in case.
P.S. Valley Striders were also well represented as part of the event team – Chrisi (Jenson’s mum) was event organiser, I was starter’s assistant and a finish judge, and Jane (Jess & Henry’s mum) and Claire (Emmy & Thomas’s mum) were both finish funnel marshals (in VS yellow reflective jackets).